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

Be careful buying a minidisplayport adapter

S

SheridanMac

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 13, 2011
48
4
Hi all, just wanted to pass along some information I thought would be helpful. Last week I got my 13" MBA and purchased a mini-displayport to standard displayport adapter from monoprice.com to hook it up to my TV - already had a displayport to hdmi cable that I used with my old laptop, a Lenovo W510. The Lenovo, like the new MBA's, is capable of passing audio through its displayport, and I used it with my HDTV frequently. I figured that all I needed to do the same with my MBA was an adapter to go from mini to standard size.

Well it didn't work. Video passed fine, but no audio. I troubleshooted the hell out of it to no avail. My HDTV showed up fine under displays, but under system preferences sound tab the only device that showed up was my MBA internal speaker.

I then decided to go in a different direction and bought a minidisplayport to hdmi adapter from Amazon to use with an extra hdmi cable that I already have. This one had customer reviews confirming that it could pass audio. Got it yesterday, and works like a charm.

(Also nice is that it cost $7.70 versus $34.99 for the one on sale at Apple! Seriously, WTF Apple, that's some Best Buy level shadiness.)
 
B

bamf

macrumors 6502
Feb 14, 2008
413
0
I'm guessing it did not work at first because you were doing a 2 adapter solution.
 
P

Penooker

macrumors member
Apr 22, 2010
76
5
bamf said:
I'm guessing it did not work at first because you were doing a 2 adapter solution.
Click to expand...

I hope you're not suggesting that spending more money is better. Monoprice is a great place to get cables. Their prices are low, their quality is top notch, and their descriptions are accurate. The problem was the OP didn't read the description carefully:

Displayport cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024606&p_id=6007&seq=1&format=2
HDMI cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024603&p_id=5995&seq=1&format=2
HDMI adapter:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5311&seq=1&format=2

The descriptions all say they do not support passing audio. I bought mine from a direct-from-China websites for $5 w/ FS. It's still working flawlessly, including passing audio.
 
Blue Fox

Blue Fox

macrumors 6502a
Apr 13, 2009
514
71
HDMI Audio via Dynex Mini Displayport Dongle

31TLphLanSL.jpg


The Dynex Mini Display port to HDMI dongle that you can get at Best Buy provides video and audio via HDMI. I've confirmed this via my 27" iMac running 10.6.6. You need to change the output in the sound preferences to HDMI of course, but it does indeed work. I'm listening to my iTunes through my TV right now as I type! :D

systempreferencessound001.jpg
 
S

SheridanMac

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 13, 2011
48
4
Penooker said:
The problem was the OP didn't read the description carefully:

Displayport cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024606&p_id=6007&seq=1&format=2
HDMI cable:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024603&p_id=5995&seq=1&format=2
HDMI adapter:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10428&cs_id=1042802&p_id=5311&seq=1&format=2

The descriptions all say they do not support passing audio. I bought mine from a direct-from-China websites for $5 w/ FS. It's still working flawlessly, including passing audio.
Click to expand...

I did read carefully. The product I bought had no such disclaimer. Take a look: mini displayport male to displayport female adapter. Furthermore, the knowledgebase section of the product listing states the opposite

"Question: Q: Does this adapter carry audio?
Answer: A: Yes, if both the source device and receiving device both support the displayport audio format."

johnhalsted said:
try this one http://store.apple.com/uk/product/H1824ZM/A?mco=MTY3ODQ5OTY

its not the cheapest but it works great for me!
Click to expand...

It makes no sense to me to spend $35 on that when you can get the exact same functionality for $7. Here's the link to the one I bought :
cable matters minidisplayport to hdmi. This is a commodity item, not something where the apple premium is justified.
 
Last edited:
P

Penooker

macrumors member
Apr 22, 2010
76
5
SheridanMac said:
I did read carefully. The product I bought had no such disclaimer. Take a look: mini displayport male to displayport female adapter. Furthermore, the knowledgebase section of the product listing states the opposite

"Question: Q: Does this adapter carry audio?
Answer: A: Yes, if both the source device and receiving device both support the displayport audio format."
Click to expand...

I'm sorry. That really sucks, and I hope they give you renumeration. Tell them if they don't, I'll also stop shopping there.
 
R

rubberwheels

macrumors member
Jan 25, 2010
64
0
Blue Fox said:
HDMI Audio via Dynex Mini Displayport Dongle

31TLphLanSL.jpg


The Dynex Mini Display port to HDMI dongle that you can get at Best Buy provides video and audio via HDMI. I've confirmed this via my 27" iMac running 10.6.6. You need to change the output in the sound preferences to HDMI of course, but it does indeed work. I'm listening to my iTunes through my TV right now as I type! :D

systempreferencessound001.jpg
Click to expand...

According to your picture of the output, it states that your device has no output controls. how does your sound go through then? cause mine has the same thing except it's a samsung tv.

EDIT: Okay, i can say that audio works despite what it says there. mine is similar and my audio works.
 
Last edited:
cleric

cleric

macrumors 6502a
Jun 7, 2008
533
0
rubberwheels said:
According to your picture of the output, it states that your device has no output controls. how does your sound go through then? cause mine has the same thing except it's a samsung tv.

EDIT: Okay, i can say that audio works despite what it says there. mine is similar and my audio works.
Click to expand...
It means you cant do anything about it that it just passes it through to the tv :Facepalm:
 
B

bamf

macrumors 6502
Feb 14, 2008
413
0
Penooker said:
I hope you're not suggesting that spending more money is better.
Click to expand...

I'm not suggesting that at all, I'm simply suggesting that daisy chaining adapters is sometimes problematic. If you need to go from MDP to HDMI, then just buy a $7 cable to do that rather than going MDP to DP then DP to HDMI. I think that's what the OP did anyway, and I was saying that it does not surprise me that "fixed" the issue.
 
D

DarwinOSX

macrumors 68000
Nov 3, 2009
1,637
185
I have a Monoprice HDMI adapter. Its a piece of junk. Really cheap looking with huge gaps in the side.
 
M

mattydee87

macrumors regular
Aug 22, 2008
221
0
Adidas Addict said:
Anyone looking for these in the UK, I can recommend the Neet Cables Mini Displayport to HDMi adapter. Works a treat and costs pennies.

It's available from amazon here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-Displ...BFYM/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1295488040&sr=8-9

But I got mine direct from neets ebay store:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110531550076&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
Click to expand...

Aaah brilliant! Just ordered one myself now. Thanks, much appreciated!
 
MacModMachine

MacModMachine

macrumors 68020
Apr 3, 2009
2,476
392
Canada
This is the cables i get from mono price, they carry audio on everything i have tried , including 3 projectors and 3 tv's
 

Attachments

  • minidptohdmi.jpg
    minidptohdmi.jpg
    377.9 KB · Views: 288
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