TV as Display

[BoxerBoy]

I decided to use my Sony TV as a video/audio display linked to my new MBP and so I have bought an adaptor to connect to my MBP Mini Display Port with the outlet being HDMI, thinking that I would just have to connect this to an HDMI socket on my TV with an extension cable.

There is a spare HDMI socket on the TV, originally intended for a DVD player but when I plug in the PC extension cable nothing happens. There is a VGA socket meant for a PC, but I chose to go for the better quality of HDMI. thinking I could connect to any HDMI .

Have I boobed or is it possible to get the TV working as an additional display using HDMI.

 

[stefmesman]

should work. unless your adapter doesn't work. MBP works with HDMI. VGA doesn't support audio. HDMI does.

 

[BoxerBoy]

should work. unless your adapter doesn't work. MBP works with HDMI. VGA doesn't support audio. HDMI does.

I also thought it should work stefmesman, my concern now, is that on the TV the input for a PC is VGA, I have ignored this and used the HDMI that was intended for DVDs,

Should it work if I use that HDMI socket

 

[MisterMe]

...

There is a spare HDMI socket on the TV, originally intended for a DVD player but when I plug in the PC extension cable nothing happens. There is a VGA socket meant for a PC, but I chose to go for the better quality of HDMI. thinking I could connect to any HDMI .

...

Where are you getting this? HDMI is HDMI. There is no such thing as HDMI intended for DVD. In fact, HDMI is overkill for DVD. HDMI is a high-definition connection protocol. DVD content is 720x480, way below high-definition. For the sake of argument, I ignore up-converting DVD players.

As for VGA, I make the same argument. Even though VGA is used primarily for connecting computers to their monitors, it is by no means limited to that function. Many home entertainment devices feature VGA.

The bottom line is that you should use the input port on your TV that best matches the best output port of your source. Having said that, a TV is not a good computer display. This is because TV sets and computer monitors are used in almost diametrically opposing ways. Therefore, their design criteria are in diametric opposition.

 

[CWallace]

Is the port you are plugging into only an HDMI port? My Sharp's "PC port" can handle VGA or HDMI so I had to select which input type (VGA or HDMI) maps to that input selection.

 

[BoxerBoy]

Originally Posted by BoxerBoy
...

There is a spare HDMI socket on the TV, originally intended for a DVD player but when I plug in the PC extension cable nothing happens. There is a VGA socket meant for a PC, but I chose to go for the better quality of HDMI. thinking I could connect to any HDMI .

MisterMe replied
"Where are you getting this? HDMI is HDMI. There is no such thing as HDMI intended for DVD. "


On the rear of the TV two HDMI ports are on a panel labelled DVD . On the panel labelled PC there is a VGA port and an audio port.

 

[AdrianK]

On the rear of the TV two HDMI ports are on a panel labelled DVD . On the panel labelled PC there is a VGA port and an audio port.

Well, that's a pretty odd design choice by the manufacturer (as Mister Me stated), so just ignore it. You can connect to any HDMI port, they're all the same.

If cycling through all available inputs doesn't show anything then there's an issues with the mDP > HDMI lead.

Can you move the cursor off the MBP's display? If you can, OS X is detecting a second display.

 

[BoxerBoy]

Well I'm halfway there folks, a little bit more help to push me over the finishing line would be appreciated..

Current situation is that audio is working perfectly. TV is knocking out all the audio I use on my Mac. You Tube, iTunes, iMovies, everything

Visually though all I have on the TV screen is the traditional Apple desktop picture, the space picture with all the stars and lights. I do not have that picture on my Mac desktop

Only other thing that displays on the TV is the "Desktop & Screensaver " window, showing ONLY the Desktop Pictures Selection. If I choose a different picture selection, nothing changes on the TV.

Also, if I click on 'Show All" or "Screensaver" in the window, the window showing on the TV will vanish.

 

[BoxerBoy]

Scrub my plea for help folks.

I messed around with the resolutions and all of a sudden I can get a pic on the TV in all resolutions.

Problem solved , thank you.

 

[GenesisJLS]

Awesome, good job.