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Connecting your Mac to your TV
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<blockquote data-quote="bobtomay" data-source="post: 1010622" data-attributes="member: 24160"><p><span style="color: Blue">Just want to know what cables to buy to connect to your HDMI capable TV - see the new thread <a href="http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/other-hardware-peripherals/301324-adapter-cables-connecting-mac-tv-via-hdmi.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="color: Red">Regardless of what anyone at Apple or anywhere else tells you - if your Mac has a DVI or mini-DVI port, it does NOT carry audio.</span></strong> Getting a DVI to HDMI adapter/cable is <strong>NOT</strong> going to somehow "magically" add audio where there is none. You <strong>WILL</strong> need a separate audio cable.</p><p></p><p>Where to start:</p><p>1) You don't know anything about cables and ports and/or just need some help on what to buy and where to plug it all in - Post #1.</p><p>2) You like to try and figure things out for yourself - Post #1 and Post #4.</p><p>3) You know you want to connect to HDMI - Post #3.</p><p>You just bought a brand new (current model) Mac and want sound from the TV - head to post #4.</p><p>4) You already have your equipment connected, but have problems - Post #2.</p><p></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px"><span style="color: Red">Please note:</span></span></strong></p><p></p><p>There are several different video output types on the last several years of Macs. These can range from ADC, VGA, mini-VGA, DVI, mini-DVI, micro-DVI and mini displayport.</p><p></p><p>There are also many types of video connections on TVs/monitors today. These include composite, S-Video, DVI, VGA, component, HDMI and Displayport.</p><p></p><p>Then there is the matter of getting the sound to the device you want whether that be the TV or a separate stereo or A/V receiver. These connections typically will be RCA, 3.5mm mono or stereo mini-plug, coaxial, or optical inputs.</p><p></p><p><strong>Therefore, when you ask:</strong></p><p></p><p>"Hey, I have a Mac and a TV. How do I connect them?"</p><p></p><p>We have a dilemma. It is not possible to provide a correct answer with that information. Yes, there will be someone pipe up and say buy this, it's what I used. Well, I hope you have the same Mac and the same entertainment system they have.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: SeaGreen"><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Bottom line - in order to provide "definitive and specific" recommendations that will work on "your" equipment, you'll have to assist us a little with the following info:</strong></span></span></p><p></p><p>1. What Mac do you have? Personally, I prefer to have the year, model and processor speed. Example: 2008 iMac 2.8, 2006 Mac Mini 2.0, or 2009 MBP 2.6. </p><p></p><p>2. What TV do you have? This means make and model #. A link to your owners manual (not the spec sheet) would be helpful. But, if you can't find it, still provide your model # and we'll try to work from there.</p><p></p><p>Providing the ports you have on the TV will only allow for a "best guess", it would not allow us to provide a "definitive and specific" recommendation.</p><p></p><p>(If you just can't figure out what model you have, you may provide the name of every input port on the back of the TV and we can make a best guess. You should provide the name as they are labeled on the set or post a pic where those labels show up good enough to be read.)</p><p></p><p>3. Where do you want the sound? On the TV, a stereo, a 5.1 A/V receiver? If you want it someplace other than the TV, you'll need to provide the make and model of that piece of equipment also.</p><p></p><p><strong>NOTE: </strong></p><p><strong>Any cabling recommendations made are in reference to specific hardware. Using those recommendations are at your own risk, particularly when you're following the recommendations based on someone else's hardware. I am pretty good at this, I am not infallible.</strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong></strong></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px"><span style="color: Red">For info related to specific connections, you may also see the following:</span></span></strong></p><p>Connecting to HDMI - post # 3 (outdated link removed)</p><p>mini display port to HDMI adapters that support audio - post # 4 (outdated link removed)</p><p>HDMI vs VGA - post # 38 (outdated link removed)</p><p>Connecting your mini-DVI or mini display port to VGA, S-Video or composite - see post # 7 (outdated link removed) and # 15 (outdated link removed)</p><p></p><p><strong>Note:</strong></p><p>If you have the mini display port on your iMac prior to the Oct. '09 models or a MBP prior to the April '10 models, your Mac does not support audio out through it's video port.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="bobtomay, post: 1010622, member: 24160"] [COLOR=Blue]Just want to know what cables to buy to connect to your HDMI capable TV - see the new thread [URL='http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/other-hardware-peripherals/301324-adapter-cables-connecting-mac-tv-via-hdmi.html']here[/URL].[/COLOR] [B][COLOR=Red]Regardless of what anyone at Apple or anywhere else tells you - if your Mac has a DVI or mini-DVI port, it does NOT carry audio.[/COLOR][/B] Getting a DVI to HDMI adapter/cable is [B]NOT[/B] going to somehow "magically" add audio where there is none. You [B]WILL[/B] need a separate audio cable. Where to start: 1) You don't know anything about cables and ports and/or just need some help on what to buy and where to plug it all in - Post #1. 2) You like to try and figure things out for yourself - Post #1 and Post #4. 3) You know you want to connect to HDMI - Post #3. You just bought a brand new (current model) Mac and want sound from the TV - head to post #4. 4) You already have your equipment connected, but have problems - Post #2. [B][SIZE=5][COLOR=Red]Please note:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B] There are several different video output types on the last several years of Macs. These can range from ADC, VGA, mini-VGA, DVI, mini-DVI, micro-DVI and mini displayport. There are also many types of video connections on TVs/monitors today. These include composite, S-Video, DVI, VGA, component, HDMI and Displayport. Then there is the matter of getting the sound to the device you want whether that be the TV or a separate stereo or A/V receiver. These connections typically will be RCA, 3.5mm mono or stereo mini-plug, coaxial, or optical inputs. [B]Therefore, when you ask:[/B] "Hey, I have a Mac and a TV. How do I connect them?" We have a dilemma. It is not possible to provide a correct answer with that information. Yes, there will be someone pipe up and say buy this, it's what I used. Well, I hope you have the same Mac and the same entertainment system they have. [COLOR=SeaGreen][SIZE=4][B]Bottom line - in order to provide "definitive and specific" recommendations that will work on "your" equipment, you'll have to assist us a little with the following info:[/B][/SIZE][/COLOR] 1. What Mac do you have? Personally, I prefer to have the year, model and processor speed. Example: 2008 iMac 2.8, 2006 Mac Mini 2.0, or 2009 MBP 2.6. 2. What TV do you have? This means make and model #. A link to your owners manual (not the spec sheet) would be helpful. But, if you can't find it, still provide your model # and we'll try to work from there. Providing the ports you have on the TV will only allow for a "best guess", it would not allow us to provide a "definitive and specific" recommendation. (If you just can't figure out what model you have, you may provide the name of every input port on the back of the TV and we can make a best guess. You should provide the name as they are labeled on the set or post a pic where those labels show up good enough to be read.) 3. Where do you want the sound? On the TV, a stereo, a 5.1 A/V receiver? If you want it someplace other than the TV, you'll need to provide the make and model of that piece of equipment also. [B]NOTE: Any cabling recommendations made are in reference to specific hardware. Using those recommendations are at your own risk, particularly when you're following the recommendations based on someone else's hardware. I am pretty good at this, I am not infallible. [SIZE=5][COLOR=Red]For info related to specific connections, you may also see the following:[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B] Connecting to HDMI - post # 3 (outdated link removed) mini display port to HDMI adapters that support audio - post # 4 (outdated link removed) HDMI vs VGA - post # 38 (outdated link removed) Connecting your mini-DVI or mini display port to VGA, S-Video or composite - see post # 7 (outdated link removed) and # 15 (outdated link removed) [B]Note:[/B] If you have the mini display port on your iMac prior to the Oct. '09 models or a MBP prior to the April '10 models, your Mac does not support audio out through it's video port. [/QUOTE]
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