Options for VGA to S video/ composite video over Mini displayport

I have a mid 2009 13" macbook pro that i want to connect to a standard def tv with s video and composite inputs. I already own the mini displaport to VGA adapter. I have found two adapters on amazon that convert VGA to s/composite video. one is $4 and is just a cable. The other is a $40 box with vga input and video output. my question is, do i need to shell out for the expensive one or will the cheap cable do just fine? i have heard NTSC out a lot while poking around. does my computer have that?
Adapter #1 (cheap one) http://tinyurl.com/yc6topv
Adapter #2 (expensive one) http://tinyurl.com/yd6qnvs
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

13" Macbook pro, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Sep 28, 2009 1:31 PM

Reply
12 replies

Oct 6, 2009 6:05 PM in response to juggleitup

Hello, I am first time forums user and a new mac owner.

What I am having trouble with is a very similar thing but I have a brand new macbook pro 17 so I am pretty sure my connector is slightly different. I found this...

http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9319G/A

This seems to be a connector which comes out of the mini-dvi port and has a connector for rca/svideo. I have a mini-dvi to vga that I bought with the mac and then I have an old vga to rca/s-video connector cable like the cheap option the original poster gave.

My mac responds as it should but the tv signal is totally screwed up. I also tried hooking it to a projector using rca and that said no signal. The mini-dvi port to vga works but I am not 100% on the vgs to rca connector I haven't used it in so long. It is going to be a pain for me to test it though.

Should this work? DO I need to mess around with refresh rates?

Thanks

Oct 19, 2009 9:07 PM in response to MartinR

I think I have the same issue:

March 2009 macbook pro with the tiny little display port. I want to go into a 6-year old Panasonic, but not flat screen HDTV that has s-video and the RCA (red, yellow, white) plugs.

All I really want is easy way to show iPhotos without people standing around my computer. I am not streaming video or TV shows etc.

Sounds like my need is: mini display->VGA plus VGA->S-video/RCA? Does the software work once I get the hardware joined??? Does anybody know where to get the VGA-S-video? Will this cost $100? If so, it may not be worth it.

thanks

Oct 25, 2009 12:02 AM in response to shadyron

Because there is no driver (meaning software) support for composite video and S-Video on the newer Macs. Since Macs lacks the required software to do the needed translation, you need external hardware that can do the translation. The original poster linked to one such solution. Here is that link again:

http://tinyurl.com/yd6qnvs

Here is another:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?cid=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011407&pid=4724&seq=1&format=2

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Options for VGA to S video/ composite video over Mini displayport

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