setting up macbook air with TV

[financeguy]

I just got a rev B MBA and I love it. The thing that would make it 100% useful to me, is if it had a bigger screen when using it as my home computer.

I then came up with this idea: What if I got a mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, bluetooth keyboard & mouse, and hooked it up to my flatscreen TV. When I am at home I get the benefit of a large screen and when I'm out I get the benefit of its compact size.

What do you guys think? Has anyone tried this?

 

[jdechko]

I don't know why it wouldn't work.

 

[mackhydr4]

I just got a rev B MBA and I love it. The thing that would make it 100% useful to me, is if it had a bigger screen when using it as my home computer.

I then came up with this idea: What if I got a mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, bluetooth keyboard & mouse, and hooked it up to my flatscreen TV. When I am at home I get the benefit of a large screen and when I'm out I get the benefit of its compact size.

What do you guys think? Has anyone tried this?

I've tried it on mine (using a mini displayport hdmi adapter)- it works, but the output looks like crap (all washed out).

 

[matperk]

One thing to remember too is that televisions use a different style of pixels (square for computers vs. stretched for TV/film). So output might look different than on your computer monitor.

Also - the resolutions are much lower. For example, if you have a 720p television it's resolution is 1280x720. Since your MBA is 1280x800, it has more screen real estate than 50" 720p television.

 

[financeguy]

I have a 42" 1080p. That sucks that the output will look washed out. I thought that one could adjust the settings so that it can accommodate a 1080p screen on a 2nd monitor.

I remember when I had a windows laptop, although the laptop had a smaller resolution, I could change the display settings so that it would accommodate a higher resolution 2nd monitor (TV).

 

[abzme]

i have a rev a and I hook it up to my 1080p tv sometimes and it looks great.

But (as there always is), it becomes a bit of a hassle always plugging and unplugging. I've got a vision of having a mac mini in my tv for home use, though i don't have the cash for that now.

 

[financeguy]

i have a rev a and I hook it up to my 1080p tv sometimes and it looks great.

Great to hear that is looks good. I'll get the mini Displayport to HDMI adapter then.

Thanks.

 

[ghileman]

how did this work out for you?

Great to hear that is looks good. I'll get the mini Displayport to HDMI adapter then.

Thanks.

thinking of doing the same thing. what mini displayport/hdmi connection did you get (monoprice?)?