Beo-Mac

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

Daniel — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:15:17 GMT

Hi!

Long time, no ocean.

Sorry for the delay. When I finally received the Mac Mini it didn't work, so I had to hand it to service. As I was not keen to spend too much money on a faulty old computer I choosed the free "damage control" at the computer store. The down side was time, I got the call yesterday! The up side, express check costs 75 € (refunded if I choose to repair the computer, otherwise lost). The Mini had some kind of hardware error, and the price for a repair would probaly exceed the price of a new Mini, so I will bin it.

I did some testing with the cable and my MBP to see if I could get a new Mini with MDP output. Well, the picture isn't that good if you compare it side by side with the MBP. If you just watch the movie on the screen it could work. The sharpness is OK, but the problem is the colours. Yellow gets more red and blue gets more green. I also tested it against the picture from same DVD played on XBOX 360, and that picture was the same as on the screen of MBP.

There where also some faint organic vertical lines on the sides of the picture, like some giant fingerprints. This was only visible in the window with DVD. Not on the other windows or desktop.

I tried to use the S-video input, but the picture just got black. I guess the S-video input on LX is faulty. I think it's a commen problem fixed by some soldering, but I will leave that. There is a chance the colours will be better with S-video.

So I will not use this cable to watch DVD on, and I don't recommend it to someone else (unless the S-video route is working). The only use I can see is if you will connect the MBP to a projecter to show some powerpoint slides at a costumer etc. The cable works right out of the box, the picture is sharp but the colours isn't 100 % correct (again, maybe fixed with working S-video)

I will now try to source down another Mini with analogue output, to test if it will be an OK picture on LX.

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

muck22 — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:29:26 GMT

Daniel:
My MacMini hasn't arrived yet. ..... I will comeback with the result for you.

Hi Daniel!

whats up with your Mac Mini and your LX?

And what's about the test between your DVD players and -in comparision- the Mac Mini?

I am dealing with the same idea (MX7000 and Mac Mini).

thx for some answers

K@y

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

Daniel — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:03:18 GMT

My MacMini hasn't arrived yet. I was just about to order the second newest one (the last with DVD player). But my friend on visit from the States told me he has one 4 year old MacMini not in use any more. He will ship it to me when he's back home again. So I wait for that one, and since I guess it also has an analogue output I don't need my special cable any longer.

I suppose the MacMini has a better graphic card than the cable I got, so I think it will be better for me (a free MacMini AND better picture).

The down side are a smaller hard disc and a slower MacMini, but I can always get an extra hard disc and the computer will be mainly used for playing DVDs, streaming movies to my iPad, whatching "SVT play" and sending music and netradio all over the house via MasterLink. It will manage that with no problems.

I did my testings on my MacBook Pro (to see if I could connect a MiniDisplayPort to LX).

The last test I shall do is to compare the picture from a DVD played on MBP to the same DVD played on my regular Sony DVD player connected with scart to LX. I will comeback with the result for you.

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

Peter — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:40:15 GMT

Hi Guys!

Interesting to follow this thread, since I am about to do something similar with a Mac Mini.

So Daniel, using your Mac Mini as DVD player gives you the same razor sharp picture as using a normal DVD player ( DVD1) with Scart?
But the colours are not exactly correct?

/Peter

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

gabbbahey — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 06:06:19 GMT

That´s great!

Hmmm, wonder if that solution would work with my Macbook Pro and B&O too? Need too look into this...

Would be great to be able to watch films on the LX again.

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

Daniel — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 05:59:18 GMT

Cable arrived and it works just out of the box!

I see no bigger difference between RCA and S-video for the picture.

If I compare the picture between MacBook and LX some colours are not the same. Some green colours gets blue instead, but you notice it only when whatching both screens at the same time.

I had problems getting the S-video plug into the S-VHS jack on LX. It looks like the plastic pin now is a little bit thicker then before, but finally I managed to get it in.

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

Daniel — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:38:26 GMT

gabbbahey:

Hi Daniel,

Yes as far as I know the signal is the same. But try to search some of the Mac forums too. I have had some problem to connect my macbook pro to the beovision. I used a minidisplay to vga connector and then a vga convertor to s-video. But I got a really crappy picture. But the reason to this might be that I bought the convertor really cheap of ebay.

Your solution looks better than mine.

I remember it being much easier back when I had the imac...

Good luck!

Thanks, I've now connected my MacBook Pro to the LX with an adapter from mini jack for head phones to RCA and to a scart. It works just perfect! I now have music from iTunes all over the house through MasterLink. iTunes is controlled via our iPhones and iPad with the Apple app "remote". Volume and on/off are controlled via BeoLink 1000, Beo4 and BeoCom 6000. Amazing!

Next step is to order the cable (only available on chinese sites) to test if I can get picture from computer to LX. It looks like theres a switch for PAL/NTSC. If that will work I will get a Mac mini, to use as a second computer and a DVD player. I will control it with my Beo4 and Lintronic.

Just realised I need more speakers in my house. Typing this in my veranda listening to the BL2000 in the kitchen, but thats not good enough. Would love black CX100 if I only could find them, but that need BeoLink Passive as well. It would be much cheaper with an used BL2000. Just 300 €, insane if compared with the price for CX100 and BeoLink Passive.

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

gabbbahey — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 20:28:29 GMT

Hi Daniel,

Yes as far as I know the signal is the same. But try to search some of the Mac forums too. I have had some problem to connect my macbook pro to the beovision. I used a minidisplay to vga connector and then a vga convertor to s-video. But I got a really crappy picture. But the reason to this might be that I bought the convertor really cheap of ebay.

Your solution looks better than mine.

I remember it being much easier back when I had the imac...

Good luck!

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

Daniel — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:24:04 GMT

The Mac mini has now minidisplayport. I finally found a cable that change MDP to s-video, but it is a US cable. Will this work in Europe? Is s-video signal same in US and Europe?

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/mini-displayport-to-composite-video-and-s-video-converter-39cm-length-65208?r=65116799

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

Daniel — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:16:21 GMT

This is very exciting.

I will get the cables and try to connect my MacBook to my LX5500 as a test. If it work I will get a MacMini connected to the LX and get rid of the broken V6000 and the Sony DVD-player. I will of course buy the MacMini with the right to return it if it doesn't work.

Little nervouse about beophilip7000s result.

If it works I will control the Mini from iPad and iPhones and the music from iTunes can be sent over ML all over the house.

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

beophilip7000 — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 07:11:10 GMT

Hello Gabbbahey,

Thank you very much for your information.

I've checked every bit of information on the Mac support site but only got more confused.

Most iMac's and other Mac's will no do this trick because of changes in videocard and port.

I've now tried every possible (combination of) setting(s) on both iMac and MX7000.

The Mac recognizes that there is a second monitor but now image shows up on the MX7000.

I am ready to give in and return the adapters and cables (I bought them with the right of return).

So apart from 3 days of fumbling and fooling around, nothing is lost and I will go for an anther option.

Thanks again.

Philip

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

gabbbahey — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:16:16 GMT

Hello Philip

I´ve sold my imac, so I can unfortunately not check the connections. But as I remember it I connected the S-Video cable to the S-VHS input on the MX. And a set up the MX just as tournedos did:

AV1 = V.TAPE-1 and S-VHS=AV1

And by selecting V.TAPE on the Beolink 1000 I got image and sound.

I think the imac recognized the MX as a secondary monitor without me having to change any settings. But I´m not sure.

I do remember though that it took a lot of experimenting before it finally worked.

Have you tried all the tricks tournedos mentioned?

Sorry I can´t be of much help...

Good Luck!

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

beophilip7000 — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 04:43:32 GMT

Hello Gabbbahey,

I have the same configuration (iMac with ATI Radeon X1600 + MX7000) and have set up everything exactly like you did.

Still I don not have any image or sound on my MX7000.

I've tried to reset the videochannel, no luck here.

I am not sure what settings I could/must change on my iMac.

Looking forward to your help.

Kind regards,

Philip

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

tournedos — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:09:12 GMT

Excellent, have fun

I noticed that sometimes(?) the changes in the sockets menu setup don't seem to have any effect until you select (or reselect) a source after exiting from the menu. That may add some confusion...

Re: Connect Imac to MX7000?

gabbbahey — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:18:52 GMT

YES!

It works now!

I thought I´d tried every possible combination but apparently not... I connected my MX7000 the same way as you did, and now it works...

I really appreciate your help, thanks!