Apple's Mini DisplayPort officially adopted by VESA

[AppleInsider]

The Video Electronics Standard Association officially issued its Mini DisplayPort standard Tuesday, based on the technology licensed from Apple.

VESA said that all devices using the Mini DisplayPort connector must meet the specifications required by the DisplayPort 1.1a standard, and cables that support the standard must also meet specific electrical specifications. It's a formal confirmation of the news from earlier this year, when VESA announced the Mini DisplayPort connector would be included in the forthcoming DisplayPort 1.2 specification.

DisplayPort 1.2 is a new standard VESA is finalizing that will double the technology's bandwidth capabilities to 21.6GB/s. It is said to support multiple monitors via a single connector, 3D displays, and higher resolutions, refresh rates and color depths.

The Mini DisplayPort is a small form factor connector invented by Apple to fully support the VESA DisplayPort protocol. Unlike the Mini-DVI and Micro-DVI connectors common on previous generation Apple products, the port is capable of driving resolutions up to 2560x1600, which is commonly used on 30-inch displays. Since it was announced in 2008, Apple has added the interface to revisions of its MacBook lineup, the iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, and Apple Cinema Display.

"Originally developed by Apple for its new generation of portable PCs, Mini DisplayPort is much smaller than DVI (Digital Video Interface) or VGA connectors and enables full function display output on ultrathin notebooks and netbooks," VESA said.

The Mini DisplayPort is 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector.

Though the Mini DisplayPort technology was originally created by Apple, earlier this year the Cupertino, Calif., company agreed to license the interface to VESA for its own DisplayPort standard. Prior to the agreement, Apple had to license its technology itself and made the standard free, as an incentive for rapid adoption.

In April, the first non-Apple Mini DisplayPort compatible displays were revealed. The Colins America CinemaView LCD displays aim to be low-cost alternatives to Apple's own Cinema Displays.

[teckstud]

HDMI is better- more universal.

[joelsalt]

Originally Posted by teckstud

HDMI is better- more universal.

its also lower resolution

[IQatEdo]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

... 3D displays, ...

I am looking forward to this coming to the everyday desktop.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by joelsalt

its also lower resolution

Not to the naked eye at six feet away which is where the majority of large screen displays will be viewed. Even still, the difference is splitting hairs.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by IQatEdo

I am looking forward to this coming to the everyday desktop.

It's not since MAcs are 10% and PCs have all opted for HDMI. Unless you talking strictly MAC desktops. Definitely not standard for PC laptops. DP is strictly for visual professionals- video editors, graphic designers and photographers, etc- not the average consumer.

[anonymouse]

Originally Posted by teckstud

HDMI is better- more universal.

If we followed this philosophy, there would never be any technological advancement.

[IQatEdo]

Originally Posted by teckstud

It's not since MAcs are 10% and PCs have all opted for HDMI. Unless you talking strictly MAC desktops.

Quite honestly, from an everyday, functional point of view, I don't care less what goes on in the 'PC' world, I have all I need on the MAC. '3D' too would be great.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by anonymouse

If we followed this philosophy, there would never be any technological advancement.

Like Apple not adopting Blu-ray or Apple recently adopting SD slots? Do tell.

[DKWalsh4]

Originally Posted by teckstud

HDMI is better- more universal.

Although I do believe BR will eventually find its way into Macs, I do believe your fight for HDMI will never be fulfilled.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by DKWalsh4

Although I do believe BR will eventually find its way into Macs, I do believe your fight for HDMI will never be fulfilled.

Of course not- Apple owns mini DP. But it would be nice to have a universal standard to just plug our laptops wherever we go. Look at the numbers-How many new HDTVs / monitors have HDMI as opposed to DP?

[Quadra 610]

Done. That was quick. Wasn't it?

[extremeskater]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Like Apple not adopting Blu-ray or Apple recently adopting SD slots? Do tell.

VESA is known for developing unsuccessful digital interface standards. When you look at many of the standards they have adopted the terms "obsolete connector " or "standard" isnt far behind.

[cheesy mogul]

Originally Posted by IQatEdo

I am looking forward to this coming to the everyday desktop.

Just like ADC did a few years back...

[extremeskater]

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Done. That was quick. Wasn't it?

Its always quick when you back one of your soon next to be obsolete connectors which is what VESA is known for doing.

[John.B]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Of course not- Apple owns DP.

Apple doesn't own DisplayPort, as of today they don't even own mini-DisplayPort.

That said, I think HDMI would be perfect output for mini-based HTMacs.

[solipsism]

We know DP as a technology is being readily adopted as the future display standard for computers, now we need to see if the diminutive mDP as a port interface will also be adopted now that it’s officially part of the spec.

Originally Posted by anonymouse

If we followed this philosophy, there would never be any technological advancement.

Teckstudian logic would mean Macs would still have floppy drives over optical drives, serial and parallel ports over USB, and HDMI would have never been adopted because VGA would have been more “universal”.

[BenRoethig]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Of course not- Apple owns DP. But let's bow our heads and remember what's happened to that other Apple invention that got kicked to the curb- firewire.

Apple does not own (just the mini connector). In theory at least displayport is an open standard. In practice, you don't see a whole lot of enthusiasm for regular displayport outside of Cupertino and even less for the mini-connector.

Originally Posted by solipsism

We know DP as a technology is being readily adopted as the future display standard for computers.

We do? You have to go into the high end business sections of Dell, HP, ETC, to find any displays with regular displayport and Mini-DP one year later still has exactly one display. How many years have we heard that displayport is going to break out and become the standard only to have nothing happen? Right now its a failed connector until it proves otherswise.

[vinea]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Not to the naked eye at six feet away which is where the majority of large screen displays will be viewed. Even still, the difference is splitting hairs.

You mean like 27" and 30" displays? The resolution for DP is required to support PC displays. For Apple DP was the right choice over HDMI.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by John.B

Apple doesn't own DisplayPort, as of today they don't even own mini-DisplayPort.

That said, I think HDMI would be perfect output for mini-based HTMacs.

I meant mini- so then who does?

[newbee]

Originally Posted by teckstud

HDMI is better- more universal.

TechDud, your ability to see the obvious never fails to amaze me. You have correctly stated that a technology that has been around since 2003 is more "universal" than one that was introduced last year. Brilliant! .... Would you have been so quick to bring this to our attention if it was not another slam against Apple? .... I think not.

You are becoming more like M$ every day ... never original, just more and more of the same crap. Being irrelevant is one thing, ..... now you're just becoming boring.

[anonymouse]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Like Apple not adopting Blu-ray or Apple recently adopting SD slots? Do tell.

Well DVD is more universal, make up your mind.

[John.B]

Originally Posted by teckstud

I meant mini- so then who does?

It's part of the standard now. Anyone can use this as long as it's built to spec.

The more important question is, "Why isn't there audio when DP/mini-DP supports it?"

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Teckstudian logic would mean Macs would still have floppy drives over optical drives, serial and parallel ports over USB, and HDMI would have never been adopted because VGA would have been more “universal”.

No solipsism logic subbornly insist the the meaning of Steve Joobs as "CEO of the Decade" is totally and utterly wrong as the decade won't be completed until December 31, 2010!
Everyone else uses 12/31/09 hence that is why we are seeing all these lists popping up for best films of the decade, best songs of the decade, etc, etc. I wouldn't listen to anyone who keeps insisting that that 2000 is part of the nineties, 1990 is part of the eighties,etc, etc.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by John.B

It's part of the standard now. Anyone can use this as long as it's built to spec.

The more important question is, "Why isn't their audio when DP/mini-DP supports it?"

Because they can't shove 7.1 channels into DP like HDMI (the more advance option for audio).

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by anonymouse

Well DVD is more universal, make up your mind.

You said technologically advanced. I have nothing to change. DO you still use VHS tape?

[TallPaul]

This annoys me so much I had to register to comment!

Its all very well making DisplayPort a standard if Apple themeselves supported it!. When I bought my MacBook Pro I explained to the nice man that I had a DisplayPort conected monitor and needed a mini-displayport to displayport cable, but Apple don't sell them! so making displayport a standard is no good if Apple themselves are not going to support it.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by newbee

TechDud, your ability to see the obvious never fails to amaze me. You have correctly stated that a technology that has been around since 2003 is more "universal" than one that was introduced last year. Brilliant! .... Would you have been so quick to bring this to our attention if it was not another slam against Apple? .... I think not.

You are becoming more like M$ every day ... never original, just more and more of the same crap. Being irrelevant is one thing, ..... now you're just becoming boring.

It's obvious that HDMI is more advance than DP in the audio department - and your point?

[anonymouse]

Originally Posted by teckstud

You said technologically advanced. I have nothing to change.

Well, you were the one who cited universality as the standard by which we should pick technologies.

[BenRoethig]

Originally Posted by John.B

It's part of the standard now. Anyone can use this as long as it's built to spec.

The more important question is, "Why isn't their audio when DP/mini-DP supports it?"

Apple didn't connect audio to the port on the motherboard.

Originally Posted by newbee

TechDud, your ability to see the obvious never fails to amaze me. You have correctly stated that a technology that has been around since 2003 is more "universal" than one that was introduced last year. Brilliant! .... Would you have been so quick to bring this to our attention if it was not another slam against Apple? .... I think not.

You are becoming more like M$ every day ... never original, just more and more of the same crap. Being irrelevant is one thing, ..... now you're just becoming boring.

The only thing that obvious is that despite its advantages, displayport is failing to catch on.

[dagamer34]

Sure would be nice if audio was routed through the miniDP port too.

[jpellino]

(First of all, "more universal"? Really?)

Anyway, CinemaView is a continuing conundrum. If it is a Jack Campbell joint, I want to see these products ship with no encumbrances from OEMs or licensing or other kerfuffles over the many other things there were kerfuffles over.

And why would you offer what appears to be a HDMI/MDP switcher with 2 HD tuners for $400? Not to mention going through the trouble of marketing a 47" display that tops out at the resolution of a 21.5" iMac?

Glad they got VESA adoption. Hopefully this is the end of the line for proprietary Apple video output. I'm a recovering Cube owner, you see...

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

HDMI is better- more universal.

When HDMI first came out, people had the same complaints about that as you have about Displayport.

Time marches on. Better standards come out and replace older ones.

HDMI 1.4 is an attempt to bypass this, but then it just obsoletes the older ones as 1.3, 1.2, and 1.1 did earlier.

Did you complain about that as well?

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by BenRoethig

Apple didn't connect audio to the port on the motherboard.



The only thing that obvious is that despite its advantages, displayport is failing to catch on.

Fine- so gives us HDMI then.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

It's not since MAcs are 10% and PCs have all opted for HDMI. Unless you talking strictly MAC desktops. Definitely not standard for PC laptops. DP is strictly for visual professionals- video editors, graphic designers and photographers, etc- not the average consumer.

Wrong. We've already discussed this in a thread of which you were a part. Many Dell computers include Display ports, and all new ATI 58xx cards do. Nvidia based cards are also beginning to support Displayport.

Please stick to facts.

[IQatEdo]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Because they can't shove 7.1 channels into DP like HDMI (the more advance option for audio).

With enough bandwidth, you can achieve anything (relevant to the argument). I'm no expert on (anything much) HDMI, but from HDMI.org in the FAQ section:

Higher speed: HDMI 1.3 increases its single-link bandwidth to 340 MHz (10.2 Gbps) to support the demands of future HD display devices, such as higher resolutions, Deep Color and high frame rates. In addition, built into the HDMI 1.3 specification is the technical foundation that will let future versions of HDMI reach significantly higher speeds.

From the AI article:

DisplayPort 1.2 is a new standard VESA is finalizing that will double the technology's bandwidth capabilities to 21.6GB/s. It is said to support multiple monitors via a single connector, 3D displays, and higher resolutions, refresh rates and color depths.

It's probably risky therefore, to claim that DP can't do something that HDMI can, unless there is more to the argument than bandwidth.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

When HDMI first came out, people had the same complaints about that as you have about Displayport.

Time marches on. Better standards come out and replace older ones.

HDMI 1.4 is an attempt to bypass this, but then it just obsoletes the older ones as 1.3, 1.2, and 1.1 did earlier.

Did you complain about that as well?

I've never complained about HDMI- in fact I love it-that I can easily move the AppleTV from the living room to the bedroom so swiftly.
Besides all HDTVs/monitors have HDMI built into them right now.

[teckstud]

Originally Posted by melgross

Wrong. We've already discussed this in a thread of which you were a part. Many Dell computers include Display ports, and all new ATI 58xx cards do. Nvidia based cards are also beginning to support Displayport.

Please stick to facts.

No you're wrong. What HDTV/monitors use DP besides Apple's?? Most use HDMI. MOST of them.
FAct are facts.

[melgross]

Originally Posted by teckstud

Of course not- Apple owns mini DP. But it would be nice to have a universal standard to just plug our laptops wherever we go. Look at the numbers-How many new HDTVs / monitors have HDMI as opposed to DP?

Apple doesn't own Mini DP. VESA now "Owns" it.

It took over five years before more than a couple of monitors got HDMI.

This will also take some time, but likely will move faster.

[chronster]

Originally Posted by joelsalt

its also lower resolution

No, just the standard in the devices that more commonly use it. I can guarantee you 110% that I can run higher than 1920x1080 coming from my video card using an hdmi cable. Absolutely has nothing to do with the cable (it's just pulses of 1's and 0's afterall.)

3D displays are a different story I believe (could be wrong though.) I think nvidia has 3d displays that work with hdmi, but I'm not sure.