what cable to buy to connect MacBook Pro to HDTV?

[saguakid]

Well i got a MacBook Pro 15' latest model and i would like to buy the cable that goes to S-Video in my HDTV so in that way i can watch my HD movies,so far seems like the cable is "Apple DVI to Video Adapter" but im not sure,i wanted to buy it online but i guess i will have to go to Apple store,also the cable is too short so dont know if i have to buy an extension, and my last question is that i want a cable or a way that the sound be my TV or home theater cause a friend bought his cable for his iMac and he cant use his TV sounds,so i want to know what other cables i have to buy for sound.

 

[Kash]

Before you purchase an S-Video adapter, check to see if you have other, higher quality, options available to you on your TV. Check to see if there are any free HDMI or VGA/DVI connectors available. It is much better to use these connectors than S-Video.

 

[saguakid]

yes i got HDMI AND VGA plenty of those,so what cable do u guys suggest to buy,thank you so much

 

[Kash]

If you have VGA, I would definitely recommend using that. Some will say use HDMI, but in my experience it's much more preferable to use VGA as it's much simpler to hook up the accompanying audio whereas with HDMI you can run into problems and it takes all sorts of troubleshooting to get it right; that's just a headache you can avoid by going with VGA and there's really no quality difference.

You will need to get a mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter. Then you'll want to pick up a VGA cable (monoprice.com is a good source, but you can also pick them up at local electronics stores, though they tend to be pricier in stores). Get one that's the appropriate length for your purposes.

Make sure there's a 3.5mm audio jack near the VGA connector. Once you've confirmed that there is, you will want to get a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable. Again, check Monoprice and get one that's the appropriate length. Plug one end into the headphone port and the other into the appropriate spot on your TV.

Once you have both cables hooked up, you have to decide whether you want your TV to mirror what's on your laptop's screen or if you wish to use the TV as a secondary monitor. You can try out both options, which you'll find in Displays under System Preferences, to see which one suits your needs best.

 

[saguakid]

Thanks my friend,remember I'm using a MacBook Pro,I remember my friends cable from his iMac didn't work for my MacBook Pro just in case u didn't get the right info from me,don't wanna buy the wrong cable

 

[saguakid]

Also abt the second cable that I have to buy on monoprice.com what type is the VGA M to M ?

 

[Kash]

Your friend probably has an older iMac that has the mini DVI connector. You said you have the latest Macbook Pro, hence why I steered you toward the mini DisplayPort adapter and not the mini DVI.

Yes, you have to get a male to male (M to M) cable.

 

[saguakid]

If you have VGA, I would definitely recommend using that. Some will say use HDMI, but in my experience it's much more preferable to use VGA as it's much simpler to hook up the accompanying audio whereas with HDMI you can run into problems and it takes all sorts of troubleshooting to get it right; that's just a headache you can avoid by going with VGA and there's really no quality difference.

You will need to get a mini DisplayPort to VGA adapter. Then you'll want to pick up a VGA cable (monoprice.com is a good source, but you can also pick them up at local electronics stores, though they tend to be pricier in stores). Get one that's the appropriate length for your purposes.

Make sure there's a 3.5mm audio jack near the VGA connector. Once you've confirmed that there is, you will want to get a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable. Again, check Monoprice and get one that's the appropriate length. Plug one end into the headphone port and the other into the appropriate spot on your TV.

Once you have both cables hooked up, you have to decide whether you want your TV to mirror what's on your laptop's screen or if you wish to use the TV as a secondary monitor. You can try out both options, which you'll find in Displays under System Preferences, to see which one suits your needs best.

Ok i got everything now hooked,but my Tv doesnt have a 3.5mm audio jack,so i guess i need another type,it only have the right and left audio,for now i can display the monitor in my tv but is not quite easy,so far whats on the loptop screen doesnt show as a mirror in my TV,I TRIED TO go under system preferences Display but nothing seems to fix it,so far my TV is proyecting one side of the MacBook Pro,not the whole screen,this is driving me nut cause i cant find a way to put the tv and comp with the same image,i know a friend of mine that didnt have any issues doing this,dont know why is so complicated

 

[saguakid]

Ok guys i got the solution searching here i put it in display mirrors then automatically did it right,now all i need is to find the right cables for audio,seems like i have to look for one that goes from my comp headphones to my home theater or TV

 

[Kash]

If you only have RCA connectors (white and red) available on your TV, then you'll need a 3.5mm to RCA connector, something like this.

I don't know what TV you have, so I'm not sure whether it'll work right away or whether you need to dig through menus. You might want to consult your manual on how to select the audio source associated with the VGA port.