Comments on: Tips for Mac Cord Cutters Using Notebooks

By: GlennAC

GlennAC — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 21:53:12 +0000

Why buy a $50 MiniDP-to-HDMI COMBO cable when you could get a single MiniDP-to-HDMI cable like the following which carries audio over the same cable, and is cheaper to boot?

http://store.apple.com/us/product/H1824ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA3Ng&mco=MTgwOTAzMjI

Works great between my MacBook Pro and 42″ LCD TV.

By: David

David — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:00:42 +0000

I got a Henge Dock for Christmas and it works great. It stands the MacBook upright and allows you to connect all sort of cables, which, by the way, come in the box. Great solution!

By: Gable

Gable — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:23:30 +0000

I would also recommend trying the Kylo TV browser because that works conveniently at a distance like from the Lazy Boy chair.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 16:20:25 +0000

InsomniaX is unnecessary. Just close your MacBook, hook the minidisplayport to HDMI to your TV, then wake your MacBook with your apple remote. I do this everyday of my life when I get home from work. As long as you have the apple remote to wake it and control the Mac via frontrow, it will work in clamshell mode without a keyboard and mouse attached.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:56:58 +0000

I have a mini display to VGA and I can only get certain resolutions and Hz to my TV, otherwise the TV just goes to black. Whats up with that?

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:11:35 +0000

erm….. am I missing the point? Why would you use your Macbook to be the centre of your home entertainment setup. I mean, in the scenario you’re suggesting (fixing it to the back of your TV???), you’re not intending to actually use it as a laptop at all. So why bother getting one? Why not get a Mini instead – smaller form factor, no screen to even bother powering on, HDMI out already…. the list goes on.
You may make the point that you already have a spare laptop – but if it’s one that has MiniDP, then it’s not old. So you have two new laptops? Why, when you could have kept one new laptop and bought a mini for less.
There’s some strange ppl out there.

By: Levi

Levi — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:09:49 +0000

InsomniaX is a nice app. But it causes overheating issues which could damage your notebook or at minimum shorten its life. I wish this was not the case (and I do use it once in a while myself when I absolutely need it) but I would not go to this as a permanent solution for anything.

By: matt

matt — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 04:02:31 +0000

“…keeping the lid closed will NOT ONLY save energy….”

By: Jonny

Jonny — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 23:47:33 +0000

I believe it is probably meant to read:

“Keeping the lid closed will not ONLY save energy and prolong the life of your notebook display, but could even improve your Mac’s performance, since it only has to power one screen instead of two.”

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 23:41:08 +0000

“Keeping the lid closed will not save energy and prolong the life of your notebook display, but could even improve your Mac’s performance, since it only has to power one screen instead of two.”

I fail to understand how not powering up your MacBook’s screen will not save energy.