VGA or SVideo?

[firstapple]

Which one is more clear to hook up my macbook to my 32" LCD TV? I had VGA connection from my mac mini, and it looked great! I just want to know if SVideo is even clearer than VGA? I am planning on going to bestbuy and getting a miniDVI adapter. What do you all think?

 

[Eidorian]

VGA is superior to S-Video.

 

[firstapple]

That's what I was thinking. Like I said, I had a VGA connection from my mini to my TV and it looked great! I just wanted to make sure since I have to go out and buy a new adapter for my Macbook. Why couldn't apple toss in a darn adapter...

 

[killerrobot]

VGA is superior to S-Video.

+1

I've never been a fan of S-Video - and I wish Apple would put at least VGA out on their laptops.

 

[Eidorian]

That's what I was thinking. Like I said, I had a VGA connection from my mini to my TV and it looked great! I just wanted to make sure since I have to go out and buy a new adapter for my Macbook. Why couldn't apple toss in a darn adapter...

I believe the iBook did come with a Mini-VGA to VGA one.

+1

I've never been a fan of S-Video - and I wish Apple would put at least VGA out on their laptops.

The Mini-VGA and Mini-DVI connectors are more flexible and compact then a full sized one but I'll agree it is somewhat annoying having to buy so many adapters.

 

[yippy]

All of Apple's laptops can output VGA, you just need a cheap adapter.

 

[itickings]

+1

I've never been a fan of S-Video - and I wish Apple would put at least VGA out on their laptops.

Well, there are still plenty of TVs out there without VGA/DVI support... S-Video is great for many of those (like the very one in my living room ).

Regarding "at least VGA", why waste space for a full VGA/DVI connector? I very much prefer the mini-DVI connector to a full connector on a laptop. Sure, I agree with Eidorian that it is annoying to have to buy the adapter, but most people won't use it anyway...

Besides - if you're going to waste space on the laptop, putting a VGA connector instead of DVI-I there would in my opinion be pretty much on par with re-introducing the floppy drive instead of upgrading the optical to blu-ray.

 

[killerrobot]

Besides - if you're going to waste space on the laptop, putting a VGA connector instead of DVI-I there would in my opinion be pretty much on par with re-introducing the floppy drive instead of upgrading the optical to blu-ray.

So I just have to buy the adapter to go from DVI to VGA now and still "downgrade"?
I'm not saying get rid of the DVI, just make more outs for video (whether it be s or VGA, optical etc) to make laptops easier to use instead of carrying around 60 different adapters.

@yippy
If you need to buy an adapter then it doesn't have VGA out. I know its capable of it but my whole point is why do I have to buy a 20 buck adapter for a 3k laptop?

 

[itickings]

So I just have to buy the adapter to go from DVI to VGA now and still "downgrade"?

I'm not saying get rid of the DVI, just make more outs for video (whether it be s or VGA, optical etc) to make laptops easier to use instead of carrying around 60 different adapters.

If you need 60 different adapters, just imagine how nice and portable the laptop would have to be in order to have all those connectors onboard...

Further, it would be pretty annoying/confusing to have S-Video, DVI-D and VGA (and the kitchen sink) included and only be able to use one at a time. Or maybe the hardware should be beefed up to support additional screens to make it easier to use?

And where should the line be drawn? Shouldn't the laptop support composite video too? It's an Apple, so why not ADC? HDMI would be useful too, instead of having to buy and use a DVI to HDMI-adapter. How about component video?

Then we have some people who would like to use PS/2 keyboards/mice, let's make that easier too.

To answer your first question - Yes, you would have to use an adapter to go from DVI-I to VGA. Just like you have to on new desktop computers.

 

[26139]

Whiners

So I just have to buy the adapter to go from DVI to VGA now and still "downgrade"?
I'm not saying get rid of the DVI, just make more outs for video (whether it be s or VGA, optical etc) to make laptops easier to use instead of carrying around 60 different adapters.

@yippy
If you need to buy an adapter then it doesn't have VGA out. I know its capable of it but my whole point is why do I have to buy a 20 buck adapter for a 3k laptop?

Dude, it's $60 for all three. I'd rather carry around three very small adapters than have a larger, heavier laptop because Apple decided to include ports most of us hardly ever use.

 

[Fuchal]

Which one is more clear to hook up my macbook to my 32" LCD TV? I had VGA connection from my mac mini, and it looked great! I just want to know if SVideo is even clearer than VGA? I am planning on going to bestbuy and getting a miniDVI adapter. What do you all think?

S-Video is horrible. VGA is good. DVI or HDMI is great.

 

[killerrobot]

Dude, it's $60 for all three. I'd rather carry around three very small adapters than have a larger, heavier laptop because Apple decided to include ports most of us hardly ever use.

So buy them for me and send them to me if it's only sixty for all three.
Also aren't you also still carrying the weight around if you're carrying all three in your bag.

@itickings
So sorry that I think the MB and MBP could be improved upon.

 

[26139]

Riiight

So buy them for me and send them to me if it's only sixty for all three.
Also aren't you also still carrying the weight around if you're carrying all three in your bag.

@itickings
So sorry that I think the MB and MBP could be improved upon.

Yeah, $19.95 a piece. Get a job.

The weight of what? These things can't measure more than 2 ounces a piece.

It's worth the trade off of having a larger laptop compared to having to deal with three measly adapters. Adding the ports would have added much more than six ounces to the laptop, i bet.

 

[killerrobot]

Yeah, $19.95 a piece. Get a job.

The weight of what? These things can't measure more than 2 ounces a piece.

It's worth the trade off of having a larger laptop compared to having to deal with three measly adapters. Adding the ports would have added much more than six ounces to the laptop, i bet.

Did you forget what your original arguments where or what!? - now all of sudden $60 is too much for you and 6 ounces is nothing to worry about weight wise.

 

[26139]

huh?

Did you forget what your original arguments where or what!? - now all of sudden $60 is too much for you and 6 ounces is nothing to worry about weight wise.

What are you talking about? I never complained about the price.

No, six ounces of optional weight is not too much to carry around.

 

[lostless]

Here it is in a nut shell. S-video, 480i. Yes 640x480 interlaced SDTV. VGA, whatever resolution you want, progressive and can go beyond HDTV. Not only that, but vga splits its color channels into its components. Red, green and blue. S-video sends signal with black and white on one line and ALL COLORS smashed into the other.

 

[killerrobot]

What are you talking about? I never complained about the price.

Yeah, $19.95 a piece. Get a job.

What are you talking about? 60 bucks is too much for you as well if you have to tell me to get a job.

No, six ounces of optional weight is not too much to carry around.

How about you get a life and realize that millions of other people use macs as well and that they might appreciate having more built-in video outs (I seriously doubt in anyway that adding 3 more would weigh more than the 3 adapters btw) so that they didn't have to d%"k around with only one DVI out in order to make their jobs easier sometimes.
As I said before, I think it would be an improvement. I'm sorry you don't and I hope you never need a VGA connection in the case you forget to carry an adapter with you that day.