Mac Mini Multi Monitor

[quackers82]

Never done Multimonitor on a Mac so hopefully somebody can just clear something up.

The Mac mini comes with 1 HDMI Port and 2 Thunderbolt ports. The whole Thunderbolt/Mini display port thing confuses me.

Am i right in thinking i can drive 1 monitor off the HDMI port and a further 2 off the Thunderbolts if i get http://store.apple.com/uk/product/HFQL2VC/A/moshi-mini-displayport-to-hdmi-adapter-4k?fnode=51 ? Just plug in and away i go?

 

[Jozone]

Fortunately you don't even need anything that expensive! Just look for Mini-displayport to HDMI cables (or whatever connection you need) -- in the US these are typically found online for < $10/ea.

 

[Partron22]

Be aware that some older displays do not play well as a second Thunderbolt display on the 2014 mini.
I had one (about 2011) that either wouldn't come up at all as second display or would set both displays to blinking every few seconds. The only fix I found was to swap it out for a newer display.

 

[Yakibomb]

Be aware that some older displays do not play well as a second Thunderbolt display on the 2014 mini.
I had one (about 2011) that either wouldn't come up at all as second display or would set both displays to blinking every few seconds. The only fix I found was to swap it out for a newer display.

Any idea what caused that?

 

[Partron22]

Played with it for some time, and made some progress.
Notes (there are lots more of these):
I think I fixed it.
System Prefs->Mission Control
Uncheck displays have separate spaces (this kills menu bar on 2' screen)
Go into Mission control (ctl uparrow) and delete all but one space.
Reboot with both monitors on came up perfectly.
Sleep with both monitors on gave me blinky 1' and blank 2'
a power off/on of 2' display fixed that.
Again, reboot w both monitors on came up perfectly.
Again, with iTunes on 2' display. It moved iTunes to 1', but otherwise came up OK.
Again, with iTunes on 2' display. Took it a while with many blinks, but eventually it came up OK on its own. iTunes->1' display again.

After sleep/wake -> blinky mode, clicking "detect displays" in displays prefs pane (hold down opt key to see)
will fix the blinky and bring up both displays properly without having to power down 2' display.
Works repeatedly. "gather windows" will work as well.


That fix didn't hold, eventually it came up after a reboot/sleep with display problems.
I think it has to do with Thunderbolt network latency conflicting with how long it takes an older display to power up/wake up. Can't prove that though.

Fortunately I'd gotten my wife a cheap new monitor. Swapped that for my nicer but older display and both systems work dual display fine. (Hers is Yosemite on a 2010 mini thru DVI and VGA adaptors - no Thunderbolt).

 

[westrock2000]

You can use USB3 monitor adaptors. That leaves your Thunderbolt port open.

 

[mj12albert]

I had one (about 2011) that either wouldn't come up at all as second display or would set both displays to blinking every few seconds.

So you're driving 2 monitors off the 2 thunderbolt ports... are you doing mDP to DVI or displayport (or something else)?

Planning to upgrade from a 2011 mini to a 2014 mini soon, and wanted to make sure I can drive two QX2710s (2560x1440) with mDP to DP.

The specs page from Everymac (http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-i5-2.8-late-2014-specs.html) says “This model supports "up to two displays" at 2560x1600, both at millions of colors, via the two Thunderbolt 2 ports. It supports Thunderbolt digital video output and native Mini DisplayPort output as well as DVI, VGA, and Dual-link DVI using Mini DisplayPort to DVI, Mini DisplayPort to VGA, and Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapters.” which doesn't explicitly mention mDP to DP.

 

[Partron22]

Both mDP to DVI.

 

[campyguy]

OP, we've got 5 Minis (4 2012 and 1 2014) in my company, one with 2 displays and one with 3 displays, the rest with 1 display.

I bought one each of the the new Matrox TripleHead2Go Digital SE and DualHead2Go Digital ME - they're eGPU boxes, connected to DVI-D displays. The Matrox driver software could be a bit slicker but it works, but now those two Minis have plenty of real estate. Both eGPUs use one DP cable from the Mini. http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/

About the reviews on Amazon, if you check them out there - ignore the ratings. The resellers have the old versions mixed with the new ones, and the resellers don't offer any tech support - people often bought the wrong model. I bought ours from Matrox, same price.

 

[MRrainer]

Interesting. And good to know that this exists and works.
But I like the vertical space of my old HP LP 3065 ;-)