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Dual Monitors

G

GeoffWillis

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 11, 2012
28
1
San Antonio, TX
I have a question about dual monitors for a Mac mini. I just bought an I7/Quad core 2.3 Mini and want to run dual monitors. I read all the threads I could find on it and it seems that:
1) Folks use the HDMI output for 1 monitor
2) They use the TB output for the other

Why is this? I'm hesitant to give up the TB connector and loose the high speed bus it provides. Can't I use one of the USB-3 ports and convert to DVI? Probably a stupid question, but does USB support video??? I ordered two Dell U2410M's, which don't have HDMI imputs, but have DVI inputs. Is there some way (Other than buying a $1000 TB monitor) that I can run dual monitors, and maitain my TB connector for "Future growth"?
Oh, also upgraded to 16GB RAM (Thanks OWC!).

Thanks
Geoff
 
simsaladimbamba

simsaladimbamba

Guest
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
30
located
Use the HDMI to DVI adapter to use the DVI connection of one monitor, then use a Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter for the other monitor and use the TB port for that.

Once you get another TB device, connect the TB device to the Mac and connect the MDP>DVI adapter to the other TB device.

Thunderbolt is daisy-chain-able with up to 6 devices (thus the proper TB devices have two TB ports).
 
P

paulrbeers

macrumors 68040
Dec 17, 2009
3,963
123
GeoffWillis said:
I have a question about dual monitors for a Mac mini. I just bought an I7/Quad core 2.3 Mini and want to run dual monitors. I read all the threads I could find on it and it seems that:
1) Folks use the HDMI output for 1 monitor
2) They use the TB output for the other

Why is this? I'm hesitant to give up the TB connector and loose the high speed bus it provides. Can't I use one of the USB-3 ports and convert to DVI? Probably a stupid question, but does USB support video??? I ordered two Dell U2410M's, which don't have HDMI imputs, but have DVI inputs. Is there some way (Other than buying a $1000 TB monitor) that I can run dual monitors, and maitain my TB connector for "Future growth"?
Oh, also upgraded to 16GB RAM (Thanks OWC!).

Thanks
Geoff
Click to expand...

The monitor just needs to be the last item on the Thunderbolt "chain" so if you have Thunderbolt items then you just put those between the computer and the monitor. The only way this doesn't work is if your Thunderbolt device only has a Thunderbolt In but no output (thus unable to daisy chain).

And no, you do not want to use a USB to DVI device. They are slow with poor refresh rates.
 
G

GeoffWillis

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 11, 2012
28
1
San Antonio, TX
Thanks, all good info

Thanks folks, should have been able to figure that out on my own, but appreciate the help. I'm assuming that all TB devices (Disk Drives, ???) have an in/out, and just terminate the chain with the monitor. I knew it didn't make sense that I'd loose the TB bus just to have dual monitors. Now, if those darn monitors will just hurry up and get here I'm ready to go!
 
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