Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

noob question about running dual monitors from mac mini via HDMI

simsaladimbamba

simsaladimbamba

Guest
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
31
located
Why not use the Thunderbolt port with an MDP to DVI or MDP to HDMI adapter instead of using the splitter?

Mini DisplayPort (MDP) / Thunderbolt
Mini DisplayPort is the current digital standard on all current Macs to transfer video to an external display or TV. It has been introduced in 10/2008 with the release of the Unibody MacBook and MacBook Pros and has gradually been adopted on all other Macs.
MDP is capable of transmitting video, and since 2010, audio too. MDP is a miniaturised version of DisplayPort. It is also license free and can support resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600, which Mini DVI and Micro DVI are not able to do.
Since 2011, all Macs come with a Thunderbolt port, which is meant for fast data transfer and also as means to connect to an external display device to mirror or extend the Mac's screen.
To learn more about Thunderbolt (TB) and its compatibility with Mini DisplayPort (MDP): Introducing Thunderbolt​
MR_video_out_Mac_Mini_DP.png
MDP adapters and cables can be bought online from:


Also of interest: "What is "Mini DisplayPort"? Is it an industry-standard? How is it different from or better than Mini-DVI and Micro-DVI?"
​
Click to expand...
 
k.alexander

k.alexander

macrumors 6502a
Jul 14, 2010
502
264
I'm new to MDP too. Question: is there a detriment to using HDMI port vs the MDP? The reason I ask is I'd like to keep the Thunderbolt/MDP port open for possible attachments/expansion down the line.
 
APlotdevice

APlotdevice

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2011
3,145
3,861
jussha said:
can i hook up 2 monitors from the single HDMI input on the mac mini to run a dual monitor setup? or will the 2 monitors simply mirror one another?
Click to expand...
An HDMi splitter would only mirror the image.

k.alexander said:
I'm new to MDP too. Question: is there a detriment to using HDMI port vs the MDP? The reason I ask is I'd like to keep the Thunderbolt/MDP port open for possible attachments/expansion down the line.
Click to expand...
As long as the monitor is 1920x1200 or below you're fine. For higher resolutions you will need to use the TB port.
 
L

Lance-AR

macrumors 6502
May 7, 2012
315
1
Little Rock, AR
TB supports higher resolution than HDMI. The TB bus can be chained in a series. I have two monitors and a RAID array hanging off one TB port.
 
APlotdevice

APlotdevice

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2011
3,145
3,861
Lance-AR said:
TB supports higher resolution than HDMI. The TB bus can be chained in a series. I have two monitors and a RAID array hanging off one TB port.
Click to expand...

Aye. Just if you're using connecting a DisplayPort monitor or adapter it must go at the end of the chain. Though this does bring up a slight problem in that some Thunderbolt devices do not provide a pass-through, as so must themselves be placed at the end of the chain.
 
S

Skirush

macrumors newbie
Oct 7, 2012
3
0
simsaladimbamba said:
Why not use the Thunderbolt port with an MDP to DVI or MDP to HDMI adapter instead of using the splitter?
Click to expand...

Please forgive my ignorance, but after reading this thread, I'm still confused as to how to have dual (separate) monitors with the mac mini. I ordered the new mini with the Thunderbolt port. I understand that it also has an HDMI port. So, wouldn't I just be able to hook up one monitor using the HDMI port and another using the Thunderbolt port?

Please let me know if this would work.


Thanks!
 
simsaladimbamba

simsaladimbamba

Guest
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
31
located
Skirush said:
Please forgive my ignorance, but after reading this thread, I'm still confused as to how to have dual (separate) monitors with the mac mini. I ordered the new mini with the Thunderbolt port. I understand that it also has an HDMI port. So, wouldn't I just be able to hook up one monitor using the HDMI port and another using the Thunderbolt port?

Please let me know if this would work.


Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes, that will work.
 
k.alexander

k.alexander

macrumors 6502a
Jul 14, 2010
502
264
APlotdevice said:
Aye. Just if you're using connecting a DisplayPort monitor or adapter it must go at the end of the chain. Though this does bring up a slight problem in that some Thunderbolt devices do not provide a pass-through, as so must themselves be placed at the end of the chain.
Click to expand...

That's what I figured, just not sure how common for TB devices to have pass through, especially since there aren't many of them out.

Are there TB displays that have pass through? Does the Apple TB Cinema Display? Do others?
 
O

opinio

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2013
1,171
7
k.alexander said:
I'm new to MDP too. Question: is there a detriment to using HDMI port vs the MDP? The reason I ask is I'd like to keep the Thunderbolt/MDP port open for possible attachments/expansion down the line.
Click to expand...

Most TB devices have the ability to daisy chain so they come with two ports. For example I have the Lacie TB eSata hub so I plug it into my Mac Mini and plug the MDP to HDMI cable into the Lacie hub. So even if you buy a TB device to expand in future you can plug the MDP into it and on and on.

Having said that not all TB devices have two ports (such as the Apple Gigabit and Firewire devices).

My MDP to HDMI cable from Belkin only cost me about $25 from the Apple store so even if it becomes obsolete it is not a huge loss.

I have one monitor on the MDP cable in the Lacie TB second port and one via an Apple HDMI cable on the HDMI port. I don't notice any difference.
 
simsaladimbamba

simsaladimbamba

Guest
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
31
located
bigvolcano said:
I am trying to run dual monitors with this product:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=8119&seq=1&format=2

I have two monitors attached (one with DVi and one with HDMI). However I want to run 2 different displays but the two screens are showing the same thing.
Click to expand...

System Preferences > Displays >> Arrangement >>> Mirror Displays (but know, that the display with the lowest resolution determines the maximum resolution used on both, thus one display will have a lower than native resolution, except when both displays have the same native resolution)
MR_mirrordisplays.png
 
B

bigvolcano

macrumors newbie
Apr 3, 2013
2
0
Thanks for the reply.

I didn't mean it's mirroring my Laptop screen. I can extend my screen to an external display, however when I plug in the hdmi wire, I just get a mirror image of the existing external display. So my screen has been extended to the two external displays (not mirrored) but they are the same as each other.

When I go to the Display settings that you showed, it only shows that i have one external screen even tho I can see the image on both the monitors.

Is this just an issue with the adapter?

Thanks,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom