RCA connection

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Hi, all-knowing Mac hive mind. I bow before your collective knowledge.

Here's the scoop:

I'm in the process of converting my Mac Mini (bought in early 2009) into my home media center. I have a 2004 Toshiba TV (Toshiba 35AF44). It has S-Video and RCA inputs, but no HDMI inputs or anything fancy. I bought the DVI to S-video adapter, and when I connected the mini to the TV, it worked great for the first 10 minutes. Then, I made the horrible, horrible mistake of trying to mess with the display settings, at which point it went terribly wrong: the screen flickers vertically, like a mismatch in refresh rates, and I can't see anything enough to reset the way it was. Every time I connect another monitor to the mac mini, everything goes back to normal. I have tried multiple cords, and while the different RCA cables have varying affects, the S-Video connection does nothing at all. What's the solution to this maddening problem? I'm so frustrated, I'm willing to send the person who gets this working something totally rad.
 

bobtomay

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Only taking a shot here.

Try a safe boot and reset the display preferences - audio for sure does not work in safe mode.

Here's how to do it.
 

dtravis7


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I did the same thing the OP did once messing around! Those settings should not be touched as I think you found out for using it with a TV as you can cause a mess that is hard to get out of. Try what Bobtomay suggested. Should work. I fought with it with an external monitor and somehow got the settings back again. Been ages.

Let us know if that works.
 
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Sounds good: but do I have to back up everything else first? Does it touch the data on the drive, or just the settings?
 

bobtomay

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You're not touching any data.

Just boot to safe mode, open up System Preferences - Displays

Not even sure the video will output to the TV in Safe Mode as I haven't tried it.

Hopefully it will and you'll be able to reset the TV display there. Or use the Detect Displays button.



If not, back in regular boot up, in Display preferences, make sure you have the displays mirrored, this will give you access to the 2nd display preference box and try the same thing.
 
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Hallelujah!

It worked! I did have to restart in safe mode, but also had to make sure the TV was attached prior to the reboot ; restarting with the monitor hooked, and then trying to switch did NOT work, suffice to say.

In any event, I'm a man of my word: Bobtomay, go to my site, JoeAlterio.com, and send me a mailing address through the contact form, I'll send you a teeshirt. Thanks! ;D
 

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