My 2018 Intel mini doesn't drive older monitor

[laserfan]

I'm using the passive HDMI to DVI-D (dual) cable that came with my old HP ZR30w monitor but it only drives the 2560x1600 native display at its 1280x800 Safe resolution. Is there any chance a newer HDMI-to-DVI cable will work better? Or do I need instead to try to adapt one of my Mini's C (thunderbolt) ports to the DVI input of the HP? FWIW the HP spec says the DVI-D port is HDCP-compatible.

Yes the display is old but it refuses to die and I don't want to give it away!

 

[PaulD-UK]

That size monitor needs a dual-link DVI cable, like the 30” Apple Cinema Display. That is usually an active powered device.
The Apple cable is a miniDP to dual-link DVI adapter, with USB cable to power it, and only works at 2560x1600 with a dual-link cable.

So for an HDMI cable to work it might need to be powered to do the conversion, and would need to be dual-link.

 

[laserfan]

Thanks PaulD for posting. According to HP's spec, and the physical pins on the DVI-D connector itself, it is a "dual link" cable but I'm damned if I know enough about the HDMI and DVI standards to know what/how the Mac might be inadequate to feed the HP what it wants.

Maybe I should get a powered DP switcher, and a Thunder-to-DP adapter, and use the HP's DP input instead of the HDMI--I want to switch between the Mini and my Windows machine...

Oh, and fwiw I connected the Mini to my 4K TV via another HDMI cable I have here (HDMI to HDMI) and it displayed in glorious 3840x2160 so at least I know my Mac's HDMI-out ain't broke.

 

[PaulD-UK]

You could download Better Display from Github, as it gives much extended monitor control.
Just to check, there's no requirement for external power for the cable in HP's specs?

 

[EugW]

Club 3D has an active USB-C to dual-link DVI dongle that works at full resolution with my 2560x1600 Apple 30" Cinema HD Display. No external power needed. They have one with HDCP support and one without HDCP support. (It's the same dongle but with a different firmware setting to turn on or off HDCP support.)

StarTech also sells one, which happens to look exactly the same as the Club 3D one, but which costs way more. I guess Club 3D and StarTech buy these units from the same OEM.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

use the HP's DP input instead of the HDMI

USB-C to DP would be much simpler.

 

[laserfan]

You could download Better Display from Github, as it gives much extended monitor control.
Just to check, there's no requirement for external power for the cable in HP's specs?

No mention of the need for ext power.

I will try Better Display and if that doesn't do the trick then I'll probs go for a USB-C to DP like FE sez and get a DP switcher as the HP has only one such input and my Dell laptop is connected right now.

 

[Fishrrman]

Does the Dell laptop use a USBc-to-displayport cable?

If so, why not just disconnect the Dell (for the moment) and try that with the Mac?

 

[laserfan]

No the Dell connection cable is a DP on both ends.

 

[laserfan]

You could download Better Display from Github, as it gives much extended monitor control.
Just to check, there's no requirement for external power for the cable in HP's specs?

Done and done. At least, "good enough" though clearly it's not a perfect solution ie. my HP's 2560x1600 native resolution looks awful by it. But it gives me other 16:10 options and I've gotten used to the smaller real estate, if you catch my drift.

Thanks PaulD and all, I will probably try a USB-C to DP cable in the future but for now BetterDisplay is indeed Better..

 

[laserfan]

To put a ribbon on this, I got a powered switch and cables and once I plugged the 2nd "uni" cable into it properly (!) it worked great. Upper cable is to this Windows PC and lower is to one of the Mac Mini USB-C/tbolt ports. The switch works better than the HP's own "Source" switch as it's noticeably quicker in operation. Thanks everyone.

PVBCTCSID Displayport Switch 2 in 1 Out 8K60Hz 4K144Hz DP 1.4 Switcher Compatible with TVs Monitors Laptops PCs Projectors etc (Unidirectional)

DisplayPort Switch

www.amazon.com