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External Display Connection problem

H

Huddle

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 23, 2009
88
0
I'm buying a monitor today that comes with a VGA cable only but the monitor also has a DVI port. How do I go about doing the following:

VGA > HDMI > Mini Display Port

Or

DVI > HDMI > Mini Display Port

Thanks.

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I'm thinking:

DVI cable plugged into the screen plugged into a DVI to HDMI splitter and then a HDMI to Minidisplay port plugged into the other side of that. Will this work?
 
What about using a simple Mini DisplayPort (MDP) to DVI adapter plus DVI cable?
Using a MDP to HDMI adapter and then a VGA cable will not work, as MDP and HDMI are digital and VGA is analog, and AFAIK HDMI is digital only.

Mini DisplayPort (MDP) / Thunderbolt
Mini DisplayPort is the current digital standard on all current Macs to transfer video to an external display or TV. It has been introduced in 10/2008 with the release of the Unibody MacBook and MacBook Pros and has gradually been adopted on all other Macs.
MDP is capable of transmitting video, and since 2010, audio too. MDP is a miniaturised version of DisplayPort. It is also license free and can support resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600, which Mini DVI and Micro DVI are not able to do.
Since 2011, all Macs come with a Thunderbolt port, which is meant for fast data transfer and also as means to connect to an external display device to mirror or extend the Mac's screen.
To learn more about Thunderbolt (TB) and its compatibility with Mini DisplayPort (MDP): Introducing Thunderbolt​
MR_video_out_Mac_Mini_DP.png
MDP adapters and cables can be bought online from:


Also of interest: "What is "Mini DisplayPort"? Is it an industry-standard? How is it different from or better than Mini-DVI and Micro-DVI?"
​
Click to expand...

from
 
Thanks a lot for that, but will what I suggested work?

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I'm just interested in what will give me the best picture.
 
Huddle said:
Thanks a lot for that, but will what I suggested work?
Click to expand...
Only the MDP - HDMI - DVI convolution might work.

I'm just interested in what will give me the best picture.
Click to expand...
The best picture will be gotten using only one adapter instead of two, thus I recommend going either the MDP > VGA > VGA cable, MDP > DVI > DVI cable or MDP > HDMI > HDMI cable route (if the monitor supports HDMI input).
Do not mix them.
The best is MDP to DVI, unless you want to watch copy protected movies and need HDCP, thus you should use HDMI, but then again, if you use HDMI and "convert" it to DVI again (if the monitor has no HDMI input), HDCP will not work.

In short, go the MDP > DVI route if HDCP is not of concern and you are interested in the best picture quality.
 
simsaladimbamba said:
Only the MDP - HDMI - DVI convolution might work.


The best picture will be gotten using only one adapter instead of two, thus I recommend going either the MDP > VGA > VGA cable, MDP > DVI > DVI cable or MDP > HDMI > HDMI cable route (if the monitor supports HDMI input).
Do not mix them.
The best is MDP to DVI, unless you want to watch copy protected movies and need HDCP, thus you should use HDMI, but then again, if you use HDMI and "convert" it to DVI again (if the monitor has no HDMI input), HDCP will not work.

In short, go the MDP > DVI route if HDCP is not of concern and you are interested in the best picture quality.
Click to expand...

See thats the thing, it doesn't have an HDMI port. Will DVI > MDP work better than DVI > HDMI > MDP
 
Huddle said:
See thats the thing, it doesn't have an HDMI port. Will DVI > MDP work better than DVI > HDMI > MDP
Click to expand...

Why do you want to use HDMI? And yes, MDP > DVI will work better, one less variable to troubleshoot if MDP > HDMI > DVI does not work.

You can get MDP > DVI adapters and DVI cables (if the monitor does not come with one, which would be strange) go to MonoPrice (as linked to in the MDP quote) for adapters and cables for less than 10 USD each, if you are residing in North America.
 
Rhinoevans said:
Does MDP = Thunderbolt?

My 2012 comes with Thunderbolt, so if I buy a MDP to HDMI, it will work?
Click to expand...

As seen in the quote in post #2, Thunderbolt is backwards compatible to MDP.

To learn more about Thunderbolt (TB) and its compatibility with Mini DisplayPort (MDP):
​
And because Thunderbolt is based on DisplayPort technology, the video standard for high-resolution displays, any Mini DisplayPort display plugs right into the Thunderbolt port. To connect a DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA display, just use an existing adapter.
Click to expand...
 
simsaladimbamba said:
Why do you want to use HDMI? And yes, MDP > DVI will work better, one less variable to troubleshoot if MDP > HDMI > DVI does not work.

You can get MDP > DVI adapters and DVI cables (if the monitor does not come with one, which would be strange) go to MonoPrice (as linked to in the MDP quote) for adapters and cables for less than 10 USD each, if you are residing in North America.
Click to expand...

I wanted to use HDMI because I thought it would result in better picture quality. But if it doesn't I'll just get the DVI MDP

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So I should get a DVI to TB instead of DVI to MDP, that would work better?
 
Which would give the better picture quality? DVI to MDP or DVI to TB?
 
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