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

mac pro dvi, dvi-d, dvid+hdcp

rpaloalto

rpaloalto

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2005
733
2
Palo Alto CA.
I originally had only 1 questions, before my visit to best buy today.
I was browsing thru monitors for my future mac pro. My understanding was that dvi, dvi-d and even dvi+hdcp were all compatible with the current mac pro's dvi output. But was told that no, the mac pro will only work with a monitor that has just dvi, not dvi-d or one that has hdcp certification. and that I would have to use a dvi to vga adapter with any thing other than a straight dvi input.
Now, I know that most best buy employes are not that educated in the products they sell. Being a total newb in the monitor area left me defenseless.
I stood around waiting for some other employee to somehow magically appear. In the computer department. To shoe this car audio specialist away, as if he was in the wrong department giving wrong advice. Of course no one other than him did appear, and I left.
So now I need to know if I was right about the current mac pro's dvi output being compatible with all dvi inputs
and my original question which is, when I place my mac pro in sleep mode. Will a non apple monitor follow. Or will I have to shut it off manually.

I also just noticed on the best buy website, that only some of the monitors show in the specs as being mac + p.c. compatible
pc and mac compatible
LINK

just p.c.
LINK
 
DVI-D contains only a digital signal. DVI-I carries both digital and analog signals (which is why a DVI -> VGA adapter will work). Dual Link DVI (either DVI-D or DVI-I) has the bandwidth required to run 30" monitors at their native resolution. Current Pro Macs have a Dual Link DVI-I output. No current Macs have support for HDCP.

A monitor with a DVI-D connector will work fine with a Mac Pro, as well as a full Dual Link DVI-I connector, or even a lowly VGA connector with the DVI -> VGA adapter.

You can look at the connector on the video card and compare it to the pictures here to see what type it is.
 
So now I'm even more confused, sorry.
With out using the dvi to vga adapter, can I hook my future mac pro to a dvi-d input
Yes I know that the OS X has no support for hdcp, but does this mean that the connection of non hdcp encoded video data, will also not work. Would it not default and work just like any old dvi-d input.

This might just might make me say crew it and break down and buy the acd:D
 
DVI-D contains just the digital signal. DVI-I contains both the digital and analog signal. So since the Mac Pro has DVI-I you can either run it to a DVI-D monitor or run it into a DVI-VGA converter and get the analog signal. Does that make sense?

HDCP is an encryption for HD content. For example blue ray etc. A monitor with HDCP support will work with any DVI system, its just the HDCP part might not be able to be used. You won't need to worry about that until you go to Blue Ray.

Any monitor will work they all are standardized. Also the monitors will automatically go into sleep mode when their is no signal going to it. For example when your mac is in sleep mode.

hope that helps.
 
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
Back