[coitus]

Can someone please tell me how to get this damn thing to work? I have looked at help options and even RTFM but nothing has worked. My info:

1) I have an RCA TV that was purchased at Best Buy a few years ago. It has inputs for audio and s-video on the back.

2) I purchased the Monster Cable iTV Link in hopes of watching DVDs on my TV.

3) I can't get anything to display on the TV. Nope. Nada. Nothing.

Questions:

I've attempted to command + F2 option to detect that TV but that doesn't seem to do much. In the Monitor preferences pane I get choices of a bunch of NTSC and PAL resolutions but the TV option is greyed-out.

What do I need to do (start to finish, including all steps) to get this up and running? I have tried the same channel that I use for VHS movies but haven't met with any success. I am wondering if it must be an antenna setting that my remote isn't letting me select. Any help at all will be very appreciated.

Thanks,

coitus

[vmarks]

put the computer to sleep. connect the cable.
awaken the machine, and it should detect all displays on waking.

[coitus]

It recognizes the TV in that it gives me the list of options for it in the Displays preferences pane but nothing ever shows up on the TV itself. Is there a specific channel I need the TV on in order for it to work properly?

Thanks,

coitus

[vmarks]

Originally posted by coitus:
It recognizes the TV in that it gives me the list of options for it in the Displays preferences pane but nothing ever shows up on the TV itself. Is there a specific channel I need the TV on in order for it to work properly?

Thanks,

coitus

This depends on your television, of course.

The PowerBook has no facility for sending signal on a specific channel as VCRs do. Most televisions made within the last ten years that have an RCA or SVideo input allow you to select which input to 'listen' on, and this is what you must select to get the TV to display the signal from the PowerBook.

On older TVs that require such channel selection to get input, you'd have to use an RF modulator, like we used to use with our Atari 2600 and original NES game systems.

http://hometheater.about.com/library.../aa020402a.htm explains more about RF modulators, in their example for hooking up a DVD player to a television. Substitute PowerBook for "DVD Player" in that article as you read.

Another option is using the input on a good VCR and using the VCR as a pass-through to display on the television. If your VCR already works with the TV, use the VCR to select the input that the PowerBook would be connected to.


You're VERY close to getting it all working, since you can see on the PowerBook that it detects a television is connected.

[coitus]

Okay, for any that have read this thread or might read it in the future. If you are using a TV that doesn't have a clear choice via the remote to use the Powerbook through DVD...here you go.

1) Make sure the channel is on 00 (which may vary among differing TV brands but worked for my RCA TV).

2) Put the Powerbook to sleep and plug the iTV Link in to the TV and Powerbook.

3) Open the Powerbook and check your Display preferences pane (for OS 10.2.x) and you now should have two lists. One is for the display on the Powerbook and the other is for the TV.

4) If you only see blank desktop on the TV...check the "Mirror Display" option in the Display preferences and it will now show the cursor and everything on the desktop. In addition, it will match resolutions with the TV. Don't worry as everything will return to normal when you finish and uncheck the option.

5) If you are able to get the second set of display preferences to list but unable to see anything on the TV...you have it on the wrong channel. Continue to try various channels, auxillary, antenna, or satellite settings. One should eventually work.

Hopefully this will save some one the 2-hours of frustration I had before for hitting 00 on the remote. Go figure...

coitus