posted this last week but apparently was lost with the forum crash. I have a macbook pro and I'm trying to output video to my projector through a Denon AVR. I'm using a dvi->vga adapter connected to a vga->component cable. Is this too many connections? What are my alternatives? My Denon receiver can't accept VGA. I could go direct to my projector with VGA, but I really don't want to do that (the projector is in a hush box in the ceiling and I only hook up the macbook pro occasionally so I'm looking for ease of use/flexibility).

I've also tried hooking up to a Sony tv through an Onkyo receiver (same cable connection) with the same results. I get massively distorted picture, etc. I've tried using SwitchResX, and DisplayConfigX but frankly those programs seem baffling to me (too many settings, too much trial and error without producing results for me).

Thanks in advance for any tips/advice.

They make a DVI to component adapter have you tried this it eliminates one of the
connections.

I'm trying to output video to my projector through a Denon AVR

I've also tried hooking up to a Sony tv through an Onkyo receiver (same cable connection)

That's a mistake--don't try to go through an AVR first, it's an additional complication--make direct video connections with your Mac first, see what resolutions are offered and how easily you can connect, and determine whether the end results are worth it--i.e. play some content and find out if it's sufficiently high enough quality. No sense killing yourself to insert your Mac into your existing hardware/system if the end result is going to suck, as it might sending analog to an old tube TV or blowing the image up with an SD projector. What's the native res of your projector and what inputs does it have?

I'm using a dvi->vga adapter connected to a vga->component cable

That's a mistake. Won't work. It's been discussed a thousand times--you need a more expensive device, a transcoder, in order to "go component" out of a Mac, not a cheap cable. Links to these devices have been mentioned on the other threads about this.

I've tried using SwitchResX, and DisplayConfigX but frankly those programs seem baffling to me

Better to turn to these as a last resort, best to design a Mac home theater system and choose equipment so you don't have to use them at all. There are a couple of very good threads here about SwitchRes, though, so look for them.

I could go direct to my projector with VGA, but I really don't want to do that (the projector is in a hush box in the ceiling and I only hook up the macbook pro occasionally so I'm looking for ease of use/flexibility).

well, as you've already discovered you're not going to get "ease of use" and "flexibility" trying to go through an AVR or two, plugging and unplugging, so perhaps rethink how you're approaching this.

Back up a bit, if you're only going to connect occasionally, what content are you planning to play back with the Mac--what I mean is, you probably have this very traditional audio and video setup, with a bunch of CE devices--so, what role or roles are you hoping the Mac might play when added to this old-school system? Are you hoping it might replace your standalone dvd player and play back VIDEO_TS? If not, what else?

How does the Sony tube TV fit into this--is that in a separate location, will it be on your home network and what are hoping to play back when connected?

Perhaps consider an aTV, which can do component. And get a transcoder if you hope to go from a Mac through an AVR via component.

Thanks for the comments. I'm hoping to playback Video_TS files as you suggest. Just trying to save a step (no more burning to disc). Didn't realize there were so many complications in exporting video from my mac - never seemed to have this problem on pc laptops (not trying to start a flame war - I'm a huge mac fan).

The Sony tube is in another location - just tried it to see if I would get different results, but I got the same results, so I assume the problem is, as you suggest, VGA to component without a transcoder in between. Is there any other simple way to connect the mac to tv/projector without buying a transcoder? My tube definitely does not have a VGA input. It's got the old standards: component, composite, s-video.

Also, how do you export sound with this? just a standard rca cable out? I guess I expected digital audio out on a laptop.

I'm NOT looking to create an HTPC - just looking for flexible options. If I go on vacation and want to play a DVD or VIDEO_TS from my mac onto a tv, am I just SOL without carrying transcoders with me?

Didn't realize there were so many complications in exporting video from my mac - never seemed to have this problem on pc laptops (not trying to start a flame war - I'm a huge mac fan

It's not so much "exporting video" that's complicated--for everyone--many of us don't have any problem at all, but we're connecting directly to a HDTV using DVI or VGA out, and only sending audio, and not video, through an AVR first. Also, not too many of us choose projectors--most of us are going into big flat panels with lots of inputs.

But, no worries, no flames, it's an accepted fact that in OS X we're at a disadvantage--we're way less flexible when it comes to graphics cards, drivers and software options to tweak resolutions. It's more complicated for you specifically because of the way you're trying to go about it--component--and what's being imposed on you by the equipment you already have, how you have your theater constructed and that you're trying to send video from a computer through an AVR that's designed to connect to CE devices.

The Sony tube is in another location - just tried it to see if I would get different results, but I got the same results, so I assume the problem is, as you suggest, VGA to component without a transcoder in between.

Bingo.

Is there any other simple way to connect the mac to tv/projector without buying a transcoder?

From your Mac to your projector's component in? No.

But, Apple makes a "composite/S-video" adaptor for your MBP that you should try, if you're a little scared of the higher price of a transcoder. (Again, I probably wouldn't be happy with the end result, video-quality wise, but you might. And you won't know, either, until you start making some direct connections and figure that out for yourself.)

My tube definitely does not have a VGA input. It's got the old standards: component, composite, s-video.

In lieu of a transcoder, try that Apple composite/S-video adaptor here as well.

Also, how do you export sound with this? just a standard rca cable out? I guess I expected digital audio out on a laptop

your MBP has optical digital out.

I'm hoping to playback Video_TS files as you suggest. Just trying to save a step (no more burning to disc).

No problem, playing VIDEO_TS is now actually one of things that Macs can do very well--FR supports VIDEO_TS, Apple dvd player.app was significantly improved in Leopard--previously it was a joke in Tiger. Many of us have ripped our dvd collection, packed the originals away, and keep our movies on hard drives so we can more easily access them around the house.

We're still significantly behind the Windows side in terms of what we can do with "high def" dvd content, though. But plain old SD dvds--we're peachy. That content is easily ripped, edited, transcoded for aTV or iPods, and quite nicely played back.

'm NOT looking to create an HTPC - just looking for flexible options. If I go on vacation and want to play a DVD or VIDEO_TS from my mac onto a tv, am I just SOL without carrying transcoders with me?

If you WERE looking to create an HTPC with a Mac, you might meet with better success--setting something up once and getting it to work right is usually the toughest part of an "HTPC."

But, you do have a lot of flexibility--and a very powerful Mac at your disposal. Realize, though, that there are all sorts of display types out there--from older analog sets to newer HDTVs--and each brand and manufacturer has its own connection quirks--some have made it easier on a consumer to connect a PC, others haven't at all. So being a Mac home theater "road warrior" can be challenging to just show up and connect your MBP even if you had more experience at it. Unless you know ahead of time what TV you'll have to connect to, you will need to bring a bunch of different cables and adaptors, certainly go prepared with the Apple adaptors--mini-DVI to VGA and mini-DVI to DVI, then basic VGA and DVI cables, a DVI to HDMI adaptor or a DVI to HDMI cable, and analog and optical audio cables.

If you're visiting someone on vacation, you could find out ahead of time which model HDTV they have, look online for its native res and inputs, and come better prepared. But even then you'll have a bit of tweaking and configuring to get things set up. Going DVI to HDMI might not work out of the box, but VGA might, perfectly. One of the TVs HDMI inputs might not work, another one might. When we go visit my wife's family, I bring my Macbook and a bag of cables and adaptors--they don't use Macs but do have a very nice HDTV. It took me about 15 minutes to get it set up, but then I'm fairly experienced connecting Macs to displays and HDTVs (we have 2 Intel and 4 PPC Macs set up in our house, 3 of them laptops.) We were able to watch a lot of high def and movies as a result.

Your MacBook has a full size DVI output (not the mini DVI like the macBook and iMac). So, all you need to get is a DVI to HDMI adapter from monoprice and an HDMI cable or a cable with DVI on one end and HDMI on the other. I assume your TV or projector has HDMI input. Or your Denon receiver has HDMI input. If so, connect. I used to have my imac hooked up to my TV through my Harman Kardon AVR 745 receiver and imac recognized my receiver as AVR 745 and used 1080i resolution. Worked great. Now that I have a 1080p native projector, I have a HDMi cable dedicated to one input on the projector going from my imac - now I get 1080p (1920x1080). Also, for audio, get the mini toslink to toslink cable for digital audio. Don't use RCA analog.

Your MacBook has a full size DVI output (not the mini DVI like the macBook and iMac)

right, good catch bommai, I was thinking about my MB not the MBP.

But...

So, all you need to get is a DVI to HDMI adapter from monoprice and an HDMI cable or a cable with DVI on one end and HDMI on the other

I assume your TV or projector has HDMI input. Or your Denon receiver has HDMI input

Don't, I don't believe any of his equipment--projector, TV, either AVR--does (if I'm remembering his previous thread correctly.)

My tube definitely does not have a VGA input. It's got the old standards: component, composite, s-video.

boslaw, this is the correct adapter for your MBP:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9267G/A

I believe I posted this in the previous thread which was lost, but here we go again:

Since you have no DVI or HDMI inputs on your set, and don't want to use VGA, the two best available options are S-Video (very easy, but 480i Max) or Component (which should handle up to the best your gear can put out, probably 1080i or 720p, worst case 480p).

I went through this recently with my own RPTV, so I'm pretty familiar with a lot of the pitfalls.

If you're happy with the 480i output, and quality, of the S-Video connection, the Apple adapter chefklc linked above is exactly what you want.

The key tool needed to put high quality video is a transcoder that will flip VGA output to the desired component output. I know you were trying to avoid it, but there's just no way around it. They don't have to cost a fortune, though... the cheapest one I have found is the Audio Authority 9A60 VGA to Component Video Transcoder (http://www.audioauthority.com/product_details/9A60/RGB/5/1).

http://www.audioauthority.com/images/products/9a60_scaled_320.jpg

Best price I've found is over at MythicTV (http://mythic.tv/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=11&products_id=30&osCsid=be6e4cacac4df2c27acbb82905c1f722) - $105 with free S&H. Use the DVI-VGA dongle on your MBP to a VGA cable, into the 9A60, and then component into the TV. This has FINALLY let me have a good image on my big RPTV coming from my iMac G5. Used DisplayConfigX to tweak the output, and for the first time I have what I consider to be reasonable output on my screen! The output goes through my receiver's component switch with no problem, btw. It may not be videophile perfect, but it will do nicely until I get a set with HDMI inputs.

I fought buying the transcoder for several years, trying to find alternatives, but the fact is, there isn't any alternative. Unless you want to buy an Apple TV (which has built in component out) and stream the video instead. ;)

Bummer about these difficulties, which I never expected to have with my Mac. Since my request was just for flexibility, and I'm not looking to spend a ton, it's actually easier and much cheaper for me to burn dvd's instead of buying a transcoder that I'd have to carry around. I was just trying to save that dvd burning step.

My projector has a VGA in and an HDMI in, so maybe I'll try running a long cable through the ceiling to see if it works with the macbook. Even that solution is not ideal because I'd be running video cables up to my projector, and audio cables down to the AVR, and I'd lose the auto-switching functionality of the AVR.

Bummer about these difficulties, which I never expected to have with my Mac. Since my request was just for flexibility, and I'm not looking to spend a ton, it's actually easier and much cheaper for me to burn dvd's instead of buying a transcoder that I'd have to carry around. I was just trying to save that dvd burning step.

My projector has a VGA in and an HDMI in, so maybe I'll try running a long cable through the ceiling to see if it works with the macbook. Even that solution is not ideal because I'd be running video cables up to my projector, and audio cables down to the AVR, and I'd lose the auto-switching functionality of the AVR.

I see you mentioning that you are a Mac fan, so I know you're not trying to bad mouth the Macs, but I'm curious: How would a PC laptop change this situation in any way? Outputs are outputs, frankly, whether they are on a PC or a Mac, you'd be in the same situation. Your limiting factor here is your display device, which maxes out with component instead of DVI or HDMI, and the pre-run lines that you wanted to use. I'm just not seeing how the platform your laptop is running makes any difference whatsoever. With a PC with DVI out, HDMI out, or VGA out (the most common scenarios), you'd be in the exact same situation, from what I'm seeing.

Bummer about these difficulties, which I never expected to have with my Mac. Since my request was just for flexibility, and I'm not looking to spend a ton, it's actually easier and much cheaper for me to burn dvd's instead of buying a transcoder that I'd have to carry around. I was just trying to save that dvd burning step.

My projector has a VGA in and an HDMI in, so maybe I'll try running a long cable through the ceiling to see if it works with the macbook. Even that solution is not ideal because I'd be running video cables up to my projector, and audio cables down to the AVR, and I'd lose the auto-switching functionality of the AVR.

Wait a minute!!! Are you saying your projector has a HDMI input? Then there should be no problem just hooking up a cable with DVI on one end and HDMI on the other. Or better yet, you could buy a HDMI to DVI adapter for $3 from monoprice.com. Then buy a normal HDMI cable. If you are running out of HDMI inputs, just get a HDMI switcher from monoprice. 4x1 switchers can be had for under $40. You are all set. Then you just have to run a mini toslink to toslink cable from the MBP to your surround receiver for digital audio.

PM me if you still have questions.

So i am having a strange problem, and it's related to all this, and i figured i would put it here.
recently my htpc died, and for the moment i have no money, but i have a macbook a mini -> dvi adapter.
i used to have a dvi-> hdmi adapter, but it must have gotten lost in the recent move to a new apartment, so for hte moment, i was literally doing the dongle -> dvi to vga adapter -> vga cord.
nothing.
i click detect displays. nothing. the tv is on, and on pc input, the cord is plug it, all connections are solid
thoughts anyone? thanks, much appreciated.

my first thought is to try again, only using each adaptor for the Macbook the way it's intended: with the mini DVI to VGA adaptor, only connect a VGA cable--and with the mini DVI to DVI adaptor, only connect a 1) DVI to DVI cable or 2) a DVI to HDMI cable or 3) a DVI to HDMI adaptor and HDMI cable.