New Macbook Pro and Video-SL

So I am trying to figure out what the best way to hook up a New MacBook Pro to a external display is. I need the Mini DisplayPort to hook into a S-Video cable or Composite Video Cable. Just wondering what everyone else has tried and what has worked out well for people?????

Thanks for ANY suggestions.

mini to VGA is a better signal vs the s-video (which is not output by the newer systems). Try not to go to composite, it's horrible.

You would then typically need some type of VGA to the inputs that you need for your projection / LCD system.

Thanks.

The reason I have to go to S-video, is because I have to hook into a video amp that accepts Composite and S-Video. The video amp then distributes to 7 projects, 10 LCD's, and 6 Plamsa's

Any suggestions on any type of connectors or converters or anything like that???

Hello Tugs,

You need to purchase this --> store.apple.com.

You might also need to purchase a longer S-video cable depending on how far away the video amp is from you.
I would not suggest going any further than 20ft with an s-video cable though.

Zach, you gave him the wrong one to buy. The new MBP's do not have a mini port out, just a mini-display port out.

The only 2 connectors for them are:
store.apple.com
store.apple.com

He would then have to get a converter to go from these to s-video.

Ah right:(

Anyone have any suggestions on good converters that work well>??

I found this doing a quick Google search --> www.svideo.com

Looks like that AverMedia would work too.

I am in the same situation as Tugs but also wanted to make sure. If i get the adapter from Apple then I can hook straight up to a projector so it would be... Mini display convert to VGA> projector, or would I need some type of converter?

Glad I found this discussion...I'm also curious as well. Just bought a mac today and was wondering which one was the better option....DVI or VGA? I'll be running into a video mixer which in turn feeds 17 flat displays along with 7 projectors. Been using dvjs for awhile now, but finally making my move to go just with the mac and video sl. Curently I have both dvj's connected by bnc and wondering if I should just connect from there or a new line to the video mixer which will probaly take 10 ft' of cable or more.

pski,

If the projector has a VGA input then all you'll need is this --> store.apple.com. No other adapter needed.

vinylmanipulator,

I'm not sure what 'bnc' is but what you need to get is dependent on the type of input your sending the signal to.
What type of video output does your Mac have?
What type of input does the video mixer have?

Thanks all. This was very helpful.

DJ STYLE HERE! HOLD OFF ON BUYING VGA TO S-VIDEO ADAPTER SOLD ON EBAY OR AMAZON. I GOT ONE, INSTALLED ONE AND NO SIGNAL IS PASSING TO MY PROJECTOR. DIRECT HOOK-UP TO PROJECTOR VIA VGA INPUT IS YOUR BEST OPTION RIGHT NOW. THE EFORCITY COMPANY I FOUND ON EBAY IS SENDING ME THE REPLACEMENT CABLE. I WILL POST AN UPDATE IF THE REPLACEMENT ADAPTOR WORKS.

I SPOKE WITH LOCAL APPLE DEALER IN RENO, NV FOR ANY APPLE MADE ADAPTOR - MINI PORT DISPLAY-VGA TO S-VIDEO. THE ANSWER IS ZERO. MINI PORT DISPLAY IS DIGITAL AND NO CURRENT CONVERSION ADAPTOR TO ANALOG (S-VIDEO/RCA VIDEO).

DJ STYLE

WARNING TO VJ'S USING A MBP AND NEED ANALOGUE VIDEO OUTPUT:

You are out of luck. Or should I say WE are out of luck. I've been tackling this problem for 3 solid months, looking for a decent solution from every and any forum and every and anybody I could talk to. Here it is:

The converters linked in this thread provide decent video if your showing off vacation pics to your grandparents, but whip this out in a professional environment and you will quickly look the fool. The quality is beyond terrible. This leaves you with two options:

1. Buy an a professional converter for around $800

2. Buy a cheap laptop powerful enough to run VSL and old enough to provide S-Video outputs (or VGA, then a regular adapter to switch to S-Video)

I went with option two, I only spin video once a month at most, so on those rare occasions I leave the comfort and stability of my MBP and fire up a Toshiba PC, which provides analogue video outs for the ancient video mixer at the venue.

there is a big thread discussing this here....

www.serato.com

I've just picked up the AverMedia but not used it in a club yet just testing it at home just now....

DJ Wunder,

I think you are a bit misinformed. Check out the numerous converters from Extron on ebay. I use several of them (both a converter and a distribution hub) and they were both priced for less than 100.00.

Think about this for a minute everyone. What resolution is your original video? In no cases is it larger than 800x600...so you use a scaler to make it bigger. Once again, in most cases...why?

The majority of people are running to videos via s-video and anything else is just a waste of bandwidth. Look at your "chain" for whatever system you are using. The very best your video can be is limited to the lowest device or cable in that chain.

Now, if you are in newer clubs / installed systems, then you can use an HDMI switcher / splitter then that's a different thing. But anyone using a V4 or V8 is limited to rgb as the best output available.

Once again, if you are traveling from club to club, talk with teh tech person there...if you have a steady system, optimize for that one.

man this is OLD the unibody's have been out for a while now......

anyway relax all you need to do is buy this it's what i use & and it works GREAT!!!.......it's the best converter i found for the money

www.radioshack.com

Thanks for the reply Zach...BNC is just the type of connector on the end of a coaxial cable. It basically kinda springs on with a twist and locks. The club where my residency is at was built in 1998 so they're a little behind with equipment.....lol. I've been slowly getting them to upgrade all of our equipment. In my booth behind me we have a full video setup both for live footage (4 monitors along with several cameras throughout the club) and editing. I haven't decided how I'm gonna hook up yet. I think we're gonna go with a dedicated line instead of tapping into the dvj line. I appreciate your quick response and the overall support from both rane and serato.

@VJ Justin Allen and Joee

I haven't tried the Extron converters, but as far as all that Pc to Tv Ez Radioshack/Fry's consumer crap, when I throw it up on the projector the videos (decent videos that look great when I'm able to plug in HDMI) look crap. Faded, not blurry...but definitely not sharp. Compared to a regular old Sony DVD player they are garbage.

This is when I'm running through the video mixer at my work, not sure what kind it is (the video guys man that board and mix in graphics and whatnot) but it only accepts S-Video from me so when I send them my converted MDP>VGA>Converter Box>S-Video signal and they pass it through to the projector it looks tacky on the 12 foot screen.

I spent time on the phone with Apple, checking my settings and all that, making sure they were optimized. I was able to get email support from some of these converter manufacturers. I've spent time twiddling thumbs and scratching heads with respectable video-tech guys. The picture is ok, certainly good enough for the grandparents or a 6th grade classroom, but as far as exciting visuals in a professional party? Nah. Like I said I can play a music video from a home dvd player through s-video and it looks perfect, not so much from my $2500 MBP/$30 adapter/$75 converter box.

thank you zach!

Dj Style update on VGA to S-Video converter from Ebay.

I received the replacement from Eforcity - VGA to S-Video.
It's crap- no signal. I'm stuck with VGA hook-up only and my V-4 mixer
is no longer an option. We purchased a $2500 Mac Pro for VSL Video
application and it's useless - what a waste of fund.

Look like we are going to fire-up our old PCDJ VJ and our old HP Computer laptop for or our Pioneer DVJ X1 for our Corporate Events which starts this week. Very disappointed

thanks to all that replied