mini-dvi to VGA issues...

e46ci · May 13, 2007

Hi all,

I sometimes connect my Macbook to my LCD tv/monitor and use front row + airtunes to watch movies on my TV... however, if I have my lid closed, I only get audio and no video. It seems like the video card will only send video to my tv when the lid is open. Any ideas how to resolve this? My previous dell could send video to the tv even if the lid was closed...

TIA

walkerj · May 13, 2007

You're probably running spanned, and when close the lid it thinks you don't want to see anything anymore. Go into Displays in System Prefs (or use the displays on the Menu Bar) and "Turn on mirroring". It should then just display the same thing on both screens and when you close the lid it should keep the video on.

jjhellis · May 13, 2007

e46ci said:
Hi all,

I sometimes connect my Macbook to my LCD tv/monitor and use front row + airtunes to watch movies on my TV... however, if I have my lid closed, I only get audio and no video. It seems like the video card will only send video to my tv when the lid is open. Any ideas how to resolve this? My previous dell could send video to the tv even if the lid was closed...

TIA

I have wanted to connect mine to a lcd tv, can you tell me how you do it.

walkerj · May 13, 2007

jjhellis said:
I have wanted to connect mine to a lcd tv, can you tell me how you do it.

If the LCD TV has an RGB (nee, VGA) connector you can get a $20US Mini-DVI to VGA adapter with which you can connect the Mac to the TV. If your TV has a DVI connector, you can get a Mini-DVI to DVI connector to connect the Mac to the TV. Then you switch the TV to whatever mode uses that connector (mine has an RGB button on the remote that switches it) and then use it as a huge monitor or watch movies.

If your TV has neither, then there's other mechanisms, but I am unfamiliar with them.

jjhellis · May 13, 2007

walkerj said:
If the LCD TV has an RGB (nee, VGA) connector you can get a $20US Mini-DVI to VGA adapter with which you can connect the Mac to the TV. If your TV has a DVI connector, you can get a Mini-DVI to DVI connector to connect the Mac to the TV. Then you switch the TV to whatever mode uses that connector (mine has an RGB button on the remote that switches it) and then use it as a huge monitor or watch movies.

If your TV has neither, then there's other mechanisms, but I am unfamiliar with them.

Thanks for the info

I have just ordered the adapter a bit expensive £20 but it will be worth it with all the films I have.

e46ci · May 14, 2007

jjhellis said:
Thanks for the info

I have just ordered the adapter a bit expensive £20 but it will be worth it with all the films I have.

definitely worth it... w/my previous dell, i had to use a wireless keyboard/mouse combo to achieve my couch potato status but w/the macbook, all i need is my little remote to navigate my movies.

I've been considering apple tv but till i decide to pull the trigger, this is the next best thing!

e46ci · May 14, 2007

walkerj said:
You're probably running spanned, and when close the lid it thinks you don't want to see anything anymore. Go into Displays in System Prefs (or use the displays on the Menu Bar) and "Turn on mirroring". It should then just display the same thing on both screens and when you close the lid it should keep the video on.

Finally got this working with the help of insomnia...
the only way the Macbook video card will work w/the lid closed is if insomnia is running in the background. Didn't make a diff if mirrored displays was on or off!