Mini DVI provides ZERO backwards compatibility with any Apple or 3rd party display, TV or projector. Never has, never will. You must purchase and use an adapter to make Mini DVI work with anything. Therefor adding Mini DVI to the Mac mini, either in addition to or instead of the new Mini DisplayPort is completely pointless.
One more time, slowly: Mini DisplayPort does everything Mini DVI does (and more). Mini DVI was taken off the MacBooks because Apple has killed it in favor of Mini DisplayPort. The last thing they are going to do is add it back into the Mac mini for no reason.
Hah, I forgot there's never been an ADC (or any display or projector) with a mini-DVI. Macs with that connection have always required an adaptor, thus Mini DisplayPort is even superior in that regard! Good point.
Excuse me, but doesn't mini DVI (with an adaptor) allow one to connect to many HDTVs. My HDTV will allow me to use DVI to connect to a computer. The mini-DVI should allow for mac mini to act as a media pc. Seems reasonable to me.
Mini-displayport seems like the toad in the room to me.
Just connect a MDP->DVI adapter to your DVI-HDMI adapter or wait a few weeks/months for a third party MDP->HDMI adapter to come out now that Apple has licensed the spec.
Besides, Apple doesn't want the mini used as an HTPC, so they could care less about accommodating HDMI. Only a few geeks do this anyway, it's a non-issue for 99% of Mac mini customers.
Excuse me, but doesn't mini DVI (with an adaptor) allow one to connect to many HDTVs.
With an adaptor is the key phrase.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dorotea
Mini-displayport seems like the toad in the room to me.
I feel like a broken record, but where are you getting this from (no offense)? Mini DisplayPort, just like mini-DVI, requires an adaptor to go to "full" DVI.
But has there ever been an Apple Cinema Display that directly connects with a mini-DVI cable? No. That's another nice thing about Mini DisplayPort, the new Cinema Display supports it no adaptor required.
Maybe I didn't understand what you said either but...
Apple would have to include an adapter for one of the ports, whether its Mini DVI or the Mini Display Port in general. If not, it would mean you buy a new MacMini, and then also have to fork out cash to get video out? That would just just plain stupid on Apple's part. It would be like buying a car at the stealership (aka dealership) and then the dealer says..well you gotta buy wheels and tires in order to take it home.
5 minutes here and you should realize why the above statement is silly.
Exactly! Its not like there aren't displays already out there using the display port (NOT the mini display port). Dell and I think HP make displays using this port (not the Mini Display Port). So this is by no means a dead or unheard of technology. It should be gaining traction as time goes on and hopefully people see the mini display port as a good thing for products such as laptops, small form factor computers, etc.
How many mini DisplayPort monitors are on the market?
There are monitors which have the full size DisplayPort connector. But for some reason, Apple does not sell a mini to standard DisplayPort adapter. Consider the Dell 30 inch monitor which has a DisplayPort connector. As far as I know, Mini DVI does not support the dual link needed to run these displays at the maximum resolution. Apple's Mini DP to dual link DVI adapter costs $99 and takes up a USB port. Surely a Mini DP to standard DP adapter would cost a lot less, and not require a USB port. So did Apple intentionally ignore the Mini DP to standard DP adapter for some underhanded reason?
I think the same people that complain about the lack of 9.5mm Blu-ray drives, which requires HDCP for playback, in Mac notebooks are the same ones that complained about Apple finally adding HDCP support to their HW.
I think you're painting a pretty broad brush there, leaving out what I think was a very important distinction in that conversation. The problem was that they were protecting standard definition media by disabling output if the monitor isn't HDCP compatible, when there's no call for it to be protected like that. No other video platform or format that I'm aware of tried to do that. As far as I remember, that restriction has been relaxed since then.
Whether or not it's the same people, I don't know. A lot of people have similar enough names and posting styles, I lose track of who is who.
There are monitors which have the full size DisplayPort connector. Unfortunately, Apple forgot to make a mini to standard DisplayPort adapter.
Considering 1) there are only a couple "full" DisplayPort-equipped monitors from Dell and HP, 2) Apple sells all their laptops (and by next week, two of their desktops) with Mini DisplayPort and 3) a Mini DisplayPort-equipped Cinema Display, they have very little incentive to provide a MDSP-to-DSP adapter for using their Macs with competitor's full DSP monitors (which Apple likely wants to nip in the bud so those manufacturers will adopt their smaller, mobile-friendly iteration of the DSP spec).
The mini display port has DRM only for HD content. As for being proprietary, it is for now and can you recall in the almost 25 years of the Mac where any other company adopted one of the Mac unique connectors? I'll bet you are thinking FireWire which Apple helped invent and you see FW400 on some other brands. I was thinking of the Apple monitor connector before they adopted VGA, 2 row 15 pins or the ADB bus used for keyboards and mice.
This time it's a little different. Mini displayport has been opened and submitted to the (VESA?) standards body and there are not going to be royalty charges. The drawings and specs can be downloaded from Apple and used for free. I think I have that file somewhere, not that I would ever use it.
I'm sure if need be...someone besides Apple such as Belkin or Griffin will make an adapter for Mini Display Port to Display Port. Its not like this is a licensed technology.
I don't even think that's necessary to get video to an HDMI jack.
Does Apple output audio through the mDP video jack? I don't think they do the consumer electronics controls, at that point, HDMI out on a computer is mostly a different connector for DVI. Apple already offers a DVI adapter. DVI to HDMI cables are easy to get, that Monoprice site already sells them, I've bought one from them a few months ago.
Apple's Mini DP to dual link DVI adapter costs $99 and takes up a USB port.
Only if you want audio to play through the Cinema Display's built-in speakers; neither of Dell's full DisplayPort monitors have built-in speakers. Also, while you lose one USB port on the computer itself, you gain three (at least with the Cinema Display).
Apple's Mini DP to dual link DVI adapter costs $99 and takes up a USB port.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wobegon
Only if you want audio to play through the Cinema Display's built-in speakers; neither of Dell's full DisplayPort monitors have built-in speakers. Also, while you lose one USB port on the computer itself, you gain three (at least with the Cinema Display).
Which Cinema Display has dual link DVI and built in speakers?
Which Cinema Display has dual link DVI and built in speakers?
Hmm, I thought you were addressing user MacComas' question about DisplayPort monitors, so I was talking about Apple's new Cinema Display with Mini DisplayPort and built-in speakers, but now I see you were talking about DVI.
So...how does DVI take up a USB port? I think that's what threw me off (because Mini DisplayPort doesn't support audio, thus you give up a USB port on the computer to play audio over USB through the new Cinema Display's speakers).
Hmm, I thought you were addressing user MacComas' question about DisplayPort monitors, so I was talking about Apple's new Cinema Display with Mini DisplayPort and built-in speakers, but now I see you were talking about DVI.
So...how does DVI take up a USB port? I think that's what threw me off (because Mini DisplayPort doesn't support audio, thus you give up a USB port on the computer to play audio over USB through the new Cinema Display's speakers).
I thought the USB part on the new LED Cinema Display was for both the USB ports on the display and the built-in iSight webcam?
I don't even think that's necessary to get video to an HDMI jack.
Does Apple output audio through the mDP video jack? I don't think they do the consumer electronics controls, at that point, HDMI out on a computer is mostly a different connector for DVI. Apple already offers a DVI adapter. DVI to HDMI cables are easy to get, that Monoprice site already sells them, I've bought one from them a few months ago.
I could be wrong, but I thought I read that the combination of a mDP-to-DVI adaptor and then a DVI-to-HDMI adaptor didn't allow the HDCP to pass through, blocking any content that required the DRM handshake. Maybe I'm just confusing the reports I've read elsewhere.
Can anyone confirm if such a combination of adaptors to connect one of the new laptops to an HDTV and play an iTunes video with DRM actually works?
Comments
Exactly. What is wrong with people?
Mini DVI provides ZERO backwards compatibility with any Apple or 3rd party display, TV or projector. Never has, never will. You must purchase and use an adapter to make Mini DVI work with anything. Therefor adding Mini DVI to the Mac mini, either in addition to or instead of the new Mini DisplayPort is completely pointless.
One more time, slowly: Mini DisplayPort does everything Mini DVI does (and more). Mini DVI was taken off the MacBooks because Apple has killed it in favor of Mini DisplayPort. The last thing they are going to do is add it back into the Mac mini for no reason.
Hah, I forgot there's never been an ADC (or any display or projector) with a mini-DVI. Macs with that connection have always required an adaptor, thus Mini DisplayPort is even superior in that regard! Good point.
Excuse me, but doesn't mini DVI (with an adaptor) allow one to connect to many HDTVs. My HDTV will allow me to use DVI to connect to a computer. The mini-DVI should allow for mac mini to act as a media pc. Seems reasonable to me.
Mini-displayport seems like the toad in the room to me.
Just connect a MDP->DVI adapter to your DVI-HDMI adapter or wait a few weeks/months for a third party MDP->HDMI adapter to come out now that Apple has licensed the spec.
Besides, Apple doesn't want the mini used as an HTPC, so they could care less about accommodating HDMI. Only a few geeks do this anyway, it's a non-issue for 99% of Mac mini customers.
Excuse me, but doesn't mini DVI (with an adaptor) allow one to connect to many HDTVs.
With an adaptor is the key phrase.
Mini-displayport seems like the toad in the room to me.
I feel like a broken record, but where are you getting this from (no offense)? Mini DisplayPort, just like mini-DVI, requires an adaptor to go to "full" DVI.
But has there ever been an Apple Cinema Display that directly connects with a mini-DVI cable? No. That's another nice thing about Mini DisplayPort, the new Cinema Display supports it no adaptor required.
You HTPC geeks can exhale now.
Maybe I didn't understand what you said either but...
Apple would have to include an adapter for one of the ports, whether its Mini DVI or the Mini Display Port in general. If not, it would mean you buy a new MacMini, and then also have to fork out cash to get video out? That would just just plain stupid on Apple's part. It would be like buying a car at the stealership (aka dealership) and then the dealer says..well you gotta buy wheels and tires in order to take it home.
Exactly.
Mini-displayport seems like the toad in the room to me.
www.displayport.org.
5 minutes here and you should realize why the above statement is silly.
www.displayport.org.
5 minutes here and you should realize why the above statement is silly.
Exactly! Its not like there aren't displays already out there using the display port (NOT the mini display port). Dell and I think HP make displays using this port (not the Mini Display Port). So this is by no means a dead or unheard of technology. It should be gaining traction as time goes on and hopefully people see the mini display port as a good thing for products such as laptops, small form factor computers, etc.
Dell 24" Display
Dell 30" Display
HP 24" Display
How many mini DisplayPort monitors are on the market?
There are monitors which have the full size DisplayPort connector. But for some reason, Apple does not sell a mini to standard DisplayPort adapter. Consider the Dell 30 inch monitor which has a DisplayPort connector. As far as I know, Mini DVI does not support the dual link needed to run these displays at the maximum resolution. Apple's Mini DP to dual link DVI adapter costs $99 and takes up a USB port. Surely a Mini DP to standard DP adapter would cost a lot less, and not require a USB port. So did Apple intentionally ignore the Mini DP to standard DP adapter for some underhanded reason?
I think the same people that complain about the lack of 9.5mm Blu-ray drives, which requires HDCP for playback, in Mac notebooks are the same ones that complained about Apple finally adding HDCP support to their HW.
I think you're painting a pretty broad brush there, leaving out what I think was a very important distinction in that conversation. The problem was that they were protecting standard definition media by disabling output if the monitor isn't HDCP compatible, when there's no call for it to be protected like that. No other video platform or format that I'm aware of tried to do that. As far as I remember, that restriction has been relaxed since then.
Whether or not it's the same people, I don't know. A lot of people have similar enough names and posting styles, I lose track of who is who.
There are monitors which have the full size DisplayPort connector. Unfortunately, Apple forgot to make a mini to standard DisplayPort adapter.
Considering 1) there are only a couple "full" DisplayPort-equipped monitors from Dell and HP, 2) Apple sells all their laptops (and by next week, two of their desktops) with Mini DisplayPort and 3) a Mini DisplayPort-equipped Cinema Display, they have very little incentive to provide a MDSP-to-DSP adapter for using their Macs with competitor's full DSP monitors (which Apple likely wants to nip in the bud so those manufacturers will adopt their smaller, mobile-friendly iteration of the DSP spec).
The mini display port has DRM only for HD content. As for being proprietary, it is for now and can you recall in the almost 25 years of the Mac where any other company adopted one of the Mac unique connectors? I'll bet you are thinking FireWire which Apple helped invent and you see FW400 on some other brands. I was thinking of the Apple monitor connector before they adopted VGA, 2 row 15 pins or the ADB bus used for keyboards and mice.
This time it's a little different. Mini displayport has been opened and submitted to the (VESA?) standards body and there are not going to be royalty charges. The drawings and specs can be downloaded from Apple and used for free. I think I have that file somewhere, not that I would ever use it.
MDP -> HDMI adapter on the way.
You HTPC geeks can exhale now.
I don't even think that's necessary to get video to an HDMI jack.
Does Apple output audio through the mDP video jack? I don't think they do the consumer electronics controls, at that point, HDMI out on a computer is mostly a different connector for DVI. Apple already offers a DVI adapter. DVI to HDMI cables are easy to get, that Monoprice site already sells them, I've bought one from them a few months ago.
Apple's Mini DP to dual link DVI adapter costs $99 and takes up a USB port.
Only if you want audio to play through the Cinema Display's built-in speakers; neither of Dell's full DisplayPort monitors have built-in speakers. Also, while you lose one USB port on the computer itself, you gain three (at least with the Cinema Display).
Apple's Mini DP to dual link DVI adapter costs $99 and takes up a USB port.
Only if you want audio to play through the Cinema Display's built-in speakers; neither of Dell's full DisplayPort monitors have built-in speakers. Also, while you lose one USB port on the computer itself, you gain three (at least with the Cinema Display).
Which Cinema Display has dual link DVI and built in speakers?
Which Cinema Display has dual link DVI and built in speakers?
Hmm, I thought you were addressing user MacComas' question about DisplayPort monitors, so I was talking about Apple's new Cinema Display with Mini DisplayPort and built-in speakers, but now I see you were talking about DVI.
So...how does DVI take up a USB port?
Hmm, I thought you were addressing user MacComas' question about DisplayPort monitors, so I was talking about Apple's new Cinema Display with Mini DisplayPort and built-in speakers, but now I see you were talking about DVI.
So...how does DVI take up a USB port?
I thought the USB part on the new LED Cinema Display was for both the USB ports on the display and the built-in iSight webcam?
EDIT:
I see that its also for audio as well.....
The AppleTV is designed to be a media extended, not a PC. While the Mac Mini is designed to be a PC, not a media extender.
I think it's time they bridged that gap.
I don't even think that's necessary to get video to an HDMI jack.
Does Apple output audio through the mDP video jack? I don't think they do the consumer electronics controls, at that point, HDMI out on a computer is mostly a different connector for DVI. Apple already offers a DVI adapter. DVI to HDMI cables are easy to get, that Monoprice site already sells them, I've bought one from them a few months ago.
I could be wrong, but I thought I read that the combination of a mDP-to-DVI adaptor and then a DVI-to-HDMI adaptor didn't allow the HDCP to pass through, blocking any content that required the DRM handshake. Maybe I'm just confusing the reports I've read elsewhere.
Can anyone confirm if such a combination of adaptors to connect one of the new laptops to an HDTV and play an iTunes video with DRM actually works?