I want to connect my Macbook to my tv!

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I have a brand new macbook and would like to connect it to my high defenition TV. However I've noticed that it will take about 100 dollars in cables to hook up my computer to my tv.

The only option I know of is purchasing a cable that turns DVI into a High Defenition port (NOT HDMI). and than I would have to buy the cable to turn my HD PORT into a HDMI connection (which my TV uses). Than buy a seperate cable to connect the sound to my radio or tv.

Is there a better MORE COST EFFECTIVE way of doing this. I know alot about computers (I am a systems administrator) however I just got my first tv, and know nothing. PLEASE HELP.
 
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i hook my in to my HD TV using VGA, don't you have a VGA input on your TV?
 
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All you need to connect to TV's HDMI port is:-


One of these (If you don't already have one)

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=7E4EB91E&nplm=M9321

plus one of these (Cheap as chips and available everywhere)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GIZMO-DEALS-PREMIUM-PLATED-CABLE-PLASMA/dp/B000SSNH9U/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1198868911&sr=8-2

For sound you just need to use a standard audio jack cable (Cost about £1 if you don't already have one laying around)

Works fine for me on a 12" Powerbook

You could also use the mini DVI to VGA adaptor (Plus a VGA cable) but remember that VGA is analogue whereas DVI and HDMI are digital.
 
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All you need to connect to TV's HDMI port is:-


One of these (If you don't already have one)

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/ukstore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=7E4EB91E&nplm=M9321

plus one of these (Cheap as chips and available everywhere)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GIZMO-DEALS-PREMIUM-PLATED-CABLE-PLASMA/dp/B000SSNH9U/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1198868911&sr=8-2

For sound you just need to use a standard audio jack cable (Cost about £1 if you don't already have one laying around)

Works fine for me on a 12" Powerbook

You could also use the mini DVI to VGA adaptor (Plus a VGA cable) but remember that VGA is analogue whereas DVI and HDMI are digital.


That helps so much!!! Thank you. I live in USA, and cables like that cost 80-100 dollars USD. So I will buy this cable from overseas, hopefully they can ship to the US.
 
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No need to do that. They cost that much over here if you listen to the salespeople in the TV shops. Don't get suckered in by them (I've compared my £5 cable against my brother-in-law's £80 cable and there is no difference in picture quality whatsoever).

You can get them cheap in the US. Try Wallmart etc. or online such as:-

http://www.amazon.com/Premium-High-Resolution-CABLE-PLASMA/dp/B000R9KZQ8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=miscellaneous&qid=1198871660&sr=8-2

I believe the audio jack, which I mentioned for sound, is called a 'phone plug' over there. Again try Wallmart etc., these should cost next to nothing!

Finally, the Mini DVI adaptor for your Macbook is $19 in your Applestore:-

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=7E4EB91E&nplm=M9321G/B
 
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Mac mini 2.6GHz i5 8GB RAM 1TB HDD OSX Yosemite
Before you buy cables you need to know what kind of video/audio inputs you have on your TV. The newer TV's are coming with a lot more inputs than they use to.
 
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Before you buy cables you need to know what kind of video/audio inputs you have on your TV. The newer TV's are coming with a lot more inputs than they use to.

I have a ton of inputs, however they are all the newest inputs. I have. 2 hdmi inputs. 3 sets of standard inputs, 3 sets of the multicolored inputs (ie red, green, blue, yellow, and white), a monitor serial input, and a cable input. It's all confusing! LOL
 
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The way I understand it (but I could be wrong) is that if the HDMI cables are costly it's because they have a lot of shielding against parasitic radio waves, frequencies or whatever they are.

Cheap cables are defeating the purpose of the higher quality image HDMI brings you.
 
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The way I understand it (but I could be wrong) is that if the HDMI cables are costly it's because they have a lot of shielding against parasitic radio waves, frequencies or whatever they are.

Cheap cables are defeating the purpose of the higher quality image HDMI brings you.

And I spent $180 for two cables yesterday that are HDMI to HDMI. SO EXPENSIVE. I was just hoping that there was a work around that was cheaper for the mac.
 
M

MacHeadCase

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Yeah we bought an HDMI cable to connect our HDTV and our Blu-ray DVD player, I know what you mean: it cost us $120 for a six-foot cable.
 

Gaz


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i use a HDMI to HDMI cable i got from the apple store for connecting my apple TV to my HDTV, and it only cost me £20 or $40. works perfect for me
 
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i use a HDMI to HDMI cable i got from the apple store for connecting my apple TV to my HDTV, and it only cost me £20 or $40. works perfect for me

Sounds a bit more of a realistic price...!!!!!!

DVI to HDMI jumpers aren't that expensive. You can get one for £15 in the Uk so could be cheaper in the US..

Rimmer
 
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Please stop wasting money on these overpriced cables!

HDMI and DVI are digital standards and will thus just transfer the exact same data/image (In a series of 0s and 1s) from one device to the other. So, as long as the cable actually works, you will see no (Nil, zero!) difference between a £2 cable and a £100 Monster cable.

Don't believe the salespersons' hype and the ridiculously marked up prices in the TV stores. They make huge killings on these cables to unsuspecting consumers, I've seen stories where the price mark up has been as high as 3000%!!!!
 
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I have a brand new macbook and would like to connect it to my high defenition TV. However I've noticed that it will take about 100 dollars in cables to hook up my computer to my tv.

The only option I know of is purchasing a cable that turns DVI into a High Defenition port (NOT HDMI). and than I would have to buy the cable to turn my HD PORT into a HDMI connection (which my TV uses). Than buy a seperate cable to connect the sound to my radio or tv.

Is there a better MORE COST EFFECTIVE way of doing this. I know alot about computers (I am a systems administrator) however I just got my first tv, and know nothing. PLEASE HELP.

Actually to me shfle has the best answer to me. As for the price of cables... If you bought your TV from a discount store where quality wasn't you main concern go with a cheaper set of cables. If you bought your TV from a specialty store I would go with a middle of the line to higher-in cables. I had a 35" low-end tv with a so-so picture with cheaper cables. I later bought an 57" HD tv. With that new tv I had blue lines going across my screen when playing my dvd. I upgraded my cables and all was fine from there.
 
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wow.. i can't believe the price you guys are paying for HDMI cables.. simply get on ebay... you can EASILY buy hdmi cables on ebay for $1 per foot... shipped.

i spent $30 on a 30ft HDMI cable
i spent $50 on a 50ft HDMI cable

remember one thing here... since this is a digital signal there is not need to buy more expensive cables, there is no difference what-so-ever at all, there is no difference in shielding or anything of that nature, because extra shielding makes no difference with a digital signal.

here is what i use :

Mini DVI to DVI converter from apple
DVI to HDMI cable from ebay

HDMI to TV!!

now for the BEST audio simply do this :
Get yourself an optical audio cable ( CHEAP on ebay of course )
get a toslink to optical converter ( $1.29 online )

enjoy!
 
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Please stop wasting money on these overpriced cables!

HDMI and DVI are digital standards and will thus just transfer the exact same data/image (In a series of 0s and 1s) from one device to the other. So, as long as the cable actually works, you will see no (Nil, zero!) difference between a £2 cable and a £100 Monster cable.

Don't believe the salespersons' hype and the ridiculously marked up prices in the TV stores. They make huge killings on these cables to unsuspecting consumers, I've seen stories where the price mark up has been as high as 3000%!!!!

you are 100% correct sir.

an HDMI cable is an HDMI cable, get the cheapest one out there.
an optical audio cable is an optical audio cable...


NOW if your using COMPONENT cables its a different story...

but thats another lesson for another day
 
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Whilst it is true that good quality analogue cables (Scart/component etc.) show major improvements over their cheaper versions, this is not the case with digital cables.

The more expensive ones will obviously have a good build quality and have better quality control, which will lessen the chances of getting a duff cable (Is this worth the huge price hike when in the slim chance that a cheap one doesn't work you can just buy another one and still be quids in?).

The extra shielding is irrelevant to about 99.9% of users as, unless you are building a nuclear reactor or something in your garden shed, it is extremely unlikely that anything will be strong enough to affect the data transmitted through a 6ft digital cable from your TV to DVD etc.

Unless you are needing a cable the length of your house (When there is possibly a slight case for using a more expensive cable, as there is more chance of faults in the actual build of the cable) then there is no need whatsoever to buy an expensive cable.

As I said before, if you are just connecting your TV to a DVD, Mac or whatever through DVI/HDMI you will see no benefit in picture quality at all. Buy the cheapest one you can, trust me the picture will be exactly the same as it would through an expensive cable.

Please listen to Slow91crx and myself, we are not codding you, honestly.
 
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Whilst it is true that good quality analogue cables (Scart/component etc.) show major improvements over their cheaper versions, this is not the case with digital cables.

The more expensive ones will obviously have a good build quality and have better quality control, which will lessen the chances of getting a duff cable (Is this worth the huge price hike when in the slim chance that a cheap one doesn't work you can just buy another one and still be quids in?).

The extra shielding is irrelevant to about 99.9% of users as, unless you are building a nuclear reactor or something in your garden shed, it is extremely unlikely that anything will be strong enough to affect the data transmitted through a 6ft digital cable from your TV to DVD etc.

Unless you are needing a cable the length of your house (When there is possibly a slight case for using a more expensive cable, as there is more chance of faults in the actual build of the cable) then there is no need whatsoever to buy an expensive cable.

As I said before, if you are just connecting your TV to a DVD, Mac or whatever through DVI/HDMI you will see no benefit in picture quality at all. Buy the cheapest one you can, trust me the picture will be exactly the same as it would through an expensive cable.

Please listen to Slow91crx and myself, we are not codding you, honestly.

Y'all are my hero's. LOLOLOLOL
 

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