I wish to send pictures from the Photo app (version 2.0 [3161.4.140]) on my 13″ Apple MacbookPro (2016 – OS Sierra 10.12.6) laptop for viewing on my (2005) Mitsubishi Model WS-55315 55″ projection TV. From the laptop to the TV I have connected a USB-C to VGA adapter, mated to a VGA to S-Video adapter cable and plugged the S-Video into the front S-Video input on the TV, then went to “source” on TV and selected S-Video, but no picture on screen, only blue screen.
Macbook System Preferences – Display – does not show any display options.
There is no way to hook up an Apple TV to the Mitsubishi TV, as the TV is
built into cabinetry and has front access to composite and S-Video inputs
only.
Any suggestions?
—–
Robert Damm
Hard to say where things may be going wrong. I'm sure the USB-C to VGA works, but this VGA to S-Video adapter may just not be cutting it. S-Video is a very old thing and I'm not sure that any VGA-to-S-Video adapters were ever all that good.
Plus there is the fact that if the TV is that old that the best it supports is S-Video, then it is certainly standard definition, meaning 720x480 at best. That's pretty low resolution and just may not work.
The TV doesn't have HDMI? If so, then it is probably too old to work easily. You can try other adapters, and maybe a more expensive converter box. But at some point it is probably cheaper to just get a more modern projector.
The tv does support HD, via Directv box. It has no HDMI inputs, but does have component inputs in the rear, and I can access them via extension cables. Also, I do have a composite input accessible in the front. Might either of those options work rather than the s-video input?
Thanks.
Robert: Ah, you've got component inputs? As in three RGB inputs? That's much better than S-Video, I think. What is the DirecTV box plugged into? You want to use HD inputs, I would imagine, not SD ones. Component RGB may be HD, s-video definitely not. But you'd still have to get an adapter. Modern DirecTV boxes are HDMI -- so if the DirecTV box is plugged into an HDMI port, then just use that.
Thanks. The Directv box has an HDMI to RCA RBG cable (HDMI on one end, RBG on the other) coming out of the Directv box and going to RBG female cable that goes to the back of the TV. Picture is HD.
Should I get an acceptable picture on the TV if I go from the laptop via a USB-C to VGA adapter, Then to RBG input via a VGA to RBG adapter?
Robert: So is it possible to get a USB-C to HDMI cable (the most common USB-C video cable, I imagine) and plug that into the one you are using for DirectTV? In other works, replace the DirecTV box with your Mac. Skip VGA altogether if you can.
Ahh, would the same result be obtained from a USB-C to HDMI adapter out of the laptop, into a HDMI to RBG adapter, then that RBG into the TV?
Robert: Could work. The problem is you never know until you try because of the widely-varying quality of these adapters. Some of them just don't function very well, especially when dealing with digital formats like HDMI.
Ok. Many thanks for your help and advice, Gary. I am a real fan & supporter of MacMost.
I would suggest trying to track down a first-generation Apple TV. They could still do SD. Then you could just have a slide show and do it wirelessly.
PB: I'm pretty sure that you can't AirPlay to a first gen Apple TV, at least not with the current version of AirPlay. But I don't have one set up to test.