[DM-MUG] Connecting macbookpro to HDTV: solution

[Matthew W.]

On Oct 2, 2007, at 11:51 AM, Roses Derise wrote:

> I found the answer to the HDMI question by calling Apple. For  
> anyone who is
> interested and might not know it already, the screens between  
> computer and
> TV were not matching so I was getting a blank screen on the TV. The  
> cure was
> to go to Display, put it on the correct resolution 1280x720, then  
> go to
> ARRANGEMENT and click on the box that says "mirror." The effect is so
> cool--suddenly there was my computer screen on a 32" TV! The  
> matching is not
> perfect and the resolution is weak for documents but the letters  
> are as big
> as fence posts and with a screen this big, its easy to work with  
> notes on
> one side and the documents I'm working on on the other. Movies from  
> DVDs in
> the computer, on the other hand, are crystal clear. Unless I can  
> find a way
> to connect the computer for audio to either the TV or to the  
> receiver, the
> only sound presently comes from the computer, which is not  
> adequate. To
> solve this problem, I used the earphones from my ipod. :-) :-) :-)

The MacBook has an optical/analog audio out. Apple describes it  
thusly: "Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out  
(minijack)." You can probably solve your audio problem by plugging in  
an optical cable. I run a DVI to HDMI cable from my Mini to my TV and  
run a separate optical cable to the receiver. I switch inputs on both  
the TV and the receiver to get video and audio. Our Apple Store  
carries ExtremeMac branded cables (a very good value IMO), and they  
even include the extender/adapter needed for the port used by Apple.  
I'd like to see a longer version, as they only sell the 6' length.

Most of the "gee-whiz" settings that are supposed to attract your  
attention on the showroom floor will make the set challenging, if not  
impossible, to operate as a computer monitor. You can improve your TV  
picture a tremendous amount by having it calibrated, but adjusting  
your brightness and contrast to normal levels, adjusting the  
sharpness, and turning off false enhancements like Scan Velocity  
Modulation will go a long way toward making the text easier to read,  
and make your movies look better too. If your set is a CRT, plasma,  
or rear projection, the life of the set will also be increased by  
turning down these settings. Don't leave it at factory settings (too  
bright) as it can cause burn-in in a shorter period of time (months  
instead of years), especially with a static screen image. Just make  
sure to set a screen-saver in a reasonable amount of time if you plan  
to use it as a computer screen.

LCD, DLP, and LCOS sets are less affected by these settings, but  
picture quality can improve with minimal adjustment.

Matthew