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Mini Displayport to VGA or DVI questions

M

MAC~n~Cheese

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 20, 2009
23
0
First, let me say that i've searched through old functions to try and find the answer to my questions but cant find anything that cut and dry.

With that said, I purchased a new 13" MBP two weeks ago and have found a monitor that i intend to purchase as soon as I figure out this cable info. It is an LG LCD 22" monitor with places for both, VGA and DVI.

Question: I know apple sells the Minidisplay Port to VGA or to DVI adapters - and theoretically, i should be able to use either since the monitor supplies both. I've read that overall DVI is better than VGA, while VGA is also an older technology - based on this, I think i want to go the DVI route. I just want to make sure that using this adapter, that everything will work as it should.

In addition, i found another cable online at Monoprice (http://www.monoprice.com/products/p..._id=1042802&p_id=5106&seq=1&format=4#feedback) which I think is the same as the one sold by Apple. Is this the same?

Can someone please just verify that my information is correct and i'm on the right track?
Thanks a ton!
 
Everything you have researched is correct. DVI is a digital input, at least for almost any new monitor, so it is already a step ahead of VGA.

What resolution is your monitor? Sometimes VGA doesn't support the higher resolutions (above 1680x1050 for example) depending on the company/monitor.
 
Yes, definitely go with DVI as the picture quality is better. As to that adapter from monoprice, that adapter is little different from Apple's. Apple sells a Mini-Displayport to DVI-D adapter. The one from monoprice is a Mini-Displayport to DVI-I. DVI-I has 4 pins in a sqaure on the side. I think the one from monoprice will work with your monitor and it is also cheaper.
 
MAC~n~Cheese said:
Thanks!!

Which of these DVI cables do i need?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/s...rd=Video+Cable+-+<b>DVI</b>&keyword=dvi cable

DVI-I, DVI-D, Analog Male, digital male, Dual link male ...
I dont know a ton about these types of cables and just want to avoid having to return one of them, especially if i purchase online.
Click to expand...

If your getting the Apple Mini-Displayport to DVI-D, get a DVI-D Cable Male to Male.
If your getting the Monoprice Mini-Displayport to DVI-I, get a DVI-I Cable Male to Male.
 
Sorry to hijack the thread, but I think this would be good public knowledge.

What is the difference between DVI-I and DVI-D? Which kind works with a Cinema Display?
 
DVI-I carries both an analogue and digital signal while DVI-D carries just the digital signal.

DVI-I output would let you put a VGA adaptor on, like the one you got with the old mac mini with a full size DVI port.
DVI-D would not work with a VGA adaptor, for example the mini-DVI to DVI-D adaptor for the white macbook cannot be connected to a DVI to VGA adaptor.

Im not sure what the cinema displays accept, but how about looking on the specs page?
 
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