Hi DJ Wunder.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll pass your request on to the Support Team.

Werrrd

First, I use the mac "Mini Display to VGA" adapter:

(store.apple.com) ($29.00)

then i go into this box: sewelldirect.com ($39.95)

It is a true scan converter with adjustment buttons built-in. The box is powered by usb (USB > power cable), has S-Video, composite, and VGA outs (all at once if you like).

It also comes with all the cables you need, and is small enough to tuck under the turntable.

I run at 800x600 on my Mac secondary > this box, via the composite out, at the club. It looks great for being composite. I'm sure it would look even better through s-video.

Only drawback is that you need an extra USB port to power it. My external drive has a hub built in that I use. If yours does not though, you can, and I have gotten away with using a little non-powered usb hub. The one I have is: Belkin "Travel USB Hub" model F4U006. (catalog.belkin.com) ($14.99)

It would be a lot easier if Apple would just make a mini display > composite adapter, but from what I understand, the secondary mini-display port on the macbook does not have a scan converter built in. I don't know if that is true or not, but what I use has always worked fine for me, for under $100.

Hope this helps.

All the little boxes like that in my experience haven't given me the quality I'm looking for. I send my signal to a video mixer then out to a projector, so my music videos get played alongside DVD's and video effects. When my video comes on after a DVD, it's like playing a limewire 96kbps mp3 after an LP. What does your text look like when you use this? (Music video titles and stuff)

quote]

i use that same setup. Vids loose a little quality but nothing too bad. I blamed on the tv's that they were using where i play at. If anyone has a better setup id be glad to hear it.[

Yup. That adapter works great with high resolution TV's. If the quality isn't that great, it's usually the video projector, a projection TV, or your settings on VSL.

Or... YOUR VIDEOS!

why not spend 60-80 bux and get the Aver Quickplay...its been discussed many times on this forum. I use it and it works flawlessly with very minimal quality loss.

Can you see computer text with the Quickplay?

you mean i can get better quality you tube videos???????hahah j/k

My vids look great on my own projector/monitors but not on the tv's at the bar where i spin at. i think they have an old-ass signal splitter too. They are always having problems getting tv's to work right.

(writes to do list: talk to management about getting better video equipment)

Not to but in but I just got the AVerMedia iMicro and it is awesome =)

Cage is doing video? Damn.

iMicro is the ish. Just about every venue I've been too has either one of these or an installed system like a Kramer or Cisco with scan converters built in and out to component.

I had an older macbook pro with DVI connection. I bought apple adpter "DVI to Compsite/S-Video. It worked great. Now I have brand new MBP and I had to buy miniport - to VGA. I have to convert it with something else. I don't like to have something else to hook up to. I have to get a hold of Apple and find out why. I don't think Apple really gives a Sh.. about us Djs cause they would of left us with three usb ports. Their answer is buy the 17". Why not have the right adapter?

The best Quality video converter VGA2VID

us.startech.com

Off hand with those that have dealt with multiple converters, is there a big difference between a high priced one like the startech and say like a $40 converter (pc to tv comes to mind)????

I have noticed since I started using my MBP and the converter, it seems like I am dropping frames and the picture isn't as good. Thoughts?

I tried much device, but for this the best one his quality!

I've compared the Startech to the Kramer side-by-side. The Kramer is definitely better, especially with text and fine detail. You always get what you pay for.... I wouldn't waste my time with the $40 variety

Which one are a type?

is there any way that you can use mini display to dvi and use the dvi to s video of the old mbp?

what i mean is that for the new mbp will use this
store.apple.com

then plug to this
store.apple.com

is it possible?

Nope, the old Mbp had a converter in the video card, that's why in the current mbp you need a converter.

No this won't work. The new mbp only sends out a digital signal. The convertor is needed to make that signal analog. The first plug is digital to digital. The second one is analog to analog. You can tell by the pin layout. Analog dvi will have 4 pins around the long flat piece to the side.

Trying to get more input and side to side comparisons. So, generally speaking, the $40 converter is a piece of crap compared to something like the startech (Which I saw for $80 somewhere)??

What are the major differences in quality?

Check this out.

forum.gefen.com

This is the converter.

www.gefen.com

drool: www.gefen.com

Nice

The MACBOOK PRO Video Card is NO HDCP compatible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks for the info..this is the main reason why i wouldnt upgrade to the new mbp's if they release the mini display to video converter well maybe thats the time for me to upgrade..:)

Apple will probably never release a Minidisplayport to an analogue adapter. There's no real reason. I remember having to deal with issue and over a thousand dollars later, dealt with it. Back to the point, I'm glad apple did this. It's forcing places to step up. I've played at many places that had to upgrade their system because of apple.

People will have to accept, a good converter/scaler will not be cheap. You will get what you pay for.

Niro are you happy with the kramer? Does it look as good as the old MBP's going straight to the TV?

If the Old MBP is a 10, than I'd rate the kramer at 9-9.5 The only issue is the power supply is cheap and it will fray, but they'll send you a new one for no charge.

I've been using the extron lately, it has more options. I usually send an unbuffered VGA signal to the TV's and an altered one to the projectors. I've been running everything in Widescreen and a majority of the projectors out don't have a ration option.

Overall the Kramer is dope.

I want to get the kramer, but it's $350 cheapest I've found and I don't gig every week to see the benefit of buying one (now anyway)

But you DJ enough, I was at Platinum the last night and I remember how much I use to spend on Vinyl. Step yo game up.

True,

Del Rey was off the hook on Saturday. I made damn sure that they want to get you guys in on Friday's again.

I might just jump on it, $350 is paid back in one gig.

right, 350 isnt bad ...
I told myself 3-500 for a solid unit would make me happy.

of course everyone wants a deal....

we all love deals.

Even if it's not a deal, but we think it is.

We see something that says sale price and old price and we get happy, even if that sale price is the normal price and the store is just messing with us.

I'd still rather try the hdmi to composite by Gefen. I have a feeling it works good too.

That's if the HDCP isn't an issue.

I just know this grandtec standard def one looks like bantha poodoo...

but i dont encounter component too often....so.

my grandtec is ok. Looks better on tv's than projectors.

Got the startech tonight. Looks a lot better than the grandtec but I'm still not completely happy with the results. You can read text a lot better but it outputs too dark and when I turn up the brightness it's too washed out.

I think I might get the gefen and compare the two.

So I put the display to 640x480 and it looks waaaaay better now. I kept trying to have it on the highest resolution and it was looking like crap.

This will do for now but I still think I can get a better picture with the Gefen. The question is, is it going to be a good enough difference to pay the extra $200?

There is now the all-in-oe solution to connect the Mini DisplayPort of your MBPs to video composite or s-video devices :
vixid.com

1 cable, 1 device and 1 price :)
I hope it will help!

Interesting. I wonder how the quality on that thing is though.

this is where a company like Kramer or Extron could quickly capture a niche market, except for the fact that S-video and composite are on their way out for the most part...

If someone gets this I hope they post a review and possible comparison to extron.

it looks more like a beefed up Aver Quickplay with a Mini-Display port Vs a Vga (like on the quick play)

no precessing or anthing going on here.
Looks like it might be a good backup unit to have in the bag for composite gigs

prob not so great quality.

Same here. You can get it on ebay or amazon for like $50 tops.