Thunderbolt to hdmi help!

[nood1es]

Got a 42'' vizio that I'm trying to connect with my new 11'' mba. Im using the kanex mini display port to hdmi. Only thing I can see is just the wallpaper and nothing else. No icons or sound coming from tv..but sound and everything works normal on mba. As if nothing happens, just a quick blue screen then back to normal. Help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks.

 

[codencis]

You need to go into System Preferences > Displays > Arrangement > Mirror Displays.
That will mirror whatever is on your MBA to your TV. What you had set up before was: Your Mac was using your TV as an external monitor; if you were to drag a window to the left hand side of your MacBook Air you would have seen that window appear on your TV.

If you want sound to come out of your TV you have to go to
System Preferences > Sound > Output then select your TV from the list.

 

[nood1es]

Ohhhhhhhh ha! Shows how much of a mac newbie I am. First time owning a mac, and first time in 15 years i've used one again.

 

[jason.siegel]

You don't have to use the mirror display. You can also drag windows off the screen to the right (by default), and they'll appear on the TV.

 

[misterneums]

Ohhhhhhhh ha! Shows how much of a mac newbie I am. First time owning a mac, and first time in 15 years i've used one again.

Have fun!

 

[Queen6]

Go into System Preferences > Displays > Arrangement dont check mirror, arrange the display icons so that primary display is on the TV. When you are plugged in the the 42 it will be primary, on the go OS X wil revert the primary to the built in LCD...

You get more work space, and dont need to think about changing the display settings as OS X will handle it for you