Using Mac Mini with 16:9 CRT Standard Def TV by RCA connection!
Hello all,
I realise that there are others who have experienced similar problems but after spending quite a bit of time searching this forum, I wasn't able to find an answer for my particular circumstance. In summary, I can't get my new Mac mini to work with my TV at all. I need to figure out where the problem might lie. Please find the specifics of my setup below.
I have a 1.42GHz Mac Mini G4 with all the possible add-ons . It actually did not come out of the box for the first three months I owned it. I finally got it out this weekend and went to purchase a DVI-Video connector. I connected it to the TV by means of an RCA to Scart cable (which I know for a fact works fine with my Powerbook and iBook) and the TV just showed a blank screen (though there was a second or two of static each time I started up, as if settings were being re-adjusted). The TV only has Scart inputs so there RCA is going to have to be the connection method. The TV is a standard def Sanyo 16:9 CRT.
To make sure the mini was working, and enable VNC access (brand new mini so hadn't been set up at all), I took it to my office (I have no other monitors here) and connected it to a normal Dell LCD monitor. It worked fine, and I set up VNC access so now I can use my powerbook to control it headless.
I brought it back home and connected it to the TV again and VNCed to it expecting to find options to re-adjust resolution, refresh rate etc. All I found was 800x600 or 640x480 and I could not change the refresh rate at all. The TV is PAL but there was no mention of PAL or NTSC options. I took the opportunity to run software update and apply all the necessary updates as well.
After some initial research, I downloaded displayconfigx. It crashes every time I try to open it... so no luck there. Then I tried another application recommended on these fora whose name escapes me now (but it started with an s and also ended with an x) and to keep a long story short, I found it very confusing and wasn't able to find a setting that made things work.
The TV works fine as a secondary display for both my powerbook G4 and iBook G3. In fact, I'm using it with my powerbook now and my powerbook switches to the right settings as soon as I plug it in! However, my powerbook's place is in my lap and this Mac mini is sitting there unused when I really want to be using it as my media center and EyeTV box!
Please help me. Is this a problem with the DVI-Video adapter. Is this a problem with the mini? Should I call Apple Support (I don't have Applecare but it was purchased three months ago)? Please help me solve this problem!
Thanks,
Phaedon
I realise that there are others who have experienced similar problems but after spending quite a bit of time searching this forum, I wasn't able to find an answer for my particular circumstance. In summary, I can't get my new Mac mini to work with my TV at all. I need to figure out where the problem might lie. Please find the specifics of my setup below.
I have a 1.42GHz Mac Mini G4 with all the possible add-ons . It actually did not come out of the box for the first three months I owned it. I finally got it out this weekend and went to purchase a DVI-Video connector. I connected it to the TV by means of an RCA to Scart cable (which I know for a fact works fine with my Powerbook and iBook) and the TV just showed a blank screen (though there was a second or two of static each time I started up, as if settings were being re-adjusted). The TV only has Scart inputs so there RCA is going to have to be the connection method. The TV is a standard def Sanyo 16:9 CRT.
To make sure the mini was working, and enable VNC access (brand new mini so hadn't been set up at all), I took it to my office (I have no other monitors here) and connected it to a normal Dell LCD monitor. It worked fine, and I set up VNC access so now I can use my powerbook to control it headless.
I brought it back home and connected it to the TV again and VNCed to it expecting to find options to re-adjust resolution, refresh rate etc. All I found was 800x600 or 640x480 and I could not change the refresh rate at all. The TV is PAL but there was no mention of PAL or NTSC options. I took the opportunity to run software update and apply all the necessary updates as well.
After some initial research, I downloaded displayconfigx. It crashes every time I try to open it... so no luck there. Then I tried another application recommended on these fora whose name escapes me now (but it started with an s and also ended with an x) and to keep a long story short, I found it very confusing and wasn't able to find a setting that made things work.
The TV works fine as a secondary display for both my powerbook G4 and iBook G3. In fact, I'm using it with my powerbook now and my powerbook switches to the right settings as soon as I plug it in! However, my powerbook's place is in my lap and this Mac mini is sitting there unused when I really want to be using it as my media center and EyeTV box!
Please help me. Is this a problem with the DVI-Video adapter. Is this a problem with the mini? Should I call Apple Support (I don't have Applecare but it was purchased three months ago)? Please help me solve this problem!
Thanks,
Phaedon
