can i connect my macbook pro to a tv to watch movies etc

You can, but I wouldn't recommend it. It sounds a lot better in theory than it works out in practice.

Welcome to Apple Discussions 🙂

Yes you can and it delivers a much better experience than watching a laptop screen.

You will need some or all of:
A minidisplay port to HMDI adapter
An HDMI cable that's long enough to place the MBP comfortably away from the Plasma
The audio will depend on the model you have, the latest deliver the audio across the HDMI but all earlier models will need either:
A TosLink (digital audio cable from MBP to Plasma - if it has that input) or
A stereo/headphone jack to 2 phono plugs - if that's what your TV has

If it's some other set of inputs on the Plasma post details and we can identify what's needed.

Thanks iVmichael! This is the exact question I needed an answer for tonight. I tried hooking up my MBP to a Samsung flat screen TV with a DVI cord and got a generic snow leopard screensaver with nothing else. My audio cords are working for the sound fine. Is there a setting I need to release on my Mac to make it display more than just a screensaver on the TV? Its not even showing the customized screensaver that I have on my Mac. There's an VGA port labeled "PC" on the back of my TV, so I bought some VGA cables and of course those aren't working at all. What am I missing?

If you want to use the VGA port on the TV then you need the mini-displayport to VGA adapter (in the Apple Store) and a regular male-male VGA cable ... If you're using mini-displayport to DVI adapter then a DVI cable to the TV see below.

To adjust what you're seeing on both screens open System Preferences/Displays and you should then see a preference panel for each available screen, if you want identical items on both then make sure you check 'Mirroring' not 'Extended Desktop'.

Thank you, iVmichael! I was just logging back on to tell you I figured it out, and I see you're way ahead of me. You've already responded what I was about to say!

Using my HDMI to DVI cable, I had to adjust the display under arrangement to "mirror display" and now I can see everything on my TV from my laptop. You were on it! Even the guys at Fry's couldn't tell me what was wrong.

Thanks a billion for such a speedy response!

Scott Billings wrote:
You can, but I wouldn't recommend it. It sounds a lot better in theory than it works out in practice.

How can you possibly say such a thing? I've been running video from my Mac laptop to my TV since the PowerBook G3 to my tube TV 10 years ago, and my current MacBook Pro plays back DVDs on my HDTV better than my "real" DVD player.

_**Thank you! Thank you! Thank you iVmichael!**_
I have been transferring the image from my computer to my tele for a long time now and suddenly it would only show the wallpaper. Thank you so much for giving me the easy fix (Mirror). You're the best!

Hi Michael,

I can watch video on my MBP (purchased July 2009) via an HDMI/DVI cable just fine. But I can't hear the audio on the TV? I've tried connecting an audio cable from my MBP's speaker output to the TV via a shielded Y-cable (stereo 3.5mm male to dual RCA Phono male). I tried to ensure the audio inputs were the same TV input as the HDMI input I was using. The sound stopped coming out of the MBP, but didn't come out of the TV. Any tips?

Leslie,
Did you figure this out? I'm having the same problem--I can see the screen but can't hear anything.
Much obliged.