Best Solution for converting/scaling Video Out of Macbook?

ok guys , unfortunetly the video world is way different than audio world... audio is standard RCA and video is all over the place. so i have been reading the tons of posts and i still haven't found what im looking for. I have a mac book with video sl and i have the DVI, VGA, Svideo/Rca out cables from the apple store. I want to have the best resolution possible and from what ive been reading the best option is to use dvi out from the mac and scale down from there if you have to. Most clubs i work at have either composite or component, i need to find a scaler flexible enough to convert to from the mac DVI cable to other formats like composite, component s-video and hdmi. is there such a thing? hear about converters, scalers but haven't found what i'm looking for... please help if you have found such a box..i think that would help a lot of us out. what do you guys suggest? what have you guys been using?

I have 2 solutions that work to my satisfaction

option 1) Go to ebay and find a extron VSC50 for about $100 or so. Use your mini display port to VGA apple converter.

Option 2) get a brand new not yet released matrox triplehead2go DP edition. This will serve 2 uses, scaling out and extra monitors for your video windows.

i haven't found a one box fits every situation solution yet. the only boxes that i would consider for this task are high end scalers that take anything in and will output anything but these are more costly than boxes designed for each output, but the more expensive solution doesn't give me better quality.

my primary box that i use at my residency converts my DVI to component video and I run all 50 plasmas in HD an it looks fantastic. markertek has that box if you need it.

when I'm not doing component HD, it's usually composite or s-video and both of those are covered well with a $20 adapter.

These three will cover almost every place I've ever needed to do video. If I need, HDMI, that's a freebie covered by the DVI to HDMI cable. VGA is a freebie too but I've never needed it.

Having said all that, I'm not sure why I'd need an expensive scaler.

Most clubs that I do still have a s-video set-up. I did a club the other day however that had an hdmi set-up. Thats why I like the new matrox triplehead2go DP edition. I get get to anything from that one.

It's a display port output and there are lots of connections from that.

whats the difference between a scaler, and a scan converter.. i been looking at this one www.extron.com... but i definetly need a solution for a component.. how much is the markertek?

markertek is a website. i think it cost $275 or so.

a scan converter is usually used to change the signaling of a source. scan converters are usually used for converting computer signals into signals a tv can use. these typically aren't needed on macs since they can output analog tv signals and digital computer signals all from the same port.

a-swift wrote:


The new Macbook Pro's are DIGITAL ONLY and have mini-display ports (not DVI). You have got to get something to convert the digital signal to analog as they do not do it internally anymore like the pre unibody MBPs. I am still evaluating which one to buy for personal use after upgrading to the unibody.

im with you charlie....i have seen some hdmi/dvi downconverters and im interesting in checking them out...
www.hdtvsupply.com

i already have an hdmi out adapter and this would seem to be a pretty simple yet expensive solution that i am leaning towars

damn charlie... now the plot thickens.. im getting a new mbp in a few weeks... i thought thats as long as i had the 20$ adapter from mac (dvi or vga or whatever) i could connect to one of the devices people have been suggesting in this posting... so what do you suggest for a new mpb model which is digital?

this is why i plan to keep using my MBPs for a long time. buying a new laptop isn't going to make anything work better or faster. lacking an analog output would certainly be a pain in the ass though.

just to make sure I read this right.
(because a "new" MBP is in my future)

the mini display adapter that apple sells for the mini-display port is NOT
going to remedy video output?
IE
the miniport to vga/hdmi/dvi does not work?
you need to buy another piece of hardware between the mini port
and the TVS?

The new (unibody) MBP only outputs a digital signal. If the system you are hooking into is analog, you will need a converter which will translate it. The older MBP's (pre unibody) were able to do this internally and you could buy that cheap adapter from Apple. Now...you need the mini-display to DVI/VGA than the expensive converter...

what straight BS!

so, on top of the 22-3200 laptop, the 1200-1500 mixer, you need a $_____.__
)I guess it would be( downconverter?

sheesh.
what a pain in the nards.

True

but...its the BEST machine available.

everywhere Ive gone so far has been VGA.

well, whats another2-300 bucks I guess right?
we all want our shit to look slammin

i'll eventually have this problem when all the pre-unibody MBP no longer exist. till then, I'm perfectly happy with having simple analog and digital out of the same laptop with no problems.

also, if you think apple is stupid for skipping analog out, that's not exactly correct. ALL laptop manufacturers are being forced to skip analog outputs so that content providers can have anti-piracy assurances before they allow their content to be played on that device.

as an example, eventually this will mean that macs can play bluray.

still... anyone what devic eit is we are going to need to be able to convert to analog?

just spoke to extron electronics.... only solution they have that can convert an input into several output sources cost about 1700 www.extron.com. sure there are most cost effective options out there. he explained that the low res products they have are not a good buy because mps can already output both composite & svideo which are both low res and dont need upscaling.

The 1700 is way way overkill for how we use it.

I said this earlier (posted on the bottom). I added more things to it to make better sense.

option 1) Go to ebay and find a extron VSC50 for about $100 or so. Use your mini display port to VGA apple converter.

ADDED Then out to s-video.

Option 2) get a brand new not yet released matrox triplehead2go DP edition. This will serve 2 uses, scaling out and extra monitors for your video windows.

ADDED Matrox has DP to HDMI and VGA cables

ADDED
Option 3) Use Mini DP to HDMI cabling. There are 2 new releases that will be coming out in the next week or so.

These 3 options should cover everything we need.

thats a cool 300ish... not too shabby.
and it looks like it does a great job with the video.

"ADDED Matrox has DP to HDMI and VGA cables"
but if VGA is analog, does this help us at all?

Matrox has a converter inside of it. It will not convert protected files, but for what we do it's fine.

And right now I am using the mini DP to VGA adapter from apple and getting a signal out. VGA is not considered an analog signal, just s-video and composite.

oh, well thats good news.
I thought VGA was considered analog.

vga is a much more capable format than standard analog connections like composite or s-video, for example being able to run pretty much arbitrary sizes, color depths, refresh rates and anything else. but alas, it's still an analog signaling on the cable.

apple's mini display port to vga must be doing the conversion in the converter?

i don't have the energy to look into this. i'm just glad it works.

It does. There was actually an issue with it at first but then Apple released a firmware update for the adapter. I installed that and it's been fine ever since.

will this work for component well? anyone have this?
www.compusa.com

I have a new MBP and tried using a gefen scaler that went from Hdmi in to composite or s video out. I was using a mini displayport to dvi to dvi to Hdmi going into the gefen scaler to RCA composite out. No luck. Spent $300 on it. Looked into option one you gave but the product is no longer made. So I would really like to know also what would work for the new mbp's

ok,ok... been doin some research and found out that the NEW MBP's are a "pure digital output" which means that the output signal contains HDCP code,which is a first for apple.So if you are tryin to hook up into a anolog video input,i.e. composite,s-video, the input will not be able to contain the HDCP signal, therefore resulting in a black screen.
Now of course if you go to dvi or even hdmi to source, no problemo.
HDCP basically means it's only going to work on a digital signal only.The solution is finding a HDCP compliant product. www.hdfury.com. Haven't tried it but sounds like it would work cause what it does is strip the HDCP signal to "trick" the process to think it is putting the signal thru. you can go in hdmi and go out vga and get the vga to composite, s-video out cable from www.compusa.com. take a look and tell me what you think

Am I the only one who sees VGA everywhere?>

You're close there DJbay1 but you missed on a few things.

There is no analog signal being output. It's not hidden, it's not hard to get to, it does not exist.

HDCP only prevents you from seeing something on an external screen if it's protected. Certain DVD's, some downloaded content, ect. There are a set of HDCP compliant devices that will allow this to happen. Think of it as a type of handshake. Both sides need to do this.

VGA out (apple $29.00 adapter) works wonderful and is a component signal. And there are many ways to get from VGA to s-video. There are also display port and HDMI adapters that work with the newer Apples.

ANY video from Promo Only (and most other music services I would imagine) will work using these options. If you are trying to play the latest HD DVD out to the clubs monitors, you may have an issue there.

Thanks Justin, I do really need the help and do appreciate all the info. I have tried using the apple mini DP to VGA then VGA to s-video or comoposite RCA but get a scrambled screen. The club that I play at has me going into their video by way of RCA composite. I have even tried to lowering the resolution

Let's break this down into some simple steps.

1) Have you done the firmware upgrade for the miniDP to VGA adapter yet?

2) What VGA-s-video adapter are you using?

@ Justin : There is a firmware upgrade for the miniDP to VGA? NO SHIT! Does that convert the digital signal or something? I haven't done video with my brand new unibody yet because I am waiting on getting a scaler converter...I was under the impression that you needed one if you wanted to convert to an analog source, ie. composite, s-video

No I haven't... Where do I get the update? First it's the apple mini DP to VGA then a compusa brand cable from VGA to s-video or RCA composite

Here is the firmware update.

www.apple.com

Try this and then see what happens. Also I would start and make sure that each stage of your output is OK. MiniDP to VGA...attach a vga monitor and see if you get a picture...then just keep adding things and make sure that you get a picture.

got the update.. says it was the latest update 1.03.. i don't have a vga monitor thats why i'm trying to go to rca composite, that's the way the club has the video input, i really do appreciate the help and the patience

does this need to be done on recently purchased models of the adapter? How can i find out if my unit needs the update?

Just download it, run it and it will tell you.

gracias

ok guys... from 90,000 calls these are the best two options ive seen so far. anyone found anything better at a cheaper price without giving up quality? there is also this company...check this one out and comment what you guys think www.blackmagic-design.com


The Extron VSC 500 High Resolution Computer-to-Video Scan Converter combines high performance processing, features, and value. It accepts computer-video signals at resolutions up to 1920x1200 and simultaneously outputs a scan-converted video signal as NTSC or PAL composite video, S-video, and component video or RGB video. The VSC 500 is ideal for everyday use in a wide range of applications including videoconferencing, video recording, and viewing of computer-video images on an NTSC or PAL monitor or other video display device.
www.extron.com

and the pricier one is

The Extron VSC 700 and VSC 700D High Resolution Computer-to-Video Scan Converters combine high performance processing with an expanded feature set designed for easy integration. They accept computer-video signals at resolutions up to 1920x1200 and simultaneously output a scan-converted video signal as NTSC or PAL composite video, S-video, and component video or RGB video. In addition, the VSC 700D includes a fourth, SDI serial digital video output. The VSC 700 and VSC 700D are ideal for use in a wide range of applications, including videoconferencing, video recording, and viewing of computer-video images on an NTSC or PAL monitor or other video display device.

www.extron.com

they have the extron500 at my work.

I found out because someone messed with it, and i had to trace wires and figureout
why I was only on the left 2/3rds of the screen and narrowed letterbox...

its pretty simpl to mess with, and the picture is pretty nice

The VSC 500 is awesome.

I went out and bought this for $56 at Fry's and added the mini displayport>VGA adapter, and YES, it works...however...I'm not convinced on the quality. Unfourtunately I don't have anything to compare it to, and I'm way to new to all this to know if my 8th Wonder videos just aren't very good, or if something else is up. All I know is when my videos were playing through a projector the image wasn't as crisp as the live video simulcast camera that was running through the same projector.

Ok, back from day 2 of testing, and I cannot for the life of me get a crisp picture through the Pc to TV box. I called apple and had them go through all my macbook settings, but still no go. When comparing videos from my macbook to the same videos from a dvd player, THERE IS NO COMPARISON. The quality is poor, and it's back to the drawing board :(

Some of their videos are just plain terrible. If those are what you're comparing with (versus a DVD in a DVD player) it's no surprise they'd look worse.

Have you tried a DVD *in the Mac* displayed on the external screen?

doesent Serato have stock videos they use to have people test their output?

I thought they had a clip or something.

and yes, some of the 8th wonder videos are very bad... I dont know which mix
but theres a copy of fire burning thats god awful

You're right. However for my test I used the highest possible setting on Handbrake (220mb+ file!) and compared the Dvd with the dvd rip. The rip looked horrible with my wonky $3000 Mac>Mini DP-VGA adapter>Kworld Pc to TV box>S-video setup.

Played at a bar last night that had Composite Video for the first time. Tried converter cables and didn't work. Wasn't aware digital output wouldn't go analog.

This method does not work!
• Apple Mini-DP to DVI Adapter (DVI version 2)
• Apple DVI to Video Adapter (DVI Version 1)
• Atlona Mini Displayport to DVI (DVI Version 1) Fry's Electronics

Looking at getting this and would like everyone's thoughts...
$32.99 - ABRENT PC to TV Converter Box TV-PC85 VGA Interface
www.newegg.com

Do I really need to get a $300 converter? I want a sharp image, so what is everyones results so far?

1) Apple Mini-DP to VGA Adapter
2) Convert Box (Brand & Model)
3) Composite Video cable length in feet
4) Nightclub/Bar Method of video splitting
5) Displays - Plasma, Projection & LCD (720p / 1800p / 480p | 120hz / 60hz)
6) Result compared to VGA output 1-10 rating

callen - im using the apple mini dp to vga adapter. and i bought a pc to tv scan converter
this is the link to the product

www.aitech.com

but i got it from a local store in tx called altex. for cheaper than on this site.

works great. i used it at a club last night and it uses a power adapter so u dont have to waste a usb slot.

Remember, the Apple DVI to video adapter is just a simple wiring adapter and doesn't actually convert anything. It's not a converter at all. It only works with Apple laptops that have video cards that can output digital DVI signals or analog video signals.

Using a mini-dp to dvi works fine but plugging a DVI to video adapter wouldn't work because the laptop still only outputs digital signals. You would need a converter for this to work.

well i just got the mini display port to vga wire ... i saw this wire that i heard that works fine but i think a converter is still needed....

www.buy.com

when i get it ill let you guys know if it works fine.. i have smash vidz video's so i ma see if the quality is output is good or not

So, this thread is fairly confusing. Sorry if this is a dumb question.

I want the best quality possible. Is this the right combo?

Out of the macbook - store.apple.com

Connected to - store.apple.com

Then to the HDMI splitter - www.firefold.com

Then, HDMI cables up to 45 feet to all the flatscreens

Im confused about if I need to convert digital to analog. Will this work? It should be all digital, so no need for conversion?

Looks like you've got it. That's an all digital signal chain. Cheap and easy to do with the parts you have there. The hard part would be if you wanted to go to analog displays.

Thx a-swift, free drinks for life 4u at my club

I just bought the triplehead2go, let me get this straight. All it allows you to do is to basically put the same mini monitors on your laptop onto bigger screens. LOL, I thought I could use it to triple my output display. $300 dollar down the drain. I should have bought the new Denon midi controller.

saving this

Waddup Mike. Not sure, but I think there are some adapters that go straight from Mini Displayport to HDMI.

Heard it's snowing there.