Need Help: MBP dvi output to ext. lcd (dvi)+ plasma (hdmi) - how?

[aldem]

Guys, just bought mbp few days ago and need some advice on how to best set it up and simultaneously hook it to an external LCD with dvi interface and plasma with hdmi. I will most likely use my mbp as a desktop replacement. I assume there are multiple solutions out there, like switches, splitters, etc., but I have not had experinece with them before so any advice or recommendation will be highly appreciated. Thanks.

[hollownail]

Guys, just bought mbp few days ago and need some advice on how to best set it up and simultaneously hook it to an external LCD with dvi interface and plasma with hdmi. I will most likely use my mbp as a desktop replacement. I assume there are multiple solutions out there, like switches, splitters, etc., but I have not had experinece with them before so any advice or recommendation will be highly appreciated. Thanks.

Well, you can't directly have them both connected.

The MBP only has 1 output. To hook it up to an individual one, of course the obvious solution is to use a dvi cable to your lcd.
HDMI cables are DVI + 5.1 audio. All you need to do is go buy a DVI to HDMI converter.

Now... if you're looking for a switch box...

It's possibly that you could find a switch box if you're looking for that kind of solution. You basically could get a KVM that supports a switch box. You would want to get a high quality one, and those are not cheap. Your best bet would be to find a audio receiver that will allow this to be done (1 dvi output and 2 video out sources).

[aldem]

Yeah, it's the switch box that I thinking about, the main reason is that I don't want to change cables everytime I want to use plasma...do you have any specific model in mind that I could look at as a starting point? Thanks.

[hollownail]

Yeah, it's the switch box that I thinking about, the main reason is that I don't want to change cables everytime I want to use plasma...do you have any specific model in mind that I could look at as a starting point? Thanks.

I haven't seen any that are very impressive. You can go to newegg.com and they have like, 3 models and they start at $150.

They are all DVI in to 2 dvi out (of course you would change the 1 dvi out to hdmi). But I don't really have any specific models to suggest, I don't know how good any of them are or anything.

[pocketchange]

Check out a www.monoprice.com. Good stuff/prices.