favorite display connection?

[xtempo]

I am wondering what everyone's favorite display connection is. It's interesting Apple has had many different connectors for monitors and displays. I noticed I had several different connectors on my PPMs.

Apple Display Connector
mini-VGA out
DVi
S-Video ( and the S-Video to Composite adapter)

are there any more?

Is thunderbolt/Displayport only for intel macs?

 

[casperes1996]

DisplayPort might exist on some PPC's but I don't know. Thunderbolt definitely not though.

Of the PPC display connectors, the objectively best one you listed, is DVI. DVI is actually what later became Display Port (same organisation behind it).

 

[xtempo]

thanks for the info. Isn't ADC like DVI except it has USB to it?

 

[ziggy29]

Favorite aside, I use DVI on almost all of my PPC Macs because it is the most compatible. All of my PPC desktops have DVI (including my old upgraded 7600 which has a Radeon 9200 PCI card) so that's what I use. It's much easier than dealing with multiple monitors and cables when my real estate for working with all these systems is very limited.

 

[jbarley]

thanks for the info. Isn't ADC like DVI except it has USB to it?

Also supplies power to the monitor.

 

[eyoungren]

DVI. It's the most common connector out there (other than VGA).

PS. The Mid-2010 Mac Pro I am typing this on at work right now has no Thunderbolt. Not a single display in this shop has Thunderbolt. All VGA/DVI with the exception of my Mac Pro which has two Mini-Display ports.

 

[casperes1996]

PS. The Mid-2010 Mac Pro I am typing this on at work right now has no Thunderbolt. Not a single display in this shop has Thunderbolt. All VGA/DVI with the exception of my Mac Pro which has two Mini-Display ports.

For the video signal, Thunderbolt and Display Port are indistinguishable.

 

[xtempo]

Also supplies power to the monitor.

right I forgot about power when I typed that.

Also forgot about VGA....

DVI seems to be the best in all things considered. I just think they should of stick with something like did they really need to create ADC rather than use DVI. I do have a dual ADC and DVI card (I think its on the PMG5) and use it or did its in storage. Also have the ADC to DVI adapter. I think other than VGA and DVI seemed to the best to have on a computer.

 

[eyoungren]

DVI seems to be the best in all things considered. I just think they should of stick with something like did they really need to create ADC rather than use DVI. I do have a dual ADC and DVI card (I think its on the PMG5) and use it or did its in storage. Also have the ADC to DVI adapter. I think other than VGA and DVI seemed to the best to have on a computer.

You have to remember that at the time Apple launched ADC they were dominant in the graphics/pro industries. So, they could do pretty much what they wished. Ultimately ADC tanked, which is why you had adapters by the time the PowerMac G5 model rolled out.

 

[Hrududu]

right I forgot about power when I typed that.

Also forgot about VGA....

DVI seems to be the best in all things considered. I just think they should of stick with something like did they really need to create ADC rather than use DVI. I do have a dual ADC and DVI card (I think its on the PMG5) and use it or did its in storage. Also have the ADC to DVI adapter. I think other than VGA and DVI seemed to the best to have on a computer.

Apple has a very long history of "creating" their own video out standards. Their choice to go with DB-15 and HDI-45 over VGA in the 1990s was pretty irritating if you wanted to use a non-Apple display. After a brief acceptance of VGA (and DVI on the original Cinema Display & a graphite 15" LCD) from 99-01, going with ADC on their high end displays, and even after accepting DVI for several years forcing Mini Display Port and Thunderbolt rather than using DVI & HDMI. It is a trend that has transcended CEOs and several eras of Macintoshes, and still remains rather bizarre IMO.

 

[mmphosis]

are there any more?

Although, arguably not my "favorite" cable, the Apple iBook A/V Cable made me do a double-take when I first saw it: Ground, Left + Right Audio, and NTSC Video to Red, White, and Yellow composite video.

 

[AL1630]

DVI 100%. I can use almost any monitor natively or with a simple $5 adapter.

 

[AphoticD]

DVI 100%. I can use almost any monitor natively or with a simple $5 adapter.

Dual-Link DVI is my preferred connection for up to 2560x1600 resolution.

DisplayPort/mini-DP is nice, it produces a crisp (and higher) resolution images via a relatively small jack. I prefer the physical durability of the DVI connection though.

Also, DP uses a different color model(or color range?) to DVI, so on my WQHD display, I need to assign different color profiles between DVI and DisplayPort to produce similar results. I would have preferred the color output to be the same across ports. Maybe it's just my display though.

VGA is only acceptable as a fallback for when you run out of DVI ports. If your display can handle DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort, don't go using VGA just because it's the most convenient option (as in you already had a spare cable), invest in a DVI cable to see the best image your screen can produce.

Lastly, on my Macs, I haven't been able to get the WQHD resolution out of HDMI, it seems to be restricted to 1920x1200. I know there were changes in the HDMI standards which support higher res, but either way I couldn't get the same results as DualLink-DVI (or mini-DP/DP) on my Mac Pro or G5s.

 

[Slix]

I've grown to appreciate ADC, especially now that I have an ADC to DVI adapter, for use with my two displays... But VGA is probably my favorite to use, maybe tied with DVI, only because most of my Macs and displays around the house have VGA or DVI. I think one or two actually only have VGA, so that's nice that it's so common on these computers, and adapters are available.

@mmphosis: I have one of those cables for the iPod photo. Do you know if it's similar or the same as the iBook one? What models supported that? I hadn't found a clear answer up till now.

 

[weckart]

Although, arguably not my "favorite" cable, the Apple iBook A/V Cable made me do a double-take when I first saw it: Ground, Left + Right Audio, and NTSC Video to Red, White, and Yellow composite video.

That’s my least favourite. Could never get it to work.

I like ADC. Fewer cables and no hunting for adapters/extensions when you run out of power sockets.

 

[xtempo]

Although, arguably not my "favorite" cable, the Apple iBook A/V Cable made me do a double-take when I first saw it: Ground, Left + Right Audio, and NTSC Video to Red, White, and Yellow composite video.
View attachment 751220

Is that for an clamshell? On my ibook I got an mini VGA port that uses an adapter.

 

[Hrududu]

Is that for an clamshell? On my ibook I got an mini VGA port that uses an adapter.

Its for the clamshell and 1st two generations of white iBook 12" and the first 14"

 

[amagichnich]

I prefer DVI/HDMI for picture quality but in terms of compatibility I love VGA. It always works as it is expected to work. Especially for projectors I always take VGA over eg HDMI. Also for my portable Macs I prefer VGA because of its smaller size compared to Dvi and the cables are thinner and more flexible

 

[Slix]

I've grown to appreciate ADC, especially now that I have an ADC to DVI adapter, for use with my two displays... But VGA is probably my favorite to use, maybe tied with DVI, only because most of my Macs and displays around the house have VGA or DVI. I think one or two actually only have VGA, so that's nice that it's so common on these computers, and adapters are available.

@mmphosis: I have one of those cables for the iPod photo. Do you know if it's similar or the same as the iBook one? What models supported that? I hadn't found a clear answer up till now.

An update to my question... I tried the iPod AV cord today with my clamshell and white iBook. Both provided audio to my TV, but both also had weird flashy lines all over the TV screen and the audio went funky when I changed the display outputs in System Preferences. Looks like the iBook AV cord is indeed somewhat different.

 

[bobesch]

Although, arguably not my "favorite" cable, the Apple iBook A/V Cable made me do a double-take when I first saw it: Ground, Left + Right Audio, and NTSC Video to Red, White, and Yellow composite video.
View attachment 751220

Yeah, I was really happy to get hands on that type of cable coming with a 12" G3-AcrylicSnow occasion. Connects my Clamshell to our 42"-flat screen or an eyeTV-box. https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...t-about-imovie06-howto.2042289/#post-24540118
Great!

Otherwise DVI / VGA / HDMI are my favourites when it comes to getting a physically sturdy and versatile connection even if ADC is more sophisticated by potentially reducing cables to the minimum.
All kind of e.g. MiniDisplay-Ports are sort of elegant but make you stuck with the coresponding adapters...

 

[xtempo]

When did VGA start on Macs? I thought the early machines used something else to connect to the monitors and you would have to use an adapter to use VGA

 

[1042686]

VGA is convenient but too fuzzy. I like ADC but the resolution limitations on the old acrylic Cinema displays are a drag (still love em tho).

I’d go with dvi or hdmi.

 

[redheeler]

Mini DisplayPort is by far the most versatile (can output a signal compatible with many different standards), but no PPC Mac ever came with that. So my answer would have to be dual-link DVI (most PPC Macs have single-link DVI which isn't capable of driving a 30" Cinema Display at native res, only the higher end / later model G5 graphics cards and PowerBook G4s came with dual).

When did VGA start on Macs? I thought the early machines used something else to connect to the monitors and you would have to use an adapter to use VGA

Yes, prior to the Power Mac G3 Blue & White they used a DB-15 connector, but a signal compatible with VGA making it possible to connect a standard VGA monitor using an adapter. I only have one display that uses DB-15 natively, that being an original LCD Studio Display from 1998 (as far as I know it's the only flat-panel display Apple made to use DB-15, as the following revision in 1999 made the switch to VGA for use with the G3 B&W).