Mac to TV

What cord do I need to purchase in order to hook up my Mac to a tv? I have a bunch of movies on here in avi format so I can't put them on dvd...any help?

you need a mini-dvi to dvi adapter from the apple store and then a dvi cord.

oh wait. that is if you have a hd tv with dvi...

otherwise, mini-dvi to HDMI or VGA and then the coresponding cord.

voila! its pretty easy. just find what input it is on your screen, mess around with mirrored or not and the resolutions in System Prefrences > monitors

Thanks! I appreciate it.

It depends on you Mac, which you do not mention and isn't in your profile.

xstep said:

It depends on you Mac, which you do not mention and isn't in your profile.

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and on the TV: there is no way to correctly answer this question without knowing which Mac you have and what connections you have available on the TV you wish to connect to without giving a list of all the possibilities (which wouldn't help you a whole lot).

On the TV side, if you do not know the name of the different connection types, let us know the brand and model #. We can take it from there.

If you have a mac with mini DVI you need an adapter from apple with mini DVI
If you have a mac with mini VGA you need an adapter from apple with mini VGA
If you have a mac with DVI out you need an adapter from with DVI out.

What is on ther other side of your cable depends on your TV. If you have a HDTV with DVI in you need an adapter with DVI (Unless your computer already has DVI out then you just need a DVI cable).
If you have an HDTV with HDMI you need an adapter that converts to DVI then you need to buy a DVI to HDMI cable.

If you have a standard definition TV you need one of apple's adapters that has video out (composit and s-video).

Its basically a processes of getting an adapter for your computer output, that creates a single your TV can imput. The only problem is that if you have mini VGA you cannot connect to an HDTV.

What other have not mentioned is audio. Again you need an adapter. Probably mini 1/8" to RCA if you have a standard definition TV (also works with HDTV's) but if you have a newer mac you will probably want the better audio quality that the digital audio output has.

Give us your computer model and TV model/type if you are having trouble.

Bluesmudge said:

The only problem is that if you have mini VGA you cannot connect to an HDTV.

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this makes me sad. i have a first gen i mac g5.

im new to macs but i thought it was a "mini dvi" output on the first gen. g5's.




recently got a 42'' lcd hdtv from phillips.

the url on the bottom host the specs of the tv and the model number for added help.
http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/catalog/tree/en/us/consumer/tv_gr_us_consumer/flat_tv_ca_us_consumer/ce/_productId_42PF7421D_37_US_CONSUMER/digital_widescreen_flat_TV+42PF7421D_37?proxybuster=Z0WKADLWP3HT1J0RMRESHP3HKFSEKI5P


this tv has an hdmi port. i went to the apple store, got all the plugs i need for this and nothing happens. i figured it would just mirror whats on the screen of the mac to the tv.

so, i guess my question is, for the first gen g5, is it a mini dvi or mini vga?

and, what am i doing wrong?

thanks for any help in advance.
:edit: added pictures for some extra help. :bone:

Fube.

Looks like it is a mini-vga if it is a first gen G5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Displays

You could come out of the mini VGA and go to a VGA to component cable, which could then be connected to the component video inputs on your TV. This would support resolutions up to 720p @ 60Hz (1280x720).

If you have already made the connections, it sounds like you are probably running through the s-video port. This connection will work, but is only going to support up to 480p (640x480).

Hope this helps.

Apple calls it a "Video out port" in most all of their documentation I found (owners manual, etc.). They refer to it as a mini-VGA with the cables that attach to this port. They can really call it whatever they want since it is a proprietary Apple only video port.

Here is a link for adapter to s-video and composite

Here is a link for adapter to VGA

Now to your problem, Phillips has not made this TV computer compatible. Manufacturers that are will include a VGA or DVI port. This one does not. You have s-video, component and HDMI ports only. There are cables and boxes that will take VGA and audio, convert the analog signal and push it down an HDMI cable. Most of these will run you $150 - $200 (and you don't have the HDMI cable with that) and are available only at specialty cable shops online. Have never seen anything like this in a local store of any kind.
2nd option in this portion is to go VGA to component. Once again, you are looking at high dollar costs just to get your iMac to the TV at 720p instead of 480p, and from my experience will not be worth the cost for most. Here is one box that will do this for you. If you want to look for others, just put "vga to component" or "vga to hdmi" into google.


So your best bet is going to be getting the cable in the first link above and then using an s-video cable. Not the best picture, but it will get you to 480p on the TV. If the TV has good processing internally you will get a decent picture for viewing movies, pictures, etc. from your computer. You will probably not want to use it for viewing text documents nor browsing the web.

Have not touched on audio, if you need help there, give a post back.

thanks for your help, it was very helpful. i have the following cords from my mac to the tv.

imac - mini vga to dvi - dvi to hdmi - tv.

so, i turn the tv to the hdmi imput on the tv and its a blank screen. like nothings pluged into it. so then i try to change the screen resolutions on the mac thinking it would show up if i had the right ratio. but im wrong. i did not realize that even if it did show up it would be less "visualy attractive". i guess the only thing ill try now is the s-video cable. if this does not work then o well. no biggie.



thanks again for your help, u guys/gals are great!

Hello, Fube.

you are admirable. this is not an easy work for majority, but you could make it. you know, I belong to the majority. I will probably go to Apple TV instead of these complex steps

robertlo said:

Hello, Fube.

you are admirable. this is not an easy work for majority, but you could make it. you know, I belong to the majority. I will probably go to Apple TV instead of these complex steps

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lookin for a cheaper alturnative. but i have given up. still enjoying the tv though, and the mac. thanks for your help.

You said you can't burn your quicktime files to a dvd..I do that all the time I have hundreds of anime fan subs in the same fomrat and I burn them simply by inserting a blank dvd-r dragging what I want in and clicking burn.. I'm lucky to have purchased a portable dvd player which actually plays these formats too! hope that answered atleast 1 question