another mac mini monitor / display conundrum

[wfriedwald]

Okay!

I currently have the new Mac mini attached to two displays:

1. USB-C to displayport on a new Asus (also just purchased a USB-C to HDMI port that I may use)
2. USB-C to HDMI on a projector

and I just tried connecting:

3. USB-C to VGA (via adaptor & VGA cable) on an older monitor, a 19" SyncMaster Samsung.

The older SyncMaster monitor has two input ports:

1. the DVI port is still attached to my older (2008) Mac Pro
2. and I thought I would use the VGA port with the new mac mini - to switch back & forth between the two.

the SyncMaster has an input button, and I thought it would be sufficient to switch back & forth between the two inputs.

but so far it's not working. it sees the DVI input as "digital" and when it's set to DVI, I do in fact get the older Mac Pro.

but when I switch to the other input, which it sees as "analog" (VGA) the screen is blank.

any suggestions?

I guess I can't use the VGA input for the Mini. I will try attaching it via the DVI and see what happens.

thanks again, as always!

w

 

[ixxx69]

Okay!

I currently have the new Mac mini attached to two displays:

1. USB-C to displayport on a new Asus (also just purchased a USB-C to HDMI port that I may use)
2. USB-C to HDMI on a projector

and I just tried connecting:

3. USB-C to VGA (via adaptor & VGA cable) on an older monitor, a 19" SyncMaster Samsung.

The older SyncMaster monitor has two input ports:

1. the DVI port is still attached to my older (2008) Mac Pro
2. and I thought I would use the VGA port with the new mac mini - to switch back & forth between the two.

the SyncMaster has an input button, and I thought it would be sufficient to switch back & forth between the two inputs.

but so far it's not working. it sees the DVI input as "digital" and when it's set to DVI, I do in fact get the older Mac Pro.

but when I switch to the other input, which it sees as "analog" (VGA) the screen is blank.

any suggestions?

I guess I can't use the VGA input for the Mini. I will try attaching it via the DVI and see what happens.

thanks again, as always!

w

Have you tested the VGA input with another computer to confirm there isn't something wrong with the monitor?

The 2018 mini should be able to connect to a VGA display using a USB-C to VGA adapter/cable.

 

[shinji]

Can you connect three displays, all over USB-C to the 2018 Mini? I thought it was 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 + 1 HDMI.

 

[ixxx69]

Can you connect three displays, all over USB-C to the 2018 Mini? I thought it was 2x USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 + 1 HDMI.

That's certainly the case for 4K displays, and though Apple's support doc leaves things ambiguous, I've read elsewhere that seem to suggest the limitation includes lower res displays as well.

If that's the OP's issue, then using an HDMI to HDMI cable for one of the displays should solve that issue easily.

 

[wfriedwald]

UPDATE (Feb 12) - okay here is the current situation:

yes, all three monitors are connected:

Mini USBC port via special cable to HDMI port on new 32" ASUS (this is my main monitor)
Mini HDMI port to HDMI port on inFocus projector
Mini USBC port via adaptor to older Samsung 27" monitor

here's the funny thing: every time I start up, somehow it automatically assumes that either one of the "secondary" monitors is the main one. for the last week or so, as soon as I power on, I have to fiddle with the display options in system preferences.

not sure if I should start a new thread for this, but my question is: is there any one to set the preferences so that it automatically makes the ASUS the main monitor, the one, for instance, with the dock and where I see all the open apps when I press CTRL-TAB?

thanks for any feedback, as always.

w