A couple of weeks back I wrote about Apple’s lack of clarity over delivery times when ordering a new computer. Well, my MacBook finally arrived yesterday (and like it very much) but tonight, I got ready to hook it up to the TV using a combination of my Apple Mini-DV to DVI and DVI to Video adapters only to find that the “spade” on the male DVI connector on one adapter is is too large to fit the female DVI connector on the other! Arghhh! I also have the same problem if I try to connect it to a DVI to VGA connector.
These are all Apple products (i.e. it’s not as it I’m trying to use a combination of cheap components to cut corners) but it seems that I need to buy a third connector – a Mini-DV to Video connector – for the rare occasions when I want to watch digital video content on my aging 32″ TV.
Thank you Apple – for yet another example of the fabled Apple design taking precedence over practicality. As a friend pointed out to me, Apple probably doesn’t want me using two connectors together as it will spoil the aesthetic effect. Shouldn’t that be my choice?
Incidentally, I refused to shell out another £15 for an Apple cable and found a workaround… converting the video for iPod (H.264, optimised for TV) using iSquint and then using the iPod (with its AV cable) as the playback device. It takes some time, but this is only a temporary measure until the Mac Mini is rebuilt to run as a media centre.
I recommend you use Plex when you get around to it, I have it running on a mac mini as a media centre now and it is ace.