When I connect my macbook to my tv with an HDMI cable, only my wallpaper shows. When I play a video and go full screen, the tv screen turns black. How do i play the video on the tv?

You have the display set in Extended Desktop mode with the MacBook as the main screen. The Menu Bar and Dock will be on the MacBook display and your background screen on the TV but you can move the cursor onto the TV screen.

In System Preferences>Display on the MacBook screen there should be an Arrangement tab when you have the MacBook hooked up to the TV and both screens working. When you click the Arrangement tab do you see two monitors side by side? One of them will have a Menu Bar at the top. Just click on the Menu Bar and drag it to the second monitor. That will make the second monitor your main screen.

The TV will now have the Dock and Menu Bar and windows will open on it. But you can move the cursor to the MacBook screen and move windows from the TV over to the MacBook screen.

You can now use your MacBook in Clamshell Mode with a wired or Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3131 When you disconnect from the TV your Menu Bar will automatically change back to the MacBook.

Or if you want to work on the MacBook screen while showing it on a TV you can check the Mirror Display box on the lower left hand side of the Arrangement tab under the two monitors box. That will give you the same screen at the same resolution on both the MacBook and the external monitor.

Hi, when i uncheck the mirroring option, my tv shows "Mode not supported". How do i solve this?

Hi cocorinx -

In the future, you're best off creating a new thread, rather than reviving an old one.

Just to make sure I understand what you're doing - you have things set up as mentioned in this thread, right? And was your MacBook screen duplicated on the TV or did you just see your desktop?

~Lyssa

Yes, I got everything connected, my tv shows my the same screen as my laptop. But when i uncheck the mirror display option, my tv shows "mode not supported".

Could be several things, but I'm guessing the signal your MacBook is sending to the TV isn't something it can handle.

Which MacBook do you have? And which TV?

~Lyssa

Mid 2010 Macbook pro and a 19" samsung LCD tv. But when i first connected to the TV.

The easier way to fix it, is to buy another tv?

A newer TV may be able to better handle the signal from your MacBook Pro. I have very limited experience with the MBPs, so my suggestion to you is to create a new thread over in the MBP forum here so someone else can help you.

~Lyssa

I was using an i7 Macbook Pro and and an LG Smart tv.. 2015 version

This worked perfect for me.. the arrangement tab in Displays.

Thank you everyone

Marc