ok. so i bought an intel mac mini with the express intention to use it as a media pc with a 76cm widescreen NEC tv. it is not a bad tv and i certainly wont be upgrading to an large LCD or plasma yet.
currently my last gen ibook plugs into it nicely with the s-video adaptor, quality is very good at the resolution 1024x576 interlaced (this is pal widescreen?) so i know it can be done.
so i bought the dvi to video adaptor for the mac mini only to discover that it wont by default output to widecreen via s-video, just 1024x768 and downscaled. what a bummer, surely it could do this somehow
so i downloaded displayconfigx and switchres and messed around for about 4 hours with only limited success, i managed to get 720x480 resolution but whilst this is the correct as[ect ratio, dvd playback was not good enough quality, need 576 height,
anyway i kept messing with res settings and soon enough the adaptor ceased to function. pram reset did not help like it did when i messed it up a few times earlier. the adaptor no longer works. it also doesnt work any longer on my g4 tower like it used (hacked bios fx5200 tv out) so im pretty sure it is shagged. i have ordered another in the hope that somebody will know the settings for displayconfigx to achieve this,

sorry for the rant but to cut a long story short does anybody know the custom settings for displayconfigx or any other method to output 1024x576 interlaced to my TV. i dont want to have to sell this mac mini
any help is greatly appreciated
luke.

The document here - suggests it is possible... yet as to whether it really works, is a ball in Apple's court.

ClockWork

cheers, that report seems to be for the g4 mini if you look at the address
i got another DVI to video adaptor and this one works but still no luck for 16x9 DANG!

I think this is a glitch with the Intel integrated video.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?t...539711&tstart=0 and http://discussions.apple.com/message...sageID=2121353 suggests you're not the only person having problems (and this is certainly putting me off buying a Mac Mini...

hmmm... I second that - it's beginning to look like a problem that Apple will NEED to issue.

See one Apple Support Discussion.

Takes note of this as I have several customers gearing to do exactly what Luke is trying to do on the basis that the Intel Mac Mini is so small and compact. They won't be pleased...

cw

yeah that is me in those apple posts too.
it is not a problem for those with a lcd or plasma.
anyone in brisbane want a good deal on a mini?

before you sell it...

try plugging in the mini to the TV again, go to Displays, then click on 'Detect Displays'.
Then make sure you select the PAL TV resolution - 720x576 50hz
it worked on my PowerBook after hours of despair (mind you, they are different machines).
Here's hoping it works...

Also, '720x576' is the right resolution for 16x9 PAL TV - it's an anamorphically squeezed picture, that has to be 'unsqueezed' by the TV's electronics...

http://www.mill.co.uk/widescreen/c9_anamorphic.html

http://gregl.net/videophile/anamorphic.htm


Surely your widescreen TV must have a menu somewhere which lets you choose how the picture should be displayed, with options like "16:9" "14:9" and "4:3"... I think the problem is in the TV, not the mini. It should be fine at '720x576', provided you make sure your TV un-squeezes that back to widescreen ('1024x576' as you would have it, even though that resolution will never work on a PAL TV unless it's a HD one - 1024x576 is a PC-Only resolution come to think of it, so don't try to set the mini to it)

you are right it is the correct true resolution but unfortunatley it does not work like that with a computer. the image sent to the tv is still square, not an anamorphic image like the way a dvd can be stretched to fill a 4:3 tv. 1024x576 is necessary to keep everything in the correct ratio, front row, iphoto etc. my ibook does it beautifully and so do the g4 mac minis
i do appreciate the help!
i can bring the image back to the correct proportion with the tv but i then lose widescreen, you can even zoom in on this with the tv options but you lose vertical resolution

I'm not sure you're right about the anamorphic thing. I'm with timwallG5 on this. Should be possible.

You could always buy a third party VGA>Svideo adaptor or DVI>Svideo or DVI>Component etc. Right now I'm using composite on my mini

No fun! I can't wait to get a new TV. I'll definitely make sure it has a DVI input.

ive been thinking about the 3rd party convertor. it could work. dunno how quality would be.

im still messing with it.
a 16x9 aspect ration has to be sent from the computer. 720x576 is square and if a square image is sent to the tv it needs to be "pre-stretched" so that it appears right on the TV.
to unstrecth it the tv needs to add height to the image. doing this you will lose a lot of the image although it does become the correct ratio. this is enough to drop the headings off front row.
i certainly appreciate the assisstance though.

Luke,

More info here - at Version Tracker.

Note: The guy here talks about using DisplayConfigX, and refers to : intel GMA 950 graphics chipset... ¿

Not sure if it's any use. Have also e-mailed a Media Centre genious in the States on this 16:9 issue.

There may be hope.

Cheers Luke,

CW

cheers clockwork, im still trawling the net religiously but no luck yet, i have emailed the creator of display configx in the hope he may know something

i can almost live with 720x480. front row and all my mp4s are correct ratio, just dvd playback is poor. interestingly i can use 1024x768 for dvd playback then stretch the image vertically and it looks very good but it is just as easy to the my dvd player for dvds, but i did want to relocate all 'extra' equipment. hmm maybe i could have it switch res on the fly for dvd playback, i wonder if there is an app that can do this

cheers mate, i had actually listened to that last week, they are discussing dvi connections with that. if i can sell the mini for a decent price i will
just had enough of it