Incorporating a high-end laptop PC like a MacBook Pro into an existing home theater setup can offer flexibility and access to a large amount of content that wouldn't otherwise be viewable, according to tech website Helium.
Helium writer Bruce Tyson offers several useful hints and tips for users looking to stream content from their MacBook Pro to a big-screen display such as a plasma TV, or widescreen projector used in a well-equipped home theater. For instance, he warns that the display must be activated before connecting the laptop to the network, in order to ensure that the computer recognizes the other device.
Tyson writes that "this step seems to be elementary, but it is the most common cause of failure when trying to display your MacBook Pro on an external device. It is important that the television, projector, or monitor is on so that the MacBook Pro will sense it when you connect the cable."
The ability to connect a portable PC to an overhead projector can be useful in other settings as well, such as for making business presentations or giving academic lectures.
