Macbook Pro to TV - Video & Audio

ShaunInLeeds

Hello

Can anyone offer me some advice please, I want to hook up my Macbook Pro (Bought in March 2010) to my HD TV (LG).

I'm looking at Amazon but there are hundreds of adaptors and cables to choose from and I don't know which ones apply. The sellers have written underneath that they have alot of these problems with buyers picking the wrong ones and won't issue refunds (hmm!)

I'm looking for something that will do the video and audio so I can watch movies.

Ta

thetope

it's not quite the answer to your question, but i recently bought one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cyclone-Micro-MultiMedia-Player-Adaptor/dp/B00534L3B8 from amazon rather than faffing with my macbook and it is so much handier - just copy movie to a usb stick or portable hard drive and away you go. it's very small indeed and i just have mine velcroed to the underside of my wall mounted tv

neilwoods

Does it have a mini display port, if so then the Iwires adapter would work fine

tibbyuk

Assuming yours is the Mid-2010 model, you should have a Mini Display Port on the left.

You need to get a Mini Display Port -> HDMI cable.

gonzo127

tibbyuk wrote: »

Assuming yours is the Mid-2010 model, you should have a Mini Display Port on the left.

You need to get a Mini Display Port -> HDMI cable.

you wont be able to buy one of these any more though

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2011/07/12/hdmi-to-mini-displayport-cables-illegal/1

boxst

gonzo127 wrote: »

you wont be able to buy one of these any more though

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2011/07/12/hdmi-to-mini-displayport-cables-illegal/1

You can buy them ...

Get it here: http://store.apple.com/uk/product/H2773ZM/A/Mini-DisplayPort-to-HDMI-Adapter?mco=MTY3ODQ5OTY

Steve

Scrilla

Mini Displayport Adapter £11.99 (from That Cable)
Mini Displayport Adapter £10.99 (from Amazon seller)

However, be aware that your Model Identifier (in System Profile) needs to say MacBookPro6,1 or greater (6,2, 7,2 etc) else the hdmi cable you use will not carry audio and you will likely want to then get an optical cable to output to your TV.

What is it you want to watch? YouTube? Video off your Drive? Cause there may be other options, such as using an external hard drive to connect to your TV (if it's something yours supports). It may help if we knew the model number of your TV.

gonzo127

if you actually read the artical the dongles/adaptors are currently allowed but you have to buy a HDMI cable ontop of the adaptor, what you cant buy is the mini display port to hdmi cable (all in one), originally suggested

ShaunInLeeds

Thanks for the replies so far guys

I have an LG 42LH3000-ZA TV

and I have an MacBookPro5,4 which has a mini display port which I think is good news

I want to watch iplayer stuff (you don't get it on SKY) and any movies I've got on the laptop.

Iwires adapter sounds good for everything in one but can I use it?

My system profile is MacBookPro5,4 so does this mean the Mini Displayport Adapter is not suitable with an hdmi cable for audio? , Would the alternative optical cable be expensive? or would the Iwires adapter be the cheaper and easier option all round?

Thanks

neilwoods

think the macbookpro 5,4 is came out 2009. If so then the mini display adapter will only work with video, would also require a 3.mm jack to to jack led to carry the audio from audio out to audio in on the TV or pc input as some TV have it

Scrilla

ShaunInLeeds wrote: »

I have an LG 42LH3000-ZA TV

A shame. This model doesn't support reading media using the USB port. Have you tried using it's built in freeview to watch iPlayer? Red button on BBC should give you the option when viewing through TV and not your Sky box.

ShaunInLeeds wrote: »

I want to watch iplayer stuff (you don't get it on SKY) and any movies I've got on the laptop.

Iwires adapter sounds good for everything in one but can I use it?

My system profile is MacBookPro5,4 so does this mean the Mini Displayport Adapter is not suitable with an hdmi cable for audio? , Would the alternative optical cable be expensive? or would the Iwires adapter be the cheaper and easier option all round?

Thanks

If you really want to go down the route of connecting your MacBook to your TV, I'd suggest the following:
Mini Displayport to HDMI cable - £7.50 but from eBay so I can't vouch for quality. iWires version direct from Apple costs £35.
3.5mm Audio Cable £1 OR Optical Audio Cable £7.00. You need an audio cable because your model doesn't support audio via displayport. I'd go for Optical personally, but you may just want to use the standard audio cable, especially since it's cheaper in case things don't work out for you.

Bare in mind how far away your computer will be from the TV inputs. If you want to be a fair distance away, then the 2m Displayport/HDMI cable I've chosen won't be right for you.

You could also go for the adapter route as outline by others and myself previously. However, you will need a HDMI cable on top of it and the end solution will be more expensive than the above, unless you can find something I've been unable to.

If iPlayer works on your freeview, I'd be tempted to get something like WD mini player or WD Media Live, or even AppleTV (but from eBay for cost)... or a PS3 if you or someone in the family likes games/blu ray/ITVPlayer etc. There are so many other options out there, but only if you want to spend a bit more.