Audio-out and video combined in iBooks?

trobertstroberts
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Apple sells an iPod AV cable that combines audio and video so you can connect your iPod to your TV so it seems reasonable to me that Apple could combine the audio and video connections on the new iBooks. The advantages I see doing this are:



1 - connect iBook to TV while using Front Row

2 - with no VGA connection there is room for an audio input jack

3 - if the iBook gets a widescreen then the depth of the computer shrinks and removal of the current VGA port will free up some space.



I have only connected my iBook to a projector once using the included adapter and never to a monitor. Does anyone see a problem with combining the audio and video into one connection?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    mr skillsmr skills Posts: 144member
    They used to supply exactly that sort of cable (audio and video, all from the headphone jack) with ibook G3s. They stopped. Now you buy an adaptor for the VGA port to get composite video out.



    I liked the old system. It was so simple and elegant - no spaghetti of cables to plug in.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    pyrixpyrix Posts: 264member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by troberts

    Apple sells an iPod AV cable that combines audio and video so you can connect your iPod to your TV so it seems reasonable to me that Apple could combine the audio and video connections on the new iBooks. The advantages I see doing this are:



    1 - connect iBook to TV while using Front Row

    2 - with no VGA connection there is room for an audio input jack

    3 - if the iBook gets a widescreen then the depth of the computer shrinks and removal of the current VGA port will free up some space.



    I have only connected my iBook to a projector once using the included adapter and never to a monitor. Does anyone see a problem with combining the audio and video into one connection?



    Yes, I see a multitude of problems. First of all, what if u just want to plug in some headphones, becuase laptop speakers are pretty horrendous (Powerbooks 17" are the best I have ever heard, but you would hope so for such an expensive notebook). Does that mean I have to take along a video/audio adapter as well? Or buy propreitry apple headphones that just use the audio part?



    Its more elegant not to have to carry around adapters. Just plug in the port you want, and dont 'carry' around all the others. I dont carry a breakout box for my TV, i shouldnt have to carry one with my iBook.



    ANyways, if they gave us this, I would like to see HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface (thats sound AND audio), in addition to older, 3.5mm audio connectors.
  • Reply 3 of 8
    david_ocdavid_oc Posts: 90member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pyriX

    Yes, I see a multitude of problems. First of all, what if u just want to plug in some headphones, becuase laptop speakers are pretty horrendous (Powerbooks 17" are the best I have ever heard, but you would hope so for such an expensive notebook). Does that mean I have to take along a video/audio adapter as well? Or buy propreitry apple headphones that just use the audio part?



    Its more elegant not to have to carry around adapters. Just plug in the port you want, and dont 'carry' around all the others. I dont carry a breakout box for my TV, i shouldnt have to carry one with my iBook.





    I think what was suggested was a 3.5mm port, with video output handled in the same manner as the iPod or original iBook (Dual USB). The same port could be used for headphones or, using the AV cable, audio and video (AV in fact!)



    Normal earphones would function as normal
  • Reply 4 of 8
    m1cm1c Posts: 47member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pyriX

    I would like to see HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface (thats sound AND audio), in addition to older, 3.5mm audio connectors.







    I'm Pretty sure you mean Video and Audio, and I think they will just stick with what they have got.
  • Reply 5 of 8
    cheapfragcheapfrag Posts: 91member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by david_oc

    I think what was suggested was a 3.5mm port, with video output handled in the same manner as the iPod or original iBook (Dual USB). The same port could be used for headphones or, using the AV cable, audio and video (AV in fact!)



    Normal earphones would function as normal



    Good Correction david_oc



    The old iBooks used an extended 3.5mm format (other manufacturers have also used this trick in the past). It works as a headphone/line-out just like a regular headphone jack BUT when you use the apple A/V adapter which has a slightly longer 3.5mm plug it also transmits video. Pretty handy, no adapter required UNLESS you want video out. I think they changed so they could handle SVideo and be consistent with the emac/imac lines that adopted this video-out technique earlier. That way the adapters would not be machine specific (probably saved them a nickel somewhere down the line).



    But I wholeheartedly agree with the poster that it was a great solution. I used my iceBook as a home DVD player for 1.5 years with exactly that setup. Also made for some great Quake III games on the 27" TV (as opposed to the 12" LCD!)
  • Reply 6 of 8
    pyrixpyrix Posts: 264member
    Yes I did mean so0und and video - my bad. As long as you didnt always need this adapter for audio, im all for it.
  • Reply 7 of 8
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    I wouldn't expect a HDMI port. They have already shown they are short on space (and/or are hungry for the cash they can make selling adapters). More likely is that they switch to mini-DVI port (same than in 12" PB) first, which will put the DVI adapter and Apple display in reach of iBook buyers. Later on they can change to a different mini-port and add HDMI capability and adapter.
  • Reply 8 of 8
    e1618978e1618978 Posts: 6,075member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Gon

    I wouldn't expect a HDMI port. They have already shown they are short on space (and/or are hungry for the cash they can make selling adapters). More likely is that they switch to mini-DVI port (same than in 12" PB) first, which will put the DVI adapter and Apple display in reach of iBook buyers. Later on they can change to a different mini-port and add HDMI capability and adapter.



    HDMI ports are already pretty darn small (about the same size and shape as the narrow USB).
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