Playing VIDEO_TS from a mac on TV

[Motti]

Dumb question I´m sure , but that´s why I´m in the newbie section ! Can I play my VIDEO_TS files directly from my Powerbook ( or any computer for that matter ) on to my TV, and if so, how do I go about it?

[terryj]

You can do it the easy way or the hard way.

Easiset: Go pay $20 and get the Apple Video Apdater,
which will plug into your PB's external video port,
and give you S-VHS capability. Run a $4 Radio shack
S-VHS cable out to the input of a VCR or DVD Player
connected to your TV, or if your TV has an S-VHS in,
then connect to that. Turn to Channel 3/Input Vid 1/Vid 2.

Fire up QT, VLC, or MPlayer, and what is on the PB's
screen will "mirror" onto your TV.

Harder: if your DVD Player or DVD Recorder has a FW input,
you can download the Firewire SimpleVideoOut.dmg from
Apple's Developer website, install that, and plug in a fw cable
into your PBs port and then the (4pin) end into your DVD Player
or Recorder, set to Video Input Channel, and then
drag and drop a QT movie file onto the SVO icon.

( That's what makes it hard: you have to convert your
Video_TS contents to a QT movie with MPegStreamclip first.)

It will play across the FW cable to the DVD Player/Recorder,
and over to the TV, so long as it's with a codec QT likes.
(no Mpeg-4, no XVID).

[ArtemisG3]

You can also play VIDEO_TS folders with Apple's own DVD Player.app. Eight drag the folder onto the app's icon, or from DVD Player's File menu select Open DVD Media.

[Motti]

Many thanks to you both!

I´ll start by giving the easy alternatives a try. I´m not sure I have the Apple Video Adapter - think I let it go with my Cinema Display . M

[Motti]

Hmm...The Apple Video Adapter I´m looking at here with the RGB style connector: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=88395 is not compatible with my 4 year old Powerbook. My video port is round and accepts a 7 pin cable. Where can I find the correct Video Adapter for my PB?

[Frobozz]

You don't say which PowerBook you have. There are different adapters for different models and some PowerBooks have the S-video output built in. If you have a 12" PowerBook G4 then the adapter you want is the Apple Mini-DVI to Video Adapter available at the Apple Store. There are many more types of video adapters than the ones I see listed at the online Store.

[Motti]

Sorry for being vague. Mine is a 4 year old 15" Powerbook and has a round outlet marked "S out" which takes 7 pins. I have an Apple adapter that fits in it and has a single female yellow plug at it´s other end. Can I simply add a Video cabel to this, or should I get a cable that connects directly to the "S out" port and into the S-Video inlet on my TV. Appreciate your advice. M

[terryj]

aah, then you are in luck!
The Adapter you have is Apple's own directional SVHS adapter.
( they also included this adapter with many other models,
including the AV models of the PowerMac line).

Simply go to radio Shack and get a $4 RCA Video Cable
( it will be Yellow at both plug ends) and plug one end into
the adapter, the adapter into the powerbook, and then
plug the other end into the RCA Video INPUT
of your VCR, TV, or DVDPlayer/Recorder.

You can alternatively, buy an SVHS to SVHS cable from
radio shack for about $6- 8 dololars, and do the same thing.

Video will be the only thing traveling along this cable...
Audio would travelout of a seperate line out port if
your PB is equipped with one ( most are not).

[Motti]

Wonderful! Thanks for your patience.

Finally, can I use a "mini jack" with two RCA "males" at the TV end to give me audio?M

[ArtemisG3]

yes, you can split the mini jack to a left and right RCA. That is what I do on my MacBook.

[Motti]

Thanks ArtemisG3. Looks like I´m finally set to go.