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Mac Mini Support Dual Monitors?

Harlowgold1

Harlowgold1

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
266
224
Ohio - GO BUCKEYES!
My brother and I are disagreeing over the new MAC Mini and the two video cable connections on the back. He said it will support dual monitors and I said it is just a different type of connection for one monitor. Who is right?

Thanks - Jenny:D
 
Harlowgold1 said:
My brother and I are disagreeing over the new MAC Mini and the two video cable connections on the back. He said it will support dual monitors and I said it is just a different type of connection for one monitor. Who is right?

Thanks - Jenny:D
Click to expand...

Apple says it has 2 video ports and with an adaptor on one of the (non-standard) ports two LCD monitors can be connected.
 
From http://www.apple.com/macmini/specs.html
Extended desktop and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports up to 1920 by 1200 pixels on a DVI or VGA display; up to 2560 by 1600 pixels on a dual-link DVI display using Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (sold separately)
Click to expand...
Also, from http://www.apple.com/macmini/features.html
Expand your experience.
There’s nothing quite like seeing your photos and movies on a big, beautiful display. Unless, of course, you add a second. Mac mini comes with both mini-DVI and Mini DisplayPort output ports, so you can connect up to two displays.
Click to expand...
 
Does that mean both monitors will display the exact same thing or can they be used seperately like you can with a mb/mbp/iMac?
 
Your brother.

Your brother is right. It will support duel monitors. Just over the two different connections. He said it.
 
So is the the recommended method to use two DVI monitors at the same time?

Connect monitor #1 with the Mini DVI to DVI adapter
Connect monitor #2 with the mini-displayport to DVI adapter

?

Sorry if it seems obvious, but I am fairly new to Mac.
 
What I really would like to know is if those two displays can be/are separated? For example, if I put a DVD in Mac Mini, will it start playing automatically on one display, while I have computer on the other display, without me dragging the window from one monitor to the other one?

Or Netflix or Hulu, for example, can we set up Mac Mini to play it on specific display?

Thanks.

P.S. I read GGJstudios' reply. Cheers.
 
vns said:
What I really would like to know is if those two displays can be/are separated? For example, if I put a DVD in Mac Mini, will it start playing automatically on one display, while I have computer on the other display, without me dragging the window from one monitor to the other one?

Or Netflix or Hulu, for example, can we set up Mac Mini to play it on specific display?

Thanks.

P.S. I read GGJstudios' reply. Cheers.
Click to expand...

Yes you can setup it up to do all those things. I know OS X can handle it as I have done it for my father's Mac Pro, I don't see any reason the Mac Mini can't do it, its all software based at that point, not hardware.

-iGrant
 
PaulexPC said:
So is the the recommended method to use two DVI monitors at the same time?

Connect monitor #1 with the Mini DVI to DVI adapter
Connect monitor #2 with the mini-displayport to DVI adapter

?

Sorry if it seems obvious, but I am fairly new to Mac.
Click to expand...

Yes, this will work. No worries :)
 
upaymeifixit said:
Your brother is right. It will support duel monitors. Just over the two different connections. He said it.
Click to expand...
I can confirm that this is the case as I currently have the setup now -- HDMI and MiniDisplay port, both adapted to DVI into 2 Dell UltraSharp U2711 27" monitors. The desktop is successfully spanned across both monitors, even though they are hung in an up/down configuration (using the monitor controls to flip one display I believe).

What I don't think anyone here knows is (but am hoping they do:)): Is there a performance bonus you can get by instead a 3rd party device to use just one of the display ports on the back of the Mac Mini (either HDMI or MiniDisplayPort) instead of using both HDMI and MiniDisplayport at once? I've noticed a little sluggishness with the Mini in this new configuration and I want to see if I can put the burden of that on an external device.
 
turbobass said:
What I don't think anyone here knows is (but am hoping they do:)): Is there a performance bonus you can get by instead a 3rd party device to use just one of the display ports on the back of the Mac Mini (either HDMI or MiniDisplayPort) instead of using both HDMI and MiniDisplayport at once? I've noticed a little sluggishness with the Mini in this new configuration and I want to see if I can put the burden of that on an external device.
Click to expand...

I've noticed a sluggishness even with one monitor when I use it as a rotated display. Based on that experience, I'd suspect your rotated "upside down" monitor.
 
CRT Monitor?

My Mac mini runs an LCD monitor. I turn off the mini and throw a toggle to get it to run a 2006 HP CRT in another room. Lately that choreography has become unhandy. Is it possible that both monitors could be run simultaneously from a Y connector, or simply use both ports? I know only that electricity is too weird for me.
 
turbobass said:
I can confirm that this is the case as I currently have the setup now -- HDMI and MiniDisplay port, both adapted to DVI into 2 Dell UltraSharp U2711 27" monitors. The desktop is successfully spanned across both monitors, even though they are hung in an up/down configuration (using the monitor controls to flip one display I believe).

What I don't think anyone here knows is (but am hoping they do:)): Is there a performance bonus you can get by instead a 3rd party device to use just one of the display ports on the back of the Mac Mini (either HDMI or MiniDisplayPort) instead of using both HDMI and MiniDisplayport at once? I've noticed a little sluggishness with the Mini in this new configuration and I want to see if I can put the burden of that on an external device.
Click to expand...

How do you get 2560x1440 over HDMI?
 
Hi,
how about this:
 

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My multi-display setup

Just to weigh in, I have two displays attached to my mac mini. One DVI monitor to the mini DVI port and my television to the HDMI port. Works great, I can watch hulu/netflix on my 32" screen.

It works best if I do not mirror the displays as they are set to different resolutions. I set the monitor to 1680x1050 and the TV display to 1080p.
 
USB to DVI? Up to 6 monitors?

Has anyone tried this device? According to the website it can support up to 6 monitors (two through the standard monitor methods, I assume, plus one each for each of the USB ports which means, of course, if you use 6 monitors, you can't use the USB ports for anything else...).

Want to add more monitors to your computer? It’s easy with Gefen's adapter. Just add more USB to DVI adapters and connect each one up to another monitor. You simultaneously use up to six additional monitors.
Click to expand...

http://sewelldirect.com/articles/mac-mini-dual-monitor-support.aspx
 
jkoe said:
Has anyone tried this device? According to the website it can support up to 6 monitors (two through the standard monitor methods, I assume, plus one each for each of the USB ports which means, of course, if you use 6 monitors, you can't use the USB ports for anything else...).
Click to expand...

I don't have that specific adapter, but I have one using the same chipset which OWC sells... Works great for most applications, but is horrible with video and flash. I've only done one DisplayLink adapter, with the two video ports on my Mini - Never gone to four or above.
 
Question specific to 2007 2,1 model Mac Mini

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum and going through all the posts I see that everyone is mostly talking about the 2009+ Mac Mini models.

I have an older one (2007 2,1 model Mac Mini) - is there anyway I can use this with dual monitors?

My aim is to (if possible) connect an HDTV for my kids in addition to the existing 22 inch Viewsonic monitor for my own work.

From what I know, I only have a DVI port .... thanks for reading!
 
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