Mac Mini Dual screen ?

m4443 · Jan 10, 2013

Hi,

Just wondered if any one could help, I brought a mac mini in november and I now want to run dual screens from it. At the moment for the main screen I am using a thunderbolt to VGA adapter and brought a HDMI to VGA adapter for the second screen , but when I plug the second screen in the main screen just flashes blue and nothing appears on the second one :/

Does any one have any advice on whats wrong or what I could buy to have two VGA monitors from the mac mini?

(the mac mini has no built in VGA ports)
Thanks in advance

FreakinEurekan · Jan 10, 2013

Do you have DVI port on one of the monitors? I don't think you can run two VGA monitors from a 2011 or 2012 Mac Mini; the monitor driven from the HDMI port must be digital (HDMI directly, or DVI via adapter)

Edit: I'm sure it CAN be done via a digital-to-analog converter, but if you have a DVI port on the monitor it will work better & cheaper

m4443 · Jan 10, 2013

FreakinEurekan said:
Do you have DVI port on one of the monitors? I don't think you can run two VGA monitors from a 2011 or 2012 Mac Mini; the monitor driven from the HDMI port must be digital (HDMI directly, or DVI via adapter)

Edit: I'm sure it CAN be done via a digital-to-analog converter, but if you have a DVI port on the monitor it will work better & cheaper

Hi, thanks for the reply , It dose have a DVI port , what do I need to conect it VIA this?

FreakinEurekan · Jan 10, 2013

m4443 said:
Hi, thanks for the reply , It dose have a DVI port , what do I need to conect it VIA this?

The Mac should have come with an HDMI-DVI adapter, looks like the attached. You'll need a DVI to DVI cable.

m4443 · Jan 10, 2013

Will this one work?

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1-8m-HDMI-to-DVI-Cable-for-HDTV-PC-Monitor-LCD-For-Home-Office-/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA==/$(KGrHqFHJFYE88fNK5M3BPS0I8ZQhQ~~60_12.JPG

FreakinEurekan · Jan 10, 2013

m4443 said:
Will this one work?

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1-8m-HDMI-to-DVI-Cable-for-HDTV-PC-Monitor-LCD-For-Home-Office-/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA==/$(KGrHqFHJFYE88fNK5M3BPS0I8ZQhQ~~60_12.JPG

Yes, that type of cable would work & would not require the adapter.

m4443 · Jan 10, 2013

ok thanks for your help

benwiggy · Jan 10, 2013

m4443 said:
(the mac mini has no built in VGA ports)

VGA is an ancient analog technology from the 1980s, and if your monitor was built in the last ten years or more, it will probably have a DVI connection, and you should use this in preference. I doubt you could buy a VGA monitor today.

You should expect a MacMini to have a VGA port about as much as it should have an RS-232 or serial printer port!

Most people with two monitors use the bundled HDMI to DVI adaptor with one monitor, and a MiniDisplayPort to DVI adaptor for the other monitor. This goes in the Thunderbolt port.

COrocket · Jan 10, 2013

benwiggy said:
VGA is an ancient analog technology from the 1980s, and if your monitor was built in the last ten years or more, it will probably have a DVI connection, and you should use this in preference. I doubt you could buy a VGA monitor today.

You should expect a MacMini to have a VGA port about as much as it should have an RS-232 or serial printer port!

Most people with two monitors use the bundled HDMI to DVI adaptor with one monitor, and a MiniDisplayPort to DVI adaptor for the other monitor. This goes in the Thunderbolt port.

Monitors with VGA ports are still readily available, especially on entry level ones. Id imagine that is why a thunderbolt to VGA adapter is still available.

But I do agree that a dvi or hdmi connection should be used whenever possible.

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