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Triple Display New Mac Mini 2012

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tron2

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 26, 2012
30
5
Hey everyone,

I am debating on whether to get the New Mac Mini 2012 or not. I know from reading the forums the MacBook Pro Retina 15inch, can drive quite a number of monitors.

Can the current new mini drive 3 monitors at 1920x1200. I have two monitors which have DVI/VGA/HDMI and one which has DVI/VGA/HDMI/Displayport.

Since Mac Mini has 1 Thunderbolt, and 1 HDMI - is there anyway I can split the Thunderbolt to 2 DVI's and then use 1 HDMI or is there HDMI splitters to DVI?

I have been searching monoprice for adapters etc, and I really have no idea if there is a splitter.

Or is this is best solution Matrox Dual Head 2 Go - Connect 2 1920x1200 Monitors to it, and One monitor via HDMI for 1920x1200.

I am trying to find the cheapest best alternative option for this. As I have an eye for the base model Mac Mini only (I am not a gamer, even if I play it would be some simple card games like solitaire, poker or chess).

Thanks,

tron2
 
T

tron2

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 26, 2012
30
5
Very Cool

Thanks for the suggestions. I just wish the new Mac Mini had 2-3 Thunderbolt ports. Oh well
 
M

michael_aos

macrumors 6502
Jan 26, 2004
250
0
Thanks for the tip on the USB 3.0 to HDMI/DVI Display Adapter.

I replaced my 2006 Mac Pro 1,1 with a Late 2012 Mac Mini and was disappointed to find that the Intel HD Graphics 4000 768 MB graphics can only drive 2 displays (in any combination).
 
G

gabicava83

macrumors regular
Aug 31, 2010
241
10
ActionableMango

ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,612
6,907
max321 said:
1 x mini display / thunderbolt --> 2 x HDMI

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812500002&name=Video-Card-Accessories
Click to expand...

paulrbeers said:
I've used this very cable from my thunderbolt port of my 2011 Macbook Pro to dual HDMI monitors. This would be the cheapest way to get 3 HDMI monitors going on the 2012 mac Minis. Too bad this one doesn't work on HD3000 computers, but oh well.
Click to expand...

Discontinued? These appear to be out of stock everywhere, even direct from the manufacturer.
 
zer0tails

zer0tails

macrumors 65816
Mar 23, 2008
1,224
0
Canada
hmm..Can't the Mac mini's Thunderbolt port daisy chain? So you could daisy chain three Thunderbold displays from that one port? Or am I mistaken?:confused:
 
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paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
zer0tails said:
hmm..Can't the Mac mini's Thunderbolt port daisy chain? So you could daisy chain three Thunderbold displays from that one port? Or am I mistaken?:confused:
Click to expand...

Yes, but you can only do that with a TBD monitor. Many want to use cheaper alternatives. Further, I believe the HD4000 can only do two TBD and can't use the HDMI when 2 TBD monitors are being used (I could be wrong on that).

----------
ActionableMango said:
Discontinued? These appear to be out of stock everywhere, even direct from the manufacturer.
Click to expand...

Yeah, looking like so. Bummer. Mine worked really well.
 
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colonelclick

macrumors newbie
Jan 17, 2013
8
0
The HDMI splitter is sold out but see below, as I quote myself.

http://www.amazon.com/review/R3A71KRIQQZECL/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

colonelclick said:
YES. YES. YES!

I have a 2012 i7 Mac Mini with three displays, none of them mirrored.

You can read more in my review (link below). I am posting this because I spent a lot of time trying to get this work and the answer turned out to be quite simple.

http://www.amazon.com/J5-Create-JUA350-Display-Adapter/dp/B0079VXOWO/ref=cm_cr-mr-title
Click to expand...
 
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M

marker227

macrumors 6502
Mar 29, 2004
349
5
Hey all, I plan on buying the 2012 Mac Mini MD388LL/A.

I wanted to know if this could drive (non-Apple) 1 30" and 2 22" monitors. If so, what is the most reliable way to do so? I've read some reviews stating that the signal isn't always the greatest when using a splitter, etc.
 
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paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
marker227 said:
Hey all, I plan on buying the 2012 Mac Mini MD388LL/A.

I wanted to know if this could drive (non-Apple) 1 30" and 2 22" monitors. If so, what is the most reliable way to do so? I've read some reviews stating that the signal isn't always the greatest when using a splitter, etc.
Click to expand...

You would need to use a USB to DVI/HDMI/VGA in order to drive the second 22" monitor. I'm also going to recommend you only try driving the 30" monitor with the Thunderbolt/MDP port IF your 30" display has MDP or DP port. Otherwise you have to use an MDP to Dual-DVI converter (about $60) and they seem to be pretty hit or miss whether they work or not.
 
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paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
Neodym said:
Sure? DisplayPort 1.2 officially supports daisy chaining and there are already some monitors available that offer an explicit DisplayPort-out for daisy-chaining.

I seem to recall a posting claiming success on a Mac (using a Thunderbolt/MiniDisplayPort adapter to DVI on such a DisplayPort-out port). Can't find the forum entry anymore, though :-/
Click to expand...

First off that comment was made back at the beginning of 2013 and a lot changes in 1.5 years. however, the 2012 mac mini only has Thunderbolt 1 which only does displayport 1.1 and thus can not do daisy chaining. You can only daisy chain using a Thunderbolt display.
 
Neodym

Neodym

macrumors 68020
Jul 5, 2002
2,433
1,069
paulrbeers said:
First off that comment was made back at the beginning of 2013 and a lot changes in 1.5 years.
Click to expand...

Oops - sorry, I obviously fell for a zombie thread. Should've checked the date of your post I quoted :eek:

paulrbeers said:
however, the 2012 mac mini only has Thunderbolt 1 which only does displayport 1.1 and thus can not do daisy chaining. You can only daisy chain using a Thunderbolt display.
Click to expand...

Hmm, somehow I assumed that if Apple can daisy-chain their Thunderbolt displays with TB1 devices, they would not develop that feature completely proprietary, but rather take existing elements (like e.g. the MST feature of DP1.2) and use it in their Thunderbolt implementation in addition to the "normal" DP1.1(a) embedded there.

Apple was a major driving (and thus defining) force in Thunderbolt and the Mini Displayport connector. DP1.2 was approved in Dec-2009, i.e. way before Apple released the first Thunderbolt mini in Jul-2011, so they might have "borrowed" what they needed. After all they don't claim strict compliance to a certain DP standard for their Thunderbolt products, do they?

Unfortunately I don't have a monitor with DP-out, otherwise I'd be tempted to try it using a native Windows installation on the mini. :)
 
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paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
Neodym said:
Oops - sorry, I obviously fell for a zombie thread. Should've checked the date of your post I quoted :eek:



Hmm, somehow I assumed that if Apple can daisy-chain their Thunderbolt displays with TB1 devices, they would not develop that feature completely proprietary, but rather take existing elements (like e.g. the MST feature of DP1.2) and use it in their Thunderbolt implementation in addition to the "normal" DP1.1(a) embedded there.

Apple was a major driving (and thus defining) force in Thunderbolt and the Mini Displayport connector. DP1.2 was approved in Dec-2009, i.e. way before Apple released the first Thunderbolt mini in Jul-2011, so they might have "borrowed" what they needed. After all they don't claim strict compliance to a certain DP standard for their Thunderbolt products, do they?

Unfortunately I don't have a monitor with DP-out, otherwise I'd be tempted to try it using a native Windows installation on the mini. :)
Click to expand...

Technical limitation of Thunderbolt 1. Remember Thunderbolt 1 only had a max bandwidth of 10Gbit/s. Displayport 1.2 requires 17.28Gbit/s. It wasn't until Thunderbolt 2, with it's 20Gbit/s that there was enough bandwidth to carry Displayport 1.2.

It was a technical limitation. I'm sure Apple/Intel would have preferred to support DP1.2 from the get go if they could have.
 
M

marker227

macrumors 6502
Mar 29, 2004
349
5
paulrbeers said:
You would need to use a USB to DVI/HDMI/VGA in order to drive the second 22" monitor. I'm also going to recommend you only try driving the 30" monitor with the Thunderbolt/MDP port IF your 30" display has MDP or DP port. Otherwise you have to use an MDP to Dual-DVI converter (about $60) and they seem to be pretty hit or miss whether they work or not.
Click to expand...



Isn't the USB connection going to
be slower? I have an AOC 18" and it's only good for Skype or small programs.

The 22" monitor I would be getting has DVI and VGA. It's a Dell 21.9" I believe.
 
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paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
marker227 said:
Isn't the USB connection going to
be slower? I have an AOC 18" and it's only good for Skype or small programs.

The 22" monitor I would be getting has DVI and VGA. It's a Dell 21.9" I believe.
Click to expand...

Of course it is, but you can't connect 3 monitors any other way to a 2012. They only support 2 using the GPU.
 
Neodym

Neodym

macrumors 68020
Jul 5, 2002
2,433
1,069
paulrbeers said:
It was a technical limitation. I'm sure Apple/Intel would have preferred to support DP1.2 from the get go if they could have.
Click to expand...
If it is a purely technical limitation, how does Apple achieve daisy-chaining with 2 Thunderbolt displays on a Thunderbolt 1 connection?
 
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paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
Neodym said:
If it is a purely technical limitation, how does Apple achieve daisy-chaining with 2 Thunderbolt displays on a Thunderbolt 1 connection?
Click to expand...

Because Thunderbolt 1 actually had two channels. Thus with the TBD display could pull the display off of one Thunderbolt Channel and then the second display pulled it off of the Second Thunderbolt Channel. Thunderbolt 2 combined the two channels into one. Thus Displayport now had the 20Gbit/s it needed to use DP1.2.

Seriously, just google all of this. Anandtech did a heck of a write up about the advantages and limitations of Thunderbolt when it was first released.
 
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paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
marker227 said:
Is there a way to use a Thunderbolt splitter to drive 1 30" and 1 22"? That would free up the HDMI port.
Click to expand...

Nope. And even if you used two Thunderbolt Displays, you couldn't drive a monitor with the HDMI port.....

support.apple.com/en-us/HT5219#18
 
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