Connecting Macbook to HD TV

Ok guys,

Done a search through google and also on this site, and although i have managed to find some usefull information, i still have a couple of problems.

I have successfully connected my Macbook to my Sharp Aquos HD TV via a 'mini dvi-dvi adapter' connected to a 'dvi to hdmi' cable. Audio is 3.5mm-3.5mm cable.

I have an image on the tv screen, and can move windows from the macbook screen to the TV screen.

However, the reason i want to connect the 2 is to watch movies that are stored on m laptop, on the big screen.

Heres where the problems arise.

If i drag the video player (quicktime/vlc etc) window to the tv screen and then select fullscreen, it reverts to playing on the macbook screen.

I have searched and tried setting the tv as the main screen (by dragging the menu bar in system preferences (display tab) to the tv screen. This puts my main window onto the tv with dock and desktop etc, but when i open the video player and go fullscreen, still referts to playing on macbook screen??

I tried mirroring, but i want to be able to use laptop while playing through tv.

Secondly, the resolution of my macbook is 1280x800...when viewed on tv, it cuts some of the desktop off. The resolution of the TV is 1280x760 (can be changed but this is the closest math for the macbook resolution)

I have it on overrun, but even with this unchecked, i still cannot get the same on both tv and macbook. If overrun unchecked, just has black borders around edge.

So, to summarise....

1) How can i successfully play video fullscreen through the TV screen...AND still be able to use my laptop (i.e. not mirroring)

2) Any way to get resolutions the same for macbook and tv so edges aren' t cut off on tv.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Adam W

Adam W said:

1) How can i successfully play video fullscreen through the TV screen...AND still be able to use my laptop (i.e. not mirroring)

2) Any way to get resolutions the same for macbook and tv so edges aren' t cut off on tv.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Adam W

Click to expand...

1)I know you can do this with quicktime and VLC player. With QT just open the movie you want to play and click present movie, in view. Then you will have a window, click on the screen on which you want it to play. Then you have the video on the big screen and desktop on the macbook.

2)Open display, then you will have a window showing the resolution on each screen. Click the resolution on screen you want. I have perfect 1080p on my TV (there is 720p).

B&O, thanks for the reply.

In order to 'present movie' it requires Quicktime Pro.

Any way of achieving the same effect without pro? or using another video player? Surely there is a way of making it fullscreen on another monitor?

VLC player is free and will play just about anything too. It will maximize to which ever screen you have it on. I only uses those two. But I am sure there are many others that can do the same job too.

seems i still cant get things to work.

vlc with 'fit to screen' but this still has the duration/volume toolbar open on screen. if i select full screen on vlc with revert to playing on macbook screen.

im starting to think it is impossible, but it cant be!!

getting the resolution to match is also seemingly impossible, as it either doesnt fill the tv screen (has a black edge all the way round and not centered) or is over the edge (cutting the dock/time/top toolbar off screen).

aaarrrggh !!

Quicktime works for sure. Check out this thread.

Full Screen on External Monitor - Mac Forums

I will keep searching for a few minutes.

B&O, great find.

Solution on there worked great. I went to preferences and selected remain in fullscreen when inactive and also clicked the blue square which represents my tv and the quicktime logo moves over to it. Now it plays in full screen fine.

I have since resolved the resolution issue to. I decided to try mini dvi-vga connected to a vga-vga for the video, instead of mini dvi-dvi/dvi-hdmi. Since doing this i can now select the closest resolution to that on the macbook (1280x768) and then 'fit to screen' on my tv options menu. So now i have fixed it all, and the video plays fine and looks great.

For information, tv is a Sharp AQUOS 37" LCD.

Appreciate the help B&O!

No problem anytime. It is always nice to help.

ok, although i have fixed the problem for quicktime, cannot find a solution so vlc plays fullscreen on the tv.

can play 'fit to screen' but still has volume/duration bar on show. if anyone knows a solution for this that would be great.

to play vlc full screen on your tv you'll need to have the player control on the same screen that you want it to be full screen on. If you don't have a controller visible then go to view and click it, I forget exactly what it's called and I'm on a pc right now.

My HDTV screen lags

I have a 50" 1080p TV. When I display movies on my big screen the screen is VERY laggy. I figured maybe the macbook just can't support such a big display? But it seems people have had no problems with screens as big as 40 inches.