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m021478 · Jul 11, 2008, 11:12 PM

I recently decided to go with a Mac-Mini as the central-brain of my HTPC configuration, and I was immediately halted in the process of getting things working by my inability to properly output video from the Mac-Mini such that it's even visible on my 50" Plasma TV (Panasonic TH-50PHW3).

Neither of my A/V Receivers (Denon AVR-3805 & Denon AVR-2805) have HDMI inputs, but both of them have component video inputs for HD content, so I purchased the DVI-to-Component cable linked below to use for outputting video from my Mac-Mini to the Denon:
http://sewelldirect.com/DVI-to-Compo...-Cable-6ft.asp

Needless to say, nothing I've tried has been effective in my Mac-Mini being displayed on my Plasma TV??

Any thoughts?

turtle777 · Jul 12, 2008, 12:15 AM

Your Plasma doesn't have a VGA input ?

-t

ibook_steve · Jul 12, 2008, 12:27 AM

I don't think you'd want to use an analog (VGA) connection if you could go digital.

I think that you should go DVI on the Mac Mini to HDMI directly on the TV. You can pull out the sound from the Mini to the receiver. There's no need to send the video through your receiver before going to the TV.

Steve

turtle777 · Jul 12, 2008, 12:46 AM

Why would VGA give a worse picture than DVI ?

His plasma has a max resolution of 1366 × 768, how would DVI give him a better picture ?

Btw, that plasma has neither DVI nor HDMI inputs, so I win

VGA is the way to go.

-t

Simon · Jul 12, 2008, 03:41 AM

It's quite obvious that you don't go VGA if you have digital. This has nothing to do with resolution, it's about signal attenuation on analog lines.

I have hooked up my Mac mini's DVI to the component inputs of my projector. It worked just fine. I have no idea why yours isn't working like it should.

m021478 · Jul 12, 2008, 05:38 AM

Unfortunately, due to my current A/V system configuration I cannot plug directly into my TV (all of my A/V equipment is located in a rack in the basement of my 3-story apartment, and my TV is located in the living room on the top floor...I would most likely be able to get video by plugging directly into the TV, but there would be no way to hook up the audio, as my speakers run through the receiver in the basement)

Seeing as how I cannot connect my Mini directly to my TV to use VGA, and also the fact that my receiver doesn't provide any HDMI inputs (the only HD input is does provide is 'component'), I need to somehow find a way to go DVI video-out from my Mac-mini to component-in on my receiver...As far as I can tell, this would appear to be the only way to maintain an HD quality output from my Mini to my TV...Any Thoughts?

I'd read elsewhere that either a transceiver, or perhaps a DVI-to-analog converter might be the solution to my problem...Will a DVI-to-analog converter or a transceiver allow me to maintain HD quality video out of my Mac-Mini, and somehow get the video from the mini to the available component video inputs on my receiver?

Essentially, I have to figure out a way to go from my Mac-Mini's DVI video-out port into my receiver using the only HD input that the receiver has (component)...

My goal here, obviously is to find a way to maintain HD picture quality, without needing to get a new receiver...

Any thoughts?

m021478 · Jul 12, 2008, 05:41 AM

Not to mention that I just read the footnote at the bottom of the page I linked to in this thread's initial post, in which it points out that this DVI-to-Component cable will not work with a PC or Mac!!

Simon · Jul 12, 2008, 06:04 AM

Maybe you just need to try out a different adapter?

turtle777 · Jul 12, 2008, 02:51 PM

First of, your TV doesn't provide digital inputs, so converting a digital input to an analog (component in your case) is inevitable.

The question is if a DVI to compionent adapter will really do a better job at it than VGA. But even that doesn't matter because you can't feed DVI that far.

Maybe an AppleTV is you solution. It'll cost a bit, but don't make the stupid mistake I made in the past to spend tons of money on cables to bridge several floors in a house. That's just stupid.

AppleTV FTW.

-t

cvanslyk · Jul 29, 2008, 12:24 AM

So, Did anyone figure out why you can't put the Mac Mini video signal through the receiver? I have tried this on several brands of receivers and none will play through to the TV? Apple TV has no problem with it?

f1000 · Jul 29, 2008, 02:43 PM

Maybe it has something to do with HDCP copyright protection? By the way, some Panasonic plasmas with HDMI inputs don't do one-to-one pixel mapping and should be avoided for use with Macs.

thirsty · Jul 31, 2008, 10:27 AM

How about using the DVI to VGA adaptor Apple supplies with the Mini then connect a VGA to component cable... should work in theory.

I have the same receiver, i think i'll try it myself, I'll let you know how it goes.

m021478 · Aug 2, 2008, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by thirsty

How about using the DVI to VGA adaptor Apple supplies with the Mini then connect a VGA to component cable... should work in theory.

I have the same receiver, i think i'll try it myself, I'll let you know how it goes.

Please do respond back and let me know if it works...I am extremely curious (but have lost all patience with the problem and have virtually given up on trying myself...though if you have success, I'd probably pick up where I left off to see if I can't finally get it working...

Thanks!