Connecting your Mac to your TV

Sorry if this was covered in the previous 44 pages, but here's what I've come across:

We bought a JVC EM32T tv from Costco. We're using my wife's Macbook, the very first one with the Mini DVI port that will not carry audio.

So you'd think you'd get a Mini DVI to HDMI adapter for the video and use the Macbook's headphone output into the tv's RCA audio input via a simple adapter. From what I've read, that's the normal fix.

The trouble is when you select the HDMI input on the tv none of the RCA audio inputs work. The guy at the Apple store said that on all the tv's he'd seen you could use the HDMI for video along with using RCA inputs for audio, and that the RCA audio inputs would sum in with the HDMI video.

But on this tv, that doesn't seem to work. When you select HDMI input on the tv, it expects the audio to be with the video on the HDMI cable. There is no way to have the video from the HDMI and the audio from, for instance, the aux or camcorder RCA audio inputs.

Many of the other tv's I've seen have RCA audio inputs not only for the camcorder and aux inputs, but also for the HDMI inputs, but this one doesn't. The tv's input select chooses video and audio as pairs, you can't select video from one source and audio from another source.

So it seems like either get a more recent Mac, get a $100 box that will sum audio in with HDMI I found on eBay, use a separate sound system or (yuck) use a mini DVI to composite adapter and use the tv's composite audio and video inputs.

Without looking up your particular TV...

The general rule of thumb for all brands of TVs, not just this one:

You must use an HDMI port that is labeled as HDMI/DVI and
you must use the audio port labeled as DVI.

Every TV uses the above - you cannot use the composite, S-Video nor the component audio inputs and expect the sound input to work with the HDMI port.

Some TVs use the standard RCA jacks, some use a 3.5mm stereo mini-plug (same as the headphone jack on a Mac) for the DVI audio input.

If your TV does not have a DVI audio input, quit looking at ebay and head for monoprice and get this.

You will also need:
mini-DVI to DVI cable
mini-toslink to toslink cable
HDMI cable

(looks like it's time to re-write this sticky)

Thanks bobtomay

The tv doesn't have HDMI/DVI input, just a pair of HDMI inputs, and then two sets of RCA (yellow/red/white) inputs, one labeled "composite" and the other "component".

Since it's a "no big deal" bedroom tv, a small speaker with built-in amp will work fine for audio, along with a mini-DVI to HDMI adapter and HDMI cable for video.

Samsung TV

Hi,

I've got a MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.26 13" (SD/FW) from Mid-2009 and I am trying to set it up for video and audio through my Samsung TV.

The connections for the TV are located here on page 3:
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/EM/201204/20120404174151911/[PE440-450-ZA-QSG]BN68-04215C-01-ENG_web_0404.pdf

I currently have all five component plugs and one hdmi plug being used. Everything else is available.

Any suggestions to get the best audio and video playing through the TV?

Thanks for your time!

- J

Hi, newbie to the forum. I'm interested in hooking up my 2006 white Macbook (earliest model I believe) to an HDMI television. The unit is the Sony Playstation 24' tv.

This thread's been very helpful, my question concerns which adapter to get. Mactracker states that this MB can output in VGA, Composite and S-video with adapter so does that rule out the Mini-dvi to HDMI adapter? I had one in my cart at Monoprice but backed out after learning it may not be supported.

If so, which one of those is the best to get?

Wasp14:

Do you plan on using the sound through the speakers on that monitor?

Thanks for the quick reply.

I'll most likely only be outputting video through it, as there's no option for sound to be simultaneously put through composite and HDMI at the same time. After looking at some other posts it looks like it does support HDMI, though it doesn't list it anywhere.

That's why I asked the question - where do you want the sound?

Do you want the audio on that monitor or are you going to be running the sound somewhere else?

edit:
Maybe it won't matter, not finding the old audio/dvi adapter to combine the audio.

Samsung TV

Hi bobtomay,

I have a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Macbook Pro from Mid-2009 and I am trying to have video and audio come through my Samsung TV.

The connections to my Samsung can be found here: http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...40-450-ZA-QSG]BN68-04215C-01-ENG_web_0404.pdf

I am currently using all component inputs and one HDMI input. I tried using a mini display port to HDMI adapter with an HDMI cable and I can get video, but the audio does not work. Any suggestions to get both audio and video playing through the TV?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

Sorry, I'll probably just output it through the Macbook. I was going to go with the jack option in the faq but since my screen doesn't support that speakers seems easier.

Is it possible to use the Macbook with the lid closed?

Depends on what you mean by easier. It'd be easier just to use your MacBook screen and not connect it to that monitor. You're already settling for something prior to knowing what your options are.

So, it you don't want the sound on the monitor, you just need a mini-DVI to HDMI cable.
Or a mini-DVI to DVI adapter and then a DVI to HDMI cable.

You want sound on the monitor you need one of these.
With this you'll need a mini-DVI to DVI cable, a mini-toslink to toslink cable and a HDMI cable.

tiger8814;

See pg 3 - where Samdung tells you to use your computer speakers when connecting one, e.g. there is no separate audio input that will work with the HDMI port on that TV.

You can use either of these 2 items - here or here to combine the audio/video and then a HDMI cable.
Probably just get the cheaper one. Since you're using the TV speakers, no point sending it 5.1 audio.

So both of those products would provide video AND audio through the TV?

bobtomay said:

Depends on what you mean by easier. It'd be easier just to use your MacBook screen and not connect it to that monitor. You're already settling for something prior to knowing what your options are.

So, it you don't want the sound on the monitor, you just need a mini-DVI to HDMI cable.
Or a mini-DVI to DVI adapter and then a DVI to HDMI cable.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your help bobtomay. For now I'll try the mini-DVI to HDMI method and see how it works out. If it's a big detriment not having sound (a lot of my time is spent reading blogs anyway) I'll spend more to go the toslink route. It feels worth it to get 11 inches more of screen real estate.

Now I'm just reading up on whether I leave the Macbook open all the time while it's hooked up to the monitor. This has the been the most helpful thread for hooking up MB's I've found through Googling, thanks for starting and maintaining it.

tiger8814 said:

So both of those products would provide video AND audio through the TV?

Click to expand...

bobtomay said:

tiger8814;


You can use either of these 2 items - here or here to combine the audio/video and then a HDMI cable.
Probably just get the cheaper one. Since you're using the TV speakers, no point sending it 5.1 audio.

Click to expand...

see above

You should also read the description and the reviews of each of the two products and not just take my word for it.

Thanks for the great info bobtomay!

Need help hooking MBP to a tv

Hello all

I am having some troubles finding out what cable I need, to hook up my 2007 MacBook Pro model A1226 up to a tv? Any help or advice is appreciated. Thanks for your time and help. - Anthony

You're going to need to tell us which TV you have and what inputs it provides. Also please read through the posts above yours which will likely answer your questions.

The TV I'm trying to connect to has hdmi and vga outputs.

A_Wise_Fool said:

The TV I'm trying to connect to has hdmi and vga outputs.

Click to expand...

I "assume" you mean inputs, not outputs, since you want video coming "in" to the TV?

You would do well to read the very first post.
The next question is where do you want the sound?

And it would be better to provide the brand and model of TV you have.