iPhone 3G + Composite AV cable = no video

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Level 1

50 points

iPhone 3G + Composite AV cable = no video

So I bought this Apple AV Composite Cable on eBay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=2502 68585597

It was new, still in the box, and it claims on the box to be compatible with iPod Classic, iPod Nano (video), IPod Touch, and iPhone. It plugs into the main connector on the bottom of the iPhone 3G. Since I looked on the Apple Store website and didn't find any new AV cables specifically for the iPhone 3G, I assumed that the composite AV cable for the iPhone would work for the iPhone 3G as well.

I got the cable today and plugged it into my TV. Audio comes through but no video; just a black TV screen with audio coming through the speakers. Also, a message pops up on the iPhone 3G screen: "This accessory was not made to work with iPhone. Would you like to turn on Airplane mode to reduce interference ? " And I can choose yes or no. Choosing either one doesn't give me video.

What is the deal here? I looked around on the apple store website and could not find any new AV cable that was specifically meant to output video to TV from the iPhone 3G. Also, the iPhone 3G user guide specifically says:

"+You can connect iPhone to your TV and watch your videos on the larger screen. Use+
+the Apple Component AV Cable, Apple Composite AV Cable, or other authorized+
+iPhone compatible cable. You can also use these cables with the Apple Universal Dock+
+to connect iPhone to your TV. (The Apple Universal Dock includes a remote, which+
+allows you to control playback from a distance.) Apple cables and docks are available+
+for purchase separately at www.apple.com/ipodstore.+ "

I notice that none of the cables on the apple store, nor that paragraph from the iPhone 3G user guide (which also is meant to discuss original iPHone) specifically states that the cables will work with the 3G. Has apple really screwed us over on this, and there is no way to output video to the TV?

Has anyone got this working for them?

Al Powerbook G4 1.67 GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Jul 21, 2008 9:51 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 22, 2008 3:25 AM in response to dgalvan123

I'm sorry, but you were misled, as is often the case on eBay and does happen with some 3rd party manufacturers. The only AV cables that work with the iPhone 3G/iPhone/iPod Touch are the Apple-branded cables (here's the Apple Composite AV Cable). The one you linked to above is not an Apple branded cable (you state in responses to other posts that it might be - but, it's not) - 3rd party ones do work with other iPods. There's a proprietary chip inside the Apple cables that is necessary for decoding the video 3rd party adapters will not work. Your 'update' that you got video out briefly suggests that the system is not perfect, and there's some sort of chip in the one you bought that's trying to do the job, but not well.

So, bottom line, return the cable if you can. Shell out the $50 for the Apple one. Yes, they work with the iPhone 3G.

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Answer 2

tecmic

Level 1

100 points

Jul 22, 2008 3:32 AM in response to neuroanatomist

Hi,

While we're on the subject, how do the Apple socket colours (red/blue/green) on the Universal harness, relate to standard colours?

Red/white/yellow are European standard
eg. Yellow = video, red/white = left and right audio.

Mike.

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Answer 3

Jul 22, 2008 3:40 AM in response to tecmic

There are 2 different types of AV cables, Component and Composite, depending on your TV's input. By "standard," you are referring to Composite, which has three plugs: red/white for audio, yellow for video. The Component cable has 5 plugs: red/white for audio and r/g/b for video. Higher-end TVs have component inputs, which provides better signal quality that the composite input; also, the composite signal is coded (NTSC, PAL, SECAM, etc.), meaning there are actually different composite cables in the US vs. Europe (NTSC vs. PAL). Component is not coded.

Hope this helps...

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Answer 4

tecmic

Level 1

100 points

Jul 22, 2008 4:07 AM in response to neuroanatomist

Hi,

Sorry, I didn't make that very clear, did I?

I was referring to the Apple Component AV cable and I've sussed it out and got it to work.

Many thanks, Mike.

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Answer 5

dgalvan123 Author

Level 1

50 points

Jul 23, 2008 1:47 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Thanks for your complete and informative response. I really appreciate it. Looks like the only option is to get the Apple-blessed cable. It is annoying when a seller tells you the product will do something, and it turns out to be completely false.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like I can return the cable, as the seller now tells me (in response to a query) "It doesn't work with the iPhone 3G. the description only claims it works with iPhone." But they had such ambiguous descriptions as "Compabitible with both iPhones and recent iPods." The "both iPhones" made me think they meant both original and 3G versions of the iPhone, but I guess it can be interpreted another way (as in "both the original iphone and other ipods"). I'm not going to fight with the seller over the $6 price of the cable (the remaining $10 was shipping), but I get the impression that the seller didn't know it wouldn't work with the 3G iPhone either.

Also, I did a search on ebay specifically for AV cables for the iPhone 3G. Found this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Composite-AV-TV-Video-Out-Cable-for-New-Apple-iPhone-3G_W0QQ itemZ280248773966QQihZ018QQcategoryZ20336QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

. . . which claims it is compatible with iPhone 3G in two places: the title of the item for sale, and later in the description where it says "compatible with iPhone (all versions)".

I e-mailed the seller and asked if they had actually tested and verified that it works with iPhone 3G. Their response:

"Dear Buyer,

It was an error on our post. It will not work with the new iPhone 3g.

Thank you."

Yet they haven't changed the title or description of the item.

So, hopefully, others will learn from my mistake: Don't trust anyone on ebay who claims they are selling an AV cable that is compatible with the iPhone 3G.

EDITORIAL NOTE:
I'm usually a big fan of apple, but putting a proprietary chip in their cables just so they can mark up an RCA cable to $50 seems pretty evil to me.

Other responses to my posts have indicated that the 1st generation iPhone would work with the third-party AV cables, but that they stopped working after the iPhone 2.0 software update. Makes it seem even more devious: Apple is trying to make sure all iPhone users who want to output the video to a TV, even those who were successfully using the cheap (~$5) third party cables before, have to pay apple $50 for the new cable. What's to stop Apple from coming up with another version of their AV cable with a different embedded proprietary chip, then issuing another iPhone software update that forces iPhone users to have to buy yet another AV cable for $50?

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Answer 6

dgalvan123 Author

Level 1

50 points

Jul 23, 2008 2:48 PM in response to neuroanatomist

Anyone tried this cable yet?
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.14393

" Manufacturer claims authentication chip is inside the cable therefore TV/Video-out works with all latest iPods including iPhone
- Cable length: 1.5 meters
- 100% working authentication chip
- Must have audio/video equipment for all iPhone, iPhone 3G, and the latest iPod users"

I'll wait till someone else takes the risk and reports back, but if it does work that's a good deal: $12 shipped.

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Answer 7

Jul 24, 2008 4:10 AM in response to dgalvan123

I have to first say I am DISAPPOINTED WITH APPLE FOR NOT UPDATING THE WEBSITE!
I am sure willing to spend $50.00 for it. But I rung up Apple support and they cant confirm that their cable works? What is this? Same goes for a shop that sells original apple products. None can assure me that it will work.

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Answer 8

tecmic

Level 1

100 points

Jul 24, 2008 5:44 AM in response to Irwin Pang

Hi Irwin,

Well, I CAN confirm that the Apple Component AV cable definately works with iphone 3G. My Wife and I watched 'There Will Be Blood' on our TV and FROM the iPhone.

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MB128ZA/A

Mike.

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Answer 9

kg1660

Level 1

0 points

Jul 24, 2008 3:48 PM in response to tecmic

Erwin, may I change the subj a little? How did you get the movie you watched onto the 3G iPhone? Did you rent it in iTunes. I am having problems synching my (personal) movies to the new 3G. They all are in the iTunes Library and were on the classic iPhone

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Answer 10

Jul 27, 2008 2:32 PM in response to dgalvan123

I bought a a/v cable from www.cellphoneshop.com for 7.99 not including shipping...i hooked it up and it asked me to go in airplane mode i said yes...plugged it in my tv and it worked fine both audio and video...then i put another movie on my phone went to hook the cable in again then it said the infamous "this accessory does not work with iphone" but the audio still comes through the tv fine just no video...now how did it go from working to not working...its said apple has a chip in there cable, but i watched this cheaper cable work...it really makes me mad to spend money on something advertised to work but i guess thats the way of the net

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Answer 11

dgalvan123 Author

Level 1

50 points

Jul 27, 2008 5:11 PM in response to Klevermind

klevermind, your experience is identical to mine except in reverse order: The first time I plugged it in, it wouldn't work (transmitted audio, but not video). The second time, it did, but only for several minutes at a time.

In any event, it's not reliable enough for me to use, so I'll give it to someone with an ipod touch or something.

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Answer 12

bss18974

Level 1

0 points

Jul 29, 2008 10:00 AM in response to dgalvan123

I am having the same problems as others mentioned here. I went to the Apple Store in Allentown PA with my iphone and purchased the Apple AV Composite cable. The Apple agent in the store could not guarantee the cable would work but said it should. After purchasing the cable, I tried it immediately without connecting to a TV. In about 15 seconds, that annoying message came up about not being compatible with the iphone 3g.

Also, if you look on the apple store web pages, items that are compatible with the 3G iphone have a 3G iphone logo in the compatibility section. This cable does not. I guess Apple will come up with a compatible cable at some point or a firmware upgrade to work with it.

I did return my cable almost immediately at the Apple store.

So, as far as I can tell, the AV Cables DO NOT work with the 3G phone yet.

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Answer 13

tecmic

Level 1

100 points

Jul 29, 2008 11:59 AM in response to bss18974

I'll say again!

The COMPONENT AV cable DOES work with the iPhone 3G. I've got one and watched 'There Will Be Blood' on my Sony Bravia 40inch flat panel!!! (well as flat as you'll get a 40inch)

You need the Apple Component AV cable! http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MB128ZA/A?fnode=home/shopiphone/iphone_accessories/cablesdocks&mco=MTQ2MjE

WARNING! This cable will only work with digital TV's !!!

Mike.

Message was edited by: tecmic

Message was edited by: tecmic

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Answer 14

Jul 29, 2008 11:59 AM in response to tecmic

I agree, they do work.

Here in the UK I've tried both Apple AV cables through an Apple Universal dock and they both worked with an iPhone 3G. I have to make sure that the phone is powered off before connecting the cables. If I try to connect the cable whilst the iPhone 3G is powered on it usually doesn't work.

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Answer 15

dgalvan123 Author

Level 1

50 points

Jul 29, 2008 11:30 PM in response to stuart1714

Hmmm, so it seems unanimous that the COMPONENT Apple cable works just fine. But it appears that some people are having trouble getting the COMPOSITE Apple cable to work with the iPhone 3G.

I have a TV with component and composite inputs, but the main reason I want this cable is so that I can show photo slideshows to relatives on THEIR TV's (usually older TV's with only composite plugs) without having to lug around my laptop.

I need more confidence in the composite cable before I buy. And I'm still hoping a working third-party cable will pop up, because $50 is just plain exorbitant for this type of cable. I am very reluctant to pay that much given that I won't be using it very often.

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