Using an Apple Macbook with a Pioneer PDP4280xd / Sony STR2400ES

[b33k34]

I'm stuck. I've purchased a mini-dvi to HDMI converter and used this to connect my Macbook first to my Sony Amp and then direct to the Pioneer display.

However, neither is giving me a picture and i'm not sure what i'm doing wrong.

1) connecting to the Sony. I can't work out how to assign the HDMI inputs, I connected the macbook to the DVD input, then used to GUI to try to switch it on but you only seem able to assign the component and audio inputs. The blu ray player, connected to the blu ray input "just works" even though the input settings don't appear to have it selected. Detect displays on the macbook didn't do anything.

2) then tried connecting to the display. connected hdmi to input 3, used the menu to go to option and 'enable' the HDMI on that input, set the signal type to PC (have tried both now).

In neither case did the macbook seem to want to recognise that a display was attached - "detect displays" in control panel didn't pick anything up.

Any suggestions from anyone?

 

[Anonymous]

Do you mean you have a mini-DVI > DVI converter and a DVI > HDMI cable?

 

[b33k34]

No - i got one of these: (but not a Lindy one) and a standard HDMI cable

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1823449/art/lindy/mini-dvi-to-hdmi-adapter.html

 

[Anonymous]

I've only used the combination I mentioned which worked perfectly from my old MacBook to my Sony TV. You need to have your MacBook plugged in at the wall but I presume you are already doing this. I've heard Apple's can be picky about their adaptors ÿ/ cables in not letting the signal through - I've started a thread on a Mac forum so if you don't get anywhere, you may get some help there.

Don't forget you won't get sound over the DVI cable so you need to take an optical or 3.5mm from you MacBook to your receiver. I would also recommend to connect the HDMI straight to the TV instead of going through the receiver.ÿ

 

[professorhat]

b33k34:In neither case did the macbook seem to want to recognise that a display was attached - "detect displays" in control panel didn't pick anything up.
Out of interest, if you couldn't get anything to display, how do you know the above?
EDIT - ignore this, just realised I'm being an idiot!

 

[professorhat]

Have you tried setting the laptop resolution to be the Pioneer's native resolution of 1,024 x 768 before hooking it up to the screen? Failing that, I'd maybe try this to hook into the VGA input.

 

[Anonymous]

Just thought, the DVI will be using HDCP - so if the TV is not compliant then the handshake at the TV end won't work. Just an idea.

 

[Anonymous]

This just in from a mod on the mac forum:-

ÿ

"I have never got this to work ( ie mini dvi to hdmi ) but only tried a couple of times with client machines.The only time i have got HDMi to work is from Macbook Pro with a direct DVI-D to HDMI cable."

ÿ

Maybe you could try the cable set up I mentioned above and take them back if they don't work either?

 

[b33k34]

Hmmm. That could be an expensive set of useless cables - i bought a mini-jack optical converter and Toslink cable to take the audio as well.

I've got a Mini-DVI to DVI cable so i could buy a dvi-hdmi adaptor but in the first instance i'll borrow a mini-DVI VGA adaptor and see if i get any joy there. Presumably there's an analogue audio in to the TV.

My screen is on the other side of the room to the amp with the cables running under the floor so plugging into the amp is by far the preferred option. All the other sources are with the amp with a single HDMI cable running across (plus legacy Scart, S-Video from the old TV). I suppose i can put the macbook with the TV and run an optical cable back to the Amp (will the TV give an optical sound output from an analogue input?)

 

[Anonymous]

b33k34:ÿÿÿ
I've got a Mini-DVI to DVI cable so i could buy a dvi-hdmi adaptor but in the first instance i'll borrow a mini-DVI VGA adaptor and see if i get any joy there.ÿ Presumably there's an analogue audio in to the TV.

ÿ

Worth a try the quality difference between DVI and VGA is worth the effort. The VGA cable should work though.

b33k34:ÿ

I suppose i can put the macbook with the TV and run an optical cable back to the Amp (will the TV give an optical sound output from an analogue input?)

Can you explain this better - you intend to feed your TV optical from your MacBook and then send the signal back down an optical cable to your receiver?ÿ

 

[b33k34]

The Pioneer TV has 3 HDMI inputs plus a VGA PC input. There is a 3.5mm line in to accompany the PC input. The TV has a toslink optical out which i presume will give sound from the internal tuner but *might* also feed out the audio fed in via the PC line in.

I currently have a Tivo, soon to be replaced by a Humax Freesat PVR so i don't normally use the TV's tuner at all - my sources sit with the amp and feed the TV as a monitor and the amp for sound. Since the Pioneer has a Freeview tuner i might feed my aerial to that and would then want audio from TV-Amp for sound.

Connecting the Macbook to the VGA input instantly brought up the monitor control panel and the picture quality is pretty good (but i know from connecting i to my normal Dell monitor that the VGA output isn't a patch on the Digital output so it would be nice to get it playing with the Pio via HDMI. Feeding the Pio over VGA means i currently only have sound via the TV speakers.