Apple Video Converter problem
Hi all,
I have come across a problem.
Half a year ago i bought an Apple Video Converter to connect my iBook to a TV.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...&nplm=M9109G/A
This worked perfectly. It showed my ibook screen on the TV.
However, i moved from Holland to the US a week ago and when i try to connect it here, i see my screen on there really vaguely. Everything is in black & white and it is constantly flashing. This happens on 5 American TVs that i have tried and i never had this problem in Holland.
Initially i figured this was because of the whole PAL vs NTSC difference, but i don?t know how to change this. I had the exact same problem when attaching my photo-camera to the tv, but this was easily fixed by changing the video settings on the camera, but it does not seem to be possible on my ibook.
Some other things to know are that i bought the iBook in the US and the Apple Video Converter in Holland.
Does anybody know if/how this can be fixed?
Thank you
I have come across a problem.
Half a year ago i bought an Apple Video Converter to connect my iBook to a TV.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...&nplm=M9109G/A
This worked perfectly. It showed my ibook screen on the TV.
However, i moved from Holland to the US a week ago and when i try to connect it here, i see my screen on there really vaguely. Everything is in black & white and it is constantly flashing. This happens on 5 American TVs that i have tried and i never had this problem in Holland.
Initially i figured this was because of the whole PAL vs NTSC difference, but i don?t know how to change this. I had the exact same problem when attaching my photo-camera to the tv, but this was easily fixed by changing the video settings on the camera, but it does not seem to be possible on my ibook.
Some other things to know are that i bought the iBook in the US and the Apple Video Converter in Holland.
Does anybody know if/how this can be fixed?
Thank you
Comments
Hi all,
I have come across a problem.
Half a year ago i bought an Apple Video Converter to connect my iBook to a TV.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...&nplm=M9109G/A
This worked perfectly. It showed my ibook screen on the TV.
However, i moved from Holland to the US a week ago and when i try to connect it here, i see my screen on there really vaguely. Everything is in black & white and it is constantly flashing. This happens on 5 American TVs that i have tried and i never had this problem in Holland.
Initially i figured this was because of the whole PAL vs NTSC difference, but i don?t know how to change this. I had the exact same problem when attaching my photo-camera to the tv, but this was easily fixed by changing the video settings on the camera, but it does not seem to be possible on my ibook.
Some other things to know are that i bought the iBook in the US and the Apple Video Converter in Holland.
Does anybody know if/how this can be fixed?
Thank you
You didn't say how you were connecting to the TV. But another difference between PAL and NTSC is the refresh rate. Co into Systems Preferences > Display and make sure that you have 60 Hertz (NTSC) selected. You may need to play around with the setting in order to get a good picture.
You didn't say how you were connecting to the TV. But another difference between PAL and NTSC is the refresh rate. Co into Systems Preferences > Display and make sure that you have 60 Hertz (NTSC) selected. You may need to play around with the setting in order to get a good picture.
I connected it by just plugging the Apple Video Converter into the ibook, then putting a video cable (one with yellow endings on both sides) and plugging that one into the yellow video input of the TV. This is the way i used to do it before as well (when it worked) the only difference is that i'm using American televisions and a new cable i bought in the States.
I cannot find anything in Systems Preferences > Display where i can select 60 HertZ. All i have is the following options:
'Display' where i can change the resolution and detect displays.
'Arrangement' where i can arrange the display position and select mirror
'Color' where i can change display profile and calibrate. In this display profile option, I can select things such as Display, NTSC (1953), PAL/SECAM, etc but when i click on different ones, i only see my ibook display slightly change in colors.
I connected it by just plugging the Apple Video Converter into the ibook, then putting a video cable (one with yellow endings on both sides) and plugging that one into the yellow video input of the TV. This is the way i used to do it before as well (when it worked) the only difference is that i'm using American televisions and a new cable i bought in the States.
I cannot find anything in Systems Preferences > Display where i can select 60 HertZ. All i have is the following options:
'Display' where i can change the resolution and detect displays.
'Arrangement' where i can arrange the display position and select mirror
'Color' where i can change display profile and calibrate. In this display profile option, I can select things such as Display, NTSC (1953), PAL/SECAM, etc but when i click on different ones, i only see my ibook display slightly change in colors.
The dialog box I was talking about should be on your TV. I was hopping that you could see it well enough to make changes. From your response, my hope was unfounded.
First, lets see if your TV is being detected. Select the 'Arrangement' tab in the Display System Preference. Do you see two displays? If not maybe your converter didn't survive the move or is incompatible with US TVs.
Second, reselect the 'Display' tab and click on the 'Gather Windows' button. This will move the dialog box from your TV to your main display.
Good Luck
The dialog box I was talking about should be on your TV. I was hopping that you could see it well enough to make changes. From your response, my hope was unfounded.
First, lets see if your TV is being detected. Select the 'Arrangement' tab in the Display System Preference. Do you see two displays? If not maybe your converter didn't survive the move or is incompatible with US TVs.
Second, reselect the 'Display' tab and click on the 'Gather Windows' button. This will move the dialog box from your TV to your main display.
Good Luck
When i connect my laptop to the tv, i see what i am supposed to see (a mirror display or an additional display with MAC background), but the problem is that it is really vague, all is grey and it is constantly flashing. I had the exact same problem when attaching a Canon camera to the same tv, but this was easily fixed by selecting NTSC in the camera's settings. However i cannot find any settings on my ibook that i can change to NTSC, except in System Preferences>Displays>Color>Display Profile. Here i can choose from a list (including 'NTSC (1953)', PAL/SECAM & ADOBE RGB (1998)) but when i select different ones it only sligtly changes the color on my ibook screen and does not change the flashing grey image of my desktop on the TV.
So yes, i see two displays in the 'Arrangement' tab. I think the problem is trying to switch from PAL to NTSC. However, it surprises me that it wasn't in NTSC in the first place, since it is an American laptop purchased in the States. This leads me to think that the actual converter, which was bought in Europe sends out a PAL signal, but i don't know if that is even possible.
Thanks, I really appreciate your help.
When i connect my laptop to the tv, i see what i am supposed to see (a mirror display or an additional display with MAC background), but the problem is that it is really vague, all is grey and it is constantly flashing. I had the exact same problem when attaching a Canon camera to the same tv, but this was easily fixed by selecting NTSC in the camera's settings. However i cannot find any settings on my ibook that i can change to NTSC, except in System Preferences>Displays>Color>Display Profile. Here i can choose from a list (including 'NTSC (1953)', PAL/SECAM & ADOBE RGB (1998)) but when i select different ones it only sligtly changes the color on my ibook screen and does not change the flashing grey image of my desktop on the TV.
So yes, i see two displays in the 'Arrangement' tab. I think the problem is trying to switch from PAL to NTSC. However, it surprises me that it wasn't in NTSC in the first place, since it is an American laptop purchased in the States. This leads me to think that the actual converter, which was bought in Europe sends out a PAL signal, but i don't know if that is even possible.
Thanks, I really appreciate your help.
Em, it could be your converter but your also in the wrong dialog box. You are trying to change your color profile, not your scan rate. You want Systems Preferences>Display>Display Tab. Clicking on the 'Gather Windows' button should put two dialog boxes one on top of the other. One should be titled iBook and the other should be titled NTSC/PAL. You want the NTSC/PAL dialog. In the NTSC/PAL Dialog Box, Display Tab you should have a Refresh Rate drop down menu that probably says 50 Hertz (PAL). Change this to 60 Hertz (NTSC). I switched these just now on my system and I get the problem you are describing.
BTW, I am describing 10.4.8 dialog boxes.
Em, it could be your converter but your also in the wrong dialog box. You are trying to change your color profile, not your scan rate. You want Systems Preferences>Display>Display Tab. Clicking on the 'Gather Windows' button should put two dialog boxes one on top of the other. One should be titled iBook and the other should be titled NTSC/PAL. You want the NTSC/PAL dialog. In the NTSC/PAL Dialog Box, Display Tab you should have a Refresh Rate drop down menu that probably says 50 Hertz (PAL). Change this to 60 Hertz (NTSC). I switched these just now on my system and I get the problem you are describing.
BTW, I am describing 10.4.8 dialog boxes.
I am working with 10.3.9 so everything is a bit different, but was finally able to figure it out and correct it. In System Preferences>Displays there are two different windows. The one I needed to change the scan rate to NTSC was located on the screen and because of the gray flashing i did not see it. By mirroring it, I was able to access the window and correct it.
Thank you very much for your help!