Inside Apple's New MacBook Pro

[john123]

Where do you see that the Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI adapter carries 8 channel 96 KHz uncompressed 24-bit audio? And TrueHD? And DTS-HD?

Apple's spec sheets don't mention any of this, all I see is:

I didn't claim that. I just claimed it carried an AV signal, and asked the other poster (who mentioned HDMI without references to the specific characteristics or properties) why that wasn't enough. If he wants full-quality audio, that's obviously a separate issue.

 

[AidenShaw]

The Mini Display Port carries a full AV signal right now, and you can get a MDP--HDMI cable. Why doesn't this meet your need?

I didn't claim that. I just claimed it carried an AV signal, and asked the other poster (who mentioned HDMI without references to the specific characteristics or properties) why that wasn't enough. If he wants full-quality audio, that's obviously a separate issue.

Actually, you claimed "full AV", so I assumed that something better than 16 Kbps mono MP3 would be on the connector.

I would also assume that a large percentage of the people asking about audio support on HDMI would be interested in the 8 channel lossless audio formats.

 

[somberlaine]

I suggest checking the refurbished store on a daily basis, in fact it changes throughout the day. But it could be a few days or a few weeks.

i was just checking the refurbished/clearance section and they have previous gen macbook pro 15 with C2D for around $1400...just wondering if i should buy or spend more (at least 1800) for i5 macbook pro. any opinions?

 

[john123]

Actually, you claimed "full AV", so I assumed that something better than 16 Kbps mono MP3 would be on the connector.

I would also assume that a large percentage of the people asking about audio support on HDMI would be interested in the 8 channel lossless audio formats.

1. You're putting words in my mouth
2. Pretty sure you can't speak for the population, or a "large percentage" of it for that matter. Cite some market research into the demand for HDMI if you want to be able to make that claim; otherwise, you have no ground on which to stand.

 

[Surreal]

does anyone know what version of displayport this implements?

how can we check?

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

Market Research

1. You're putting words in my mouth
2. Pretty sure you can't speak for the population, or a "large percentage" of it for that matter. Cite some market research into the demand for HDMI if you want to be able to make that claim; otherwise, you have no ground on which to stand.

Hey, in my own market of one, digital audio over displayport/HDMI is a big deal. True, I don't have any specs for it, but, even basic stereo would be a convenient step up for *me*. YMMV.

Actually, I am quite pleased with almost everything about these new models except the prices. Probably my only complaint is that the 15" seems a little high. Too bad that these MBPs are apparently priced quite high in some European countries.

Hey, if anyone orders the SSH models, I would love to see some disk benchmarks posted comparing SATA to SSD.

 

[john123]

Hey, in my own market of one, digital audio over displayport/HDMI is a big deal. True, I don't have any specs for it, but, even basic stereo would be a convenient step up for *me*. YMMV.

YARGH! This is not the question! The issue isn't whether it's important or a "big deal" as you put it. The whole semantic and stupid point that Aiden has for some unknowing reason tried to make has to do with what people ultimately "mean" when they refer to HDMI over an alternative. For most users -- and I freely admit to be engaging in conjecture here but would love to see some MR on the topic -- this means, I suspect, a digital audio/video connection above all else. Most users who say "I want HDMI" cannot provide technical specifications regarding the audio or video signals therein.

That isn't to say that some users can't, or that these things aren't important to power users.

This is bordering on the most meandering and semantic non-argument I've seen in a while. Now that there are new laptops, folks must be bored.

Edit: you know, halfway scratch all the above. It's not even about what most users mean. It's about what I meant when I wrote what I wrote. Which makes this all the more idiotic.

 

[petrelli18]

okay everyone, i need your help

i am going to buy a MBP for back to school but im not sure which one i will need. I am using it for nothing more than notes, email, internet and some movie watching. Nothing intense. I like the size of the 13", but i just figured the i5/i7 is something i would need.

however, for the huge price difference from the high end 13" to the i7 15" (about 700 with AppleCare) is it really worth it. If im not doing anything intense, will i really notice a difference in speed? or will i really need the additional discrete GPU.

Things like the HD screen, 7200 rpm HDD, i7 processor and discrete GPU all look really attractive on paper, but it it really worth 700$?

I am not really a computer guy, just have been reading alot of MacRumors in anticipation of the upgrade, so i could really use your opinions. Thanks alot.

 

[CrazyChester]

It seems like those complaining the loudest are cork sniffers that probably not buy a new MBP no matter what.

I’ve owned more Macs than I can even remember. I haven’t upgraded my laptop since before the intels came out. So I ordered a 15”, 2.4Ghz, with a 7200 rpm drive. My main purpose for this machine is to run Logic Express in live situations. I’m sure it will have enough power to fill the bill since my old 1.65Ghz Mirrored door G4 runs Logic Pro just fine on 4 gigs of RAM. I’ll punch the MBP out to 8 gigs and will work just fine for laying down liver tracks.

To all the cork sniffers, enjoy complaining and buying your Sony, Hp, Toshiba and Dells and be sure to get back to us when they go south on you.

 

[john123]

Things like the HD screen, 7200 rpm HDD, i7 processor and discrete GPU all look really attractive on paper, but it it really worth 700$?

No. Not at all for what you described. Your only question is whether you can be happy with a 13" screen (and the number of pixels). If you can, then you should buy it. There's not a single reason you'd "need" an i5 or i7, or a 7200 rpm drive, or the better GPU (unless you're playing games, of course).

 

[breathesrain]

The type of audio carried over mini-displayport to HDMI is definitely a question that needs to be asked- I mean, I'm no audiophile, but I prefer to be informed. Think it's worth it trying to chat up an Apple store rep? Not an in-store one, obviously, since they seem to know nothing, but someone online?

side note- I was in the apple store to check out the updated MBPs, and I heard a rep telling someone that the 15"s used the same processor as the 13"s...

 

[AidenShaw]

The whole semantic and stupid point that Aiden has for some unknowing reason tried to make has to do with what people ultimately "mean" when they refer to HDMI over an alternative.

But no - you were the one who said "full AV". My HDMI links carry uncompressed 96KHz/24 bit 8 channel sound, and/or two different flavors of lossless compressed 8 channel sound.

If you say "full AV", you need to able to provide links to back that up. I looked on the Apple website, and as usual Apple is very vague about the specs of their products.

I’ll punch the MBP out to 8 gigs and will work just fine for laying down liver tracks.

I know that it's just a typo - but amusing considering the health problems of the one who wears clothing named after certain chelonians.

 

[thesk1llerz]

Nice :0

This is a very good update for many people. Also for all the people that say the MBP 13 should have the i5 and i7 i agree. But many people use this laptop for school purposes and that usually doesn't require high processor speeds so

 

[boonme]

Is Apple really committed to pro users? From where I sit it doesn't look like it.

Why wait at least another year to get USB 3.0 on the MacbookPros.

PC laptops are already using USB 3.0 for things like HD video capture. The faster bus allows for 10-bit uncompressed HD video. Thats bread and butter to Apple, so why isn't it on the Macpro laptops? And lets not mention the PCI express slot which was dropped a while back from the MacbookPro 15" and the crappy sd card reader put in its place.

Many suspect that Apple has lost its way in mobile lala land.

 

[DMann]

The whole semantic and stupid point that Aiden has for some unknowing reason tried to make has to do with what people ultimately "mean" when they refer to HDMI over an alternative.

But no - you were the one who said "full AV".

But yes, after all of your senseless quibbling, doubting the abilities of DisplayPort 1.2, it turns out that he's been right all along.

"DisplayPort 1.2 also supports multi-streaming--the ability to transport multiple independent uncompressed display and audio streams over a single cable while supporting protected content and high performance applications, such as 3D content. The multi-streaming feature enables the use of multiple monitors connected by cable in a daisy chain or hub configuration."

My HDMI links carry uncompressed 96KHz/24 bit 8 channel sound, and/or two different flavors of lossless compressed 8 channel sound.

It really is all about you, isn't it?

 

[Terminal.app]

You deserve it stupid sheep.

- NOW let's say I wanna do the sheep and buy a MBP while I live in France/Germany/Italy/Spain:

A 13" entry laptop (2,4Ghz & 250go) costs 1.150€ = 1.555$, the price of a 13" with 2,66 GHz & 320go...not cool but...

A 15" entry laptop (2,4Ghz i5 & 320go) costs 1.750€ which is 2.467 ****ing $$ !!! The price of a ****ing high end 17" with 2,66ghz i7 & 500go knowing that in Europe the Buying Power is lower than in the US/CA, and these are time of crisis !!!!

WHAT THE EFF APPLE ??!!

Don't mind me, just living in North America not paying over-the-top outrageous prices and being happy.

 

[chatin]

One ugly lookin Intel chip

Intel has a chip with both the CPU and GPU mounted on separate dies. Worse yet, the CPU is .32 micron process and the GPU is .45 micron.

Don't worry. Purists at Intel will fix it later this year with a fully integrated chip.

Can you see the ugly one Intel wants to fix.

 

[DMann]

Is Apple really committed to pro users? From where I sit it doesn't look like it.

Why wait at least another year to get USB 3.0 on the MacbookPros.

The problem is - there are currently so few peripherals utilizing USB 3.0, few pros are going to miss it.

With Light Peak slated for production in Q1, 2011, we'll likely sooner see the implementation of the highly anticipated Light Peak before we see USB 3.0 in Macs.

 

[BigWil254]

Newly Converted PC to Mac User.

Ok. I ordered my first Mac. After getting the Iphone I was like, Damn if all Apple products are like this then im down like china town....Anywho, I don't really do much on the computer. General computer usage:Music downloading, web browsing... I was wondering if getting the 15in MBP with the i7 was overkill? I was thinking about exchanging for the 13in but, If i wanted a computer with specs like that I coulda just got a pc and put ubuntu on it...

I plan to keep this computer for a couple years then thats where the Best Buy "Accidental" damage will kick in. I know some loop holes on getting a junkout. (off subject)...

(Bought from Best Buy because I got my FX 7811 junked out and they put the money on a giftcard)

 

[fouzy17]

does anyone know when these new MBPs will show up at bestbuy?

 

[Eidorian]

Intel has a chip with both the CPU and GPU mounted on separate dies. Worse yet, the CPU is .32 micron process and the GPU is .45 micron.

Don't worry. Purists at Intel will fix it later this year with a fully integrated chip.

Can you see the ugly one Intel wants to fix.

It's not surprising to see the HM55 chipset without a heatsink.

 

[AidenShaw]

But yes, after all of your senseless quibbling, doubting the abilities of DisplayPort 1.2, it turns out that he's been right all along.

"DisplayPort 1.2 also supports multi-streaming--the ability to transport multiple independent uncompressed display and audio streams over a single cable while supporting protected content and high performance applications, such as 3D content. The multi-streaming feature enables the use of multiple monitors connected by cable in a daisy chain or hub configuration."

My question is what signals does the Apple mini display port carry, not what the cable standard supports.

But you're so eager to toss out personal insults that you didn't understand that.

The problem is - there are currently so few peripherals utilizing USB 3.0, few pros are going to miss it.

That was the situation when Apple put the USB ports on the original Imac - few peripherals around to use it.

Back when Macs used leading edge technology....

 

[Hal Itosis]

My question is what signals does the Apple mini display port carry, not what the cable standard supports.

I'm curious to know (i.e., not arguing): from what sorts of sources inside a Mac might these special signal formats you mention come? A movie file or something?

 

[AidenShaw]

I'm curious to know (i.e., not arguing): from what sorts of sources inside a Mac might these special signal formats you mention come? A movie file or something?

BD or DVD, for example:

The audio data on a DVD movie can be PCM, DTS, MPEG-1 Audio Layer II (MP2), or Dolby Digital (AC-3) format. In countries using the PAL system standard DVD-Video releases must contain at least one audio track using the PCM, MP2, or AC-3 format, and all standard PAL players must support all three of these formats. A similar standard exists in countries using the NTSC system, though with no requirement mandating the use of or support for the MP2 format. DTS audio is optional for all players, as DTS was not part of the initial draft standard and was added later; thus, many early players are unable to play DTS audio tracks. The vast majority of commercial DVD-Video releases today employ AC-3 audio.[citation needed] The official allowed formats for the audio tracks on a DVD Video are:

• PCM: 48 kHz or 96 kHz sampling rate, 16 bit or 24 bit Linear PCM, 2 to 6 channels, up to 6144 kbit/s. N.B. 16-bit 48 kHz 8 channel PCM is allowed by the DVD-Video specification but is not well-supported by authoring applications or players.
• AC-3: 48 kHz sampling rate, 1 to 5.1 (6) channels, up to 448 kbit/s
• DTS: 48 kHz or 96 kHz sampling rate, 2 to 6.1 channels, Half Rate (768 kbit/s) or Full Rate (1536 kbit/s)
• MP2: 48 kHz sampling rate, 1 to 7.1 channels, up to 912 kbit/s

DVDs can contain more than one channel of audio to go together with the video content, supporting a maximum of 8 simultaneous audio tracks per video. This is most commonly used for different audio formats—DTS 5.1, AC-3 2.0 etc.—as well as for commentary and audio tracks in different languages.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_Video#Audio_data

Many home theatre audio amplifiers feature high quality decoders and DACs, so systems are set up so that all of the signal sources send the raw digital bitstreams over HDMI to the control amplifier, which does the decoding into the desired output (for example, 7.1).

 

[allamoureux07]

why?

Stellar updates all around.

And the choice to stick with the c2d (instead of going for a 10% cpu gain and the atrocious intel graphics) is a gutsy and wise one. The small macbook pros now get the superb nvidia ig at 2x performance and better econonomy, open cl enabled (whilst the crappy intel ones aren't) to assist the cpu too.

The only bothersome bit, is that damn insistence on no anti glare for the 13", I would buy it in a breath if it had that...

..ah and let's hope the mba get the updates soon too.

You do know that you can buy an anti-glare screen film...makes it exactly the same as the matte version. And they actually do work...I'm using one now.