HDMI to VGA

[Karanight]

I've got myself a new Mini Mac and it has a mini display out and an HDMI out. Is there a way to send the two different signals out (one to my screen with kJams on it, and the words to the singers screen) using just the mini display or will I need to buy yet another converter for the HDMI. None of the screens I use support HDMI as there all analogue.

[dave]

one video port puts out one video signal. no, you can't send 2 signals out of one port. yes you'll need an HDMI-VGA adapter, then VGA to Composite/S-Video. yay adapters!

[dreben]

You can use "VNC" with another Mac, or PC. Then you've got an option, which signal to send-the one from your desktop, or the other one from the external monitor. I use the second one as a monitor for the Singer. There is a very slight delay, compare the audio, but it woks. If you use a PC, you have to install Mac on it.

[dave]

well, if you use a PC, you just have to install VNC Server on it.

[DeusExMachina]

You can get direct HDMI to S-Video/composite adaptors. But that said, no reason no suppose that his analogue monitors do not already hve VGA.

[dave]

oh neat! well yay on that. good to know.

now i can say "mini-displayport to HDMI -> HDMI to S-Video"

[Karanight]

It depends where I'm working Some venues have up to date screens but most don't. I even have one venue that still has an old TV with the only connection for me is a coaxial arial and no other so thats the way I have to do it
Interesting about HDMI to S-Video/composite adaptors I'll have to look into that.

[DeusExMachina]

Karanight:
If you really want to go all-out, you could get something called an agile modulator. Essentially they take an incoming video signal and modulate it onto a user-selected UHF or VHF frequency to be viewed on a TV. Although usually meant to then be connected to the TV via coax cable, most industrial units put out enough juice that you can connect an antenna to the coax output, and it will then broadcast that signal as a modulated radio wave. You can then tune any TV within several hundred feet to the selected modulator channel, and view the signal as if it were a TV broadcast (since it actually is). It makes hook up dead simple.
The kicker is that since TV has gone digital, you con usually pick up an industrial agile modulator for very cheap.

[dave]

i had no idea!

[DeusExMachina]

FYI, by very cheap, I mean <$50.
Just make sure it is an agile modulator, NOT a demodulator, or all you'll have is an industrial-strength TV tuner.

[DeusExMachina]

If you REALLY wanted to go all out, you could get an MPEG-2 stream converter and a digital agile modulator, and broadcast HD 1080i on an open channel. But that will cost you!

[Karanight]

DeusExMachina
I'd go for this but I've looked at agile modulators on ebay and every one is in America with none in the UK. It make me wonder if there use is illegal in the UK. Does anyone know the legal situation for them in the UK

[DeusExMachina]

They are not actually designed to transmit over radio waves, it is just the reality of the physics of operation that they do. Really they are just designed for injecting video in cabled installation. They are not illegal in the U.K.. The reason that you see them here for sale is that with the recent switchover in the U.S. to digital, and the conversion of many installations to HDTV, the old analogue agile modulators no longer serve a purpose, and are obsolete.
Since the switch over in the U.K. is far more gradual (over 5 years vs. in one day in the U.S.) there is no similar sudden availability of obsolete video equipment.

I am not sure about how the PAL vs NTSC divide affects things.

[Karanight]

Is this the kind of thing

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Agile-Audio-Video ... _914wt_907

[DeusExMachina]

Yes, although as a non-commercial unit, I am not sure how much power it will broadcast. Also, your sets will all have to be capable of NTSC reception (NOT PAL).