Buzz
Have you ever felt frustrated trying to connect your laptop to a video screen for movie nights or simply to enjoy a larger workspace? Transferring both visuals and audio from your MacBook Pro to a TV is neither complicated nor expensive. You can do it yourself without spending money on an Internet receiver.
Steps
High-definition TV
Please note that this method only works with TVs equipped with an HDMI port (flat-screen TVs and LCD TVs). If you want to connect an older TV to your MacBook Pro, check out the next method.
Purchase the necessary components if you don't already have them.
- MacBook Pro Retina Display comes with an HDMI port, so you don't need an additional adapter cable.
- Some Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter cables support audio signals. If you use these devices, you won't need a separate audio converter cable.
Connect the HDMI cable and the Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter together.
- If you're using a MacBook Pro Retina Display, you can directly connect the HDMI cable from the MacBook to the HDMI port on the TV.
Connect the Mini DisplayPort cable to your MacBook Pro.
Connect the HDMI adapter's male end to the female HDMI port on the TV.
Connect the audio.
Turn on the TV and set the HDMI input. You will be able to watch videos with sound from your computer on the TV screen.
VGA port
This method is used to connect a MacBook Pro to a TV without an HDMI port. These TVs are usually older models, but you can still use this method to connect to newer TVs if needed.
Purchase the necessary components if you don't already have them.
Connect the Mini DisplayPort to VGA cable and the VGA to VGA adapter together.
Connect the Mini DisplayPort cable to your MacBook Pro.
Plug the VGA cable's male end into the blue VGA female port on the TV.
Connect the audio. Insert the mm jack into the Audio Out or headphone jack on the MacBook Pro, and connect the other end to the TV's audio input.
Turn on the TV and set the VGA input. You will be able to watch videos with sound from your computer on the TV screen.
Tips
- Avoid setting the screen resolution too high, as the TV may not display it correctly.
Warnings
- Do not purchase an HDMI converter for MacBook Pro Retina! While the connector is compatible, it's unnecessary since the MacBook Pro Retina already has an HDMI port.
- Avoid confusing the Mini DVI port with the Firewire 800 port!
