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Connect a mini to an older RGB-only HDTV
Authored by: CarlosD on Mar 20, '06 01:44:21PM

A few additions to the hint since I just recently completed this journey myself with a Mitsubishi projection TV and a MacBook Pro. I anticipate that all would work as well with a Mac Mini. Also of note: I was able to get DisplayConfigX to output properly on an old iBook G3 900MHz (960x540p)!

Key Video Facts

  1. On my Mitsu, the RGBHV cable worked only when I reversed the H and V connections. (Boy did that one take a while to see!)
  2. There are two key elements to getting the right resolution settings – vertical line count and horizontal scan. Everything else is just tweaking within these parameters to get a certain number of pixels to show and proper positioning. About horizontal scan rate:
    • 480p and 960i should use Horiz Scan Rate as close to 31.5 Khz as possible
    • 540p and 1080i should use Horiz Scan Rate as close to 33.75 Khz as possible
    • 720p and 1440i should use Horiz Scan Rate as close to 45.0 Khz as possible

    About vertical line count (pixels + porches):

    • 480p - Vertical Total must equal 525 lines (on 480p capable HDTVs)
    • 540p - Vertical Total must equal 563 lines (on 1080i capable HDTVs)
    • 720p - Vertical Total must equal 750 lines (on 720p capable HDTVs)
    • 960i - Vertical Total must equal 525 lines (on 480p capable HDTVs)
    • 1080i - Vertical Total must equal 563 lines (on 1080i capable HDTVs)
    • 1440i - Vertical Total must equal 751 lines (on 720p capable HDTVs)
Audio

A previous poster included a link to the optical mini to TOSlink adapter at http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=180-968&AID=1457483&PID=1885783 . If you are impatient, and have other Macs, you might consider running to your local BestBuy and get the Turtle Beach Audio Advantage. It is a USB based audio card (USB to optical out) which includes the mini adaptor. It costs about $25.

This device supports Mac OS X, so your older Mac may now do optical out, including Dolby Surround 5.1 from your DVDs! (I still have to test this, but that's what the box indicates.)

Artifacts

I get an odd jitter when playing 24fps (23.xxx) Quicktime on 30fps (29.97) 1080i settings. I am guessing this is due to the lack of pulldown in the video, but gives a clear indication of why pulldown is done! The 540p (non-interlaced) setting avoids this problem.

Links

Some above info is from:

http://www.keohi.com/keohihdtv/experttips/markrejhon/htpc_superguide.html

This one is also very helpful:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=206854

---

Carlos D
===
my music
http://music.altamar.dynalias.org/


[ Reply to This | # ]

irrational exhuberance
Authored by: CarlosD on Mar 20, '06 06:14:34PM

Quick audio update:

I just tried the Turtle Beach adapter to see if it would give me 5.1 out and it will not. Oh well. At least it will give me digital (optical) stereo out until the last mile and will not require me to change cables when I swap the iBook for the MacBook Pro.

---

Carlos D
===
my music
http://music.altamar.dynalias.org/



[ Reply to This | # ]
irrational exhuberance
Authored by: daran on Mar 21, '06 03:22:57AM

AFAIK 5.1 digital audio uses a compression scheme. Even most audio cards for the PC can not drive 5.1 over a digital link, unless it is supplied in compressed form, as it is coming from (eg) DVDs. Since macosx doesn't feed audio in compressed form directly, this can not work. Nor would it on most PCs.

PS: correct me if I'm wrong;-)



[ Reply to This | # ]
irrational exuberance
Authored by: CarlosD on Mar 21, '06 09:02:21AM

You are right, in part and you are wrong, in part. ;)

5.1 digital audio (aka Dolby Digital, AC3, a52, et al.) is compressed. However, Mac OS X can deliver the stream straight from the DVD out to the digital optical output. If your machine has optical out (PowerMac G5s or Intels), you will see an Audio Output option in the DVD Player's Disc Setup preference. Select "Digital Output - Built-in Audio" and the 5.1 stream is sent unmodified.

The Windows drivers for the USB card I have allows the digital stream to be fed from DVD -> USB -> Optical Out (for XP and 2000). Unfortunately Mac OS X's DVD Player only does the direct digital out trick with Built-in Optical out, not USB.

I am now looking into whether VLC will allow me to route the 5.1 stream through USB. Wish me luck!

p.s. Yes, I can spell exuberance! :D

---

Carlos D
===
my music
http://music.altamar.dynalias.org/



[ Reply to This | # ]