I have an older 46" mitsubishi widescreen tv that only has component and runs through them at 1080i,

i am getitng a 1.83ghz mini and want to hook it up for the home theater,

so what do i need in order to hook it up through component into the tv that still gives me good picture quality for both the os and the plex or front row stuff?

any assistance will be appreciated.

also, do i need a toslink adapter, to hook it up to digital into my receiver?


Thanks

Some try a transcoder like this:

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/9a60.asp

Most probably end up buying a better HDTV.

Yes, you'll need to go optical into your AVR.

Some try a transcoder like this:

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/9a60.asp

Most probably end up buying a better HDTV.

Yes, you'll need to go optical into your AVR.

thanks, i will check it out!!

I will update this Christmas hopefully.

and what does a toslink adapter really do? I see it does not fit into the optical of my receiver, so does it plug into the back of the mini like an earphone plug?

does it plug into the back of the mini like an earphone plug?

Exactly.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042301&p_id=2671&seq=1&format=2

I will update this Christmas hopefully

Then don't waste your time and money on a transcoder now just to go component for 2 months. Get an Apple TV instead.

Exactly.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042301&p_id=2671&seq=1&format=2



Then don't waste your time and money on a transcoder now just to go component for 2 months. Get an Apple TV instead.

see this is what i did:

bought an apple tv 40 gig, then thought wait... i will just get a mini for downstairs and then i ended up buying 2 minis, 1 for upstairs and 1 for downstairs cause i am retarded when it comes to buying $&*! i dont need!

plus they are for the unraid server i am building for my entertainment stuff, and i dont think apple tv can do very well off a server?

so after it is all said and done i have 2 minis and an apple tv!

so i am retarded, so my wife said!

so after it is all said and done i have 2 minis and an apple tv!

OK, so you still have a connection issue if you have two older HDTVs without any HDMI, DVI or VGA--which keeps that VGA to component transcoder in play. You'll have to decide for yourself if spending another $120 or so now is worth it just for the "hope" that you can get it to work with your current old HDTV.

Do a search in this forum for "vga transcoder" and you'll find a bunch of past threads going back years on this subject...it's worked for some, not for others, and once you get the transcoder you may then have to mess with SwitchResX, which isn't fun, especially with really old rear-projection sets.

Unless there's some added value to you in going component, i.e. you have a good component switching AVR or component-based whole house distribution system that you don't plan to replace anytime soon, I'd suggest thinking longer term and looking more forward with your home theater dollar. Since you already have an aTV which can do component quite well, hook that up for now; your iTunes library can physically be located anywhere on your network, as long as you keep one of the minis on your aTV should be able to pull files from it.

OK, so you still have a connection issue if you have two older HDTVs without any HDMI, DVI or VGA--which keeps that VGA to component transcoder in play. You'll have to decide for yourself if spending another $120 or so now is worth it just for the "hope" that you can get it to work with your current old HDTV.

Do a search in this forum for "vga transcoder" and you'll find a bunch of past threads going back years on this subject...it's worked for some, not for others, and once you get the transcoder you may then have to mess with SwitchResX, which isn't fun, especially with really old rear-projection sets.

Unless there's some added value to you in going component, i.e. you have a good component switching AVR or component-based whole house distribution system that you don't plan to replace anytime soon, I'd suggest thinking longer term and looking more forward with your home theater dollar. Since you already have an aTV which can do component quite well, hook that up for now; your iTunes library can physically be located anywhere on your network, as long as you keep one of the minis on your aTV should be able to pull files from it.

Awesome advice, thank you.

On another note, i also have a mac pro so i would not need the mini to be on at all, and for the other mini upstairs i already have the components to connect that, so for now it may be a better idea as you stated to hook up the Atv, and wait to get the new tv,

I will look at ll the vga threads, and see what to do. I know the guy i bought the mini from said he just used the dvi-i adapter to component, and said it worked fine, he upgraded to dvi to hdmi and of course it looked better, but with the dvi-component cable he said it was still very doable, so until i get the tv, i already bought a dvi to component cable and will see how that looks until the tv gets here.

Thanks for all the advice on this thread everyone!!

appreciated!

I know the guy i bought the mini from said he just used the dvi-i adapter to component, and said it worked fine

with the dvi-component cable he said it was still very doable

i already bought a dvi to component cable and will see how that looks until the tv gets here

I'm not going to say he lied to you, but...in OS X...with the vast majority of TVs...an inexpensive "DVI to component" cable won't work. In Windows, you have a chance; in OS X, usually not at all. Unless you own one of the very few component-only TVs that have a menu setting which allows you to toggle between RGB and Y-Pr-Pb input--if your set has this capability, you have a chance with just that cable. In any event, good luck...

Unless you own one of the very few component-only TVs that have a menu setting which allows you to toggle between RGB and Y-Pr-Pb input--if your set has this capability, you have a chance with just that cable. In any event, good luck..

HAHA! me does:)

my 46 allows me to choose what i want for each input... maybe 1 in a million...so your saying i have a chance...

awesome!1 i will keep everyone posted on how it all goes, i should be getting the mini(s) soon, and i know the upstairs one will work fine, so if i want the downstairs one to work better, (if i cannot get it to work) i may have to go s-video then correct?

I had to connect my sony playstation 3 to my component only tv, searched on ebay for hdmi to component device , bought one and it worked pefectly. Then I bought another one for spare. Then i figured if i connect my mac mini from dvi to hdmi cable, then i can use that device to display my mac mini at 1080i(limit of my Mitsubishi ). And it works.

I had to connect my sony playstation 3 to my component only tv, searched on ebay for hdmi to component device , bought one and it worked pefectly. Then I bought another one for spare. Then i figured if i connect my mac mini from dvi to hdmi cable, then i can use that device to display my mac mini at 1080i(limit of my Mitsubishi ). And it works.

AWESOME!!


i will go on ebay and get those!!

i also am running my ps3 from hdmi to component!!

into a component switch,

i will get those and it will work!!

me likey:)


DO YOU REMEMBER WHO YOU BOUGHT THEM THROUGH ON EBAY?

i got my dvi to hdmi cable from amazon.com, it wasn't expensive

such in ebay under" PS3 HDMI to RCA,VGA Component Video Converter,Adapter"

such in ebay under" PS3 HDMI to RCA,VGA Component Video Converter,Adapter"

so i can just buy the same one i bought for the ps3 and use it for anything then correct?

it worked for me, just get the dvi to hdmi cable and you are set( buy it from amazon and return it without charge if it does not work for you)

it worked for me, just get the dvi to hdmi cable and you are set( buy it from amazon and return it without charge if it does not work for you)

I bought a dvi to hdmi adapter for the mini, then bought an hdmi to component cable to connect to the adapter,

should work correct?

cant wait....YAY!!

Yes, it should work. NOw when mac mini video output is displayed on the mitsubishi through component , set the control panel of display to 1080i , and you will get a beautiful screen to fill up the big monitor:except the fonts are small. If I press on the control key of my bluetooth keyboard, and roll upwards on my blue truth mouse , then the on screen picture is magnified and i could see the letters. Then if i am play a movie using VLC, once it is on full screen, I scroll it back to native size to see every detail. HOpe that make sense.

Yes, it should work. NOw when mac mini video output is displayed on the mitsubishi through component , set the control panel of display to 1080i , and you will get a beautiful screen to fill up the big monitor:except the fonts are small. If I press on the control key of my bluetooth keyboard, and roll upwards on my blue truth mouse , then the on screen picture is magnified and i could see the letters. Then if i am play a movie using VLC, once it is on full screen, I scroll it back to native size to see every detail. HOpe that make sense.

so in essence, you practically have to zoom in to make the letters bigger? Thats cool! i will 1080i it all the way, (control, and mouse wheel, i just did that with my dual 20's and it was pretty cool!!)

why vlc for movies, and not plex or front row?

I think vlc has some awesome qualities, but they are too many in such a small program,

thanks for the incite!!

movies look awesome?

Yes, it should work. NOw when mac mini video output is displayed on the mitsubishi through component , set the control panel of display to 1080i , and you will get a beautiful screen to fill up the big monitor:except the fonts are small. If I press on the control key of my bluetooth keyboard, and roll upwards on my blue truth mouse , then the on screen picture is magnified and i could see the letters. Then if i am play a movie using VLC, once it is on full screen, I scroll it back to native size to see every detail. HOpe that make sense.

on another note, since the monitor will be hooked up this way, do i need to set the display settings on the mini to either mirrored or non mirrored,

or will it just accept it as the only display?

do i need to set the display settings on the mini to either mirrored or non mirrored

This is irrelevant when it comes to a mini with a single display. (Mirroring comes into play when your Mac has a built-in display, like a Macbook or iMac, and you connect it to an external display/HDTV or when you try to drive two displays with a mini.)

Make sure you report back on your (hopeful) success going component.

This is irrelevant when it comes to a mini with a single display. (Mirroring comes into play when your Mac has a built-in display, like a Macbook or iMac, and you connect it to an external display/HDTV or when you try to drive two displays with a mini.)

Make sure you report back on your (hopeful) success going component.

will report back with success! hopefully!

thank everyone for the incite and advice!

My mac mini is one from 2008, 2 G Hz, ,with the intel 950 video card, with 4 ram memory.Somehow with plex, the picture stuttered somewhat. But with vlc, it is perfect. So i decided to stick with vlc. And since mini use the mitsubishi as monitor, there is no mirroring concern. But if you are using mac osx 10.5, you can still remote sharing the screen. I do that all the time, using a macbook upstairs , which is connected to a 28 monitor , to control the mitsubishi mac mini downstairs. For that , no zooming needed.

My mac mini is one from 2008, 2 G Hz, ,with the intel 950 video card, with 4 ram memory.Somehow with plex, the picture stuttered somewhat. But with vlc, it is perfect. So i decided to stick with vlc. And since mini use the mitsubishi as monitor, there is no mirroring concern. But if you are using mac osx 10.5, you can still remote sharing the screen. I do that all the time, using a macbook upstairs , which is connected to a 28 monitor , to control the mitsubishi mac mini downstairs. For that , no zooming needed.

stuttering pics huh? will have to check into that,!

i hav Sl on mine, so hopefully it will work out?

AWESOME!! i will have a mini upstairs and one downstairs so if i want to watch it in both rooms all i will have to do is screen share and viola! it is done, also if i want to do office products on either i can share the screen and type from anywhere due to my bt mouse(s) and keyboard(s)!!


how do you set it up to screen share btw? and how to share drives among all macs and windows?

thanks!
throughout?

MY network's center is the apple airport extreme statoin gigabit N from 2008.So once your mac computers are all using the same network name , you should see each other on the Menu>Go>Network>your drives. Then just pick share screen, you will be able to control the cursor of your mac mini screen using another computer. But you can only see the screen , no sound, it is not like a remote tv .(Unless you have eyetv , then you can play eyetv files across the network). I have only N type devices on my Network, any slower devices are connected through powerline adaptors.

MY network's center is the apple airport extreme statoin gigabit N from 2008.So once your mac computers are all using the same network name , you should see each other on the Menu>Go>Network>your drives. Then just pick share screen, you will be able to control the cursor of your mac mini screen using another computer. But you can only see the screen , no sound, it is not like a remote tv .(Unless you have eyetv , then you can play eyetv files across the network). I have only N type devices on my Network, any slower devices are connected through powerline adaptors.

really, powerline adapters? does it make a difference?

I have no N rated items but mine is also centered around an AEBS, with the dual band. I have a few items on the wireless, no n rated items though.

how do powerline adapters work? I have read about them but never used them, plus i still have an Airport express i have not hooked up yet.

once i get my cables, i will be connecting both minis this week, as i got my second, second-hand one today for the upstairs!

will hook both up tonight to see how they run!

thanks for all the help!

Alright today was the hook up day!!

it sucked! the dvi to component cables did really nothing, i saw the apple symbol behind a bunch of purple squiggly lines and then it caused my tv to shut off! then when i would turn it back on, it would just show the blue screen and no computer stuff!!

i will wait for the dvi to hdmi stuff, and lastly if that does not work i will have to purchase the converter for around 120 off of ebay that

strpyw recommended!

Until the hdmi to component stuff arrives, i will wait, i dont want to spend another 120 after spending a lot on these two mini's!!

will update later this week!

I researched on your ps3 hdmi to component cable, and the reason it works is because ps3 can output component from the video port in 480i/p, and you might be getting a downgraded signals all along. Is your component switch capable of 1080i ?At the back of my Mitsubishi, there are three components inputs, only one of the three is capable of 1080i, the other two are only for 480p.So whether you will get true 1080i from your macmini will also depend on the quality of your component switch.

I researched on your ps3 hdmi to component cable, and the reason it works is because ps3 can output component from the video port in 480i/p, and you might be getting a downgraded signals all along. Is your component switch capable of 1080i ?At the back of my Mitsubishi, there are three components inputs, only one of the three is capable of 1080i, the other two are only for 480p.So whether you will get true 1080i from your macmini will also depend on the quality of your component switch.

I will have to look at my switch, my Mits tv has the same component (2) and 1 DTV set of plugs capable of up to 1080i as well,

Here is a pic of what i have on the back:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/mitsubishi%20wt-46809/shinobi89/Junk/00_3.jpg

my ps3 always says 1080i, so i believe it is in 1080i?

Some try a transcoder like this:

http://www.digitalconnection.com/Products/Video/9a60.asp

Most probably end up buying a better HDTV.

Yes, you'll need to go optical into your AVR.

This is what I use to get the picture from my Intel C2D 20" iMac to my Mitsu TV (component only, 1080i). Not perfect, but works nicely enough to hold me until I upgrade to an HDMI-equipped set.