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Request Mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort Adapter from Apple

V

Val-kyrie

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Feb 13, 2005
2,107
1,419
I would like to encourage anyone interested in connecting the MBP via the mini-DisplayPort to the increasing number of new monitors with the standard DisplayPort input to request that Apple manufacture a mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort adapter. Since Apple decided to miniaturize a standard port, it would be nice if they would help us out in connecting it to the standard port.

Please follow this link and request the adapter.

Thanks.

Val-kyrie
 
The only monitor I know of that could even benefit from that is the 30" Dell.
 
I have a 24" Dell UltraSharp that uses DisplayPort and am surprised that Apple would not think that an adapter for standard DisplayPort would be warranted.

Hopefully one will come soon.
 
alphaod said:
The only monitor I know of that could even benefit from that is the 30" Dell.
Click to expand...

Actually, I am considering the HP LP2475W which has DisplayPort because it has a matte screen and also has an H-IPS panel in it; although, unfortunately it does not have an LED backlight.
 
I finally got my Mini-DisplayPort to Dual-link DVI adapter. Still waiting for someone to make a Mini-DisplayPort to regular size DisplayPort adapter....
 
Pointless request with Apple.

You would have better luck making the request with Dr Bott or Belkin.

They tend to make the stuff that Apple won't.
 
I personally have no need for such an adapter, but I really don't see why in the world did Apple have to shrink it? I mean isn't the "real deal" about the same size? I understand Mini-DVI, as thats tiny compared to normal DVI, but DisplayPort? Really?
 
Patriks7 said:
I personally have no need for such an adapter, but I really don't see why in the world did Apple have to shrink it? I mean isn't the "real deal" about the same size? I understand Mini-DVI, as thats tiny compared to normal DVI, but DisplayPort? Really?
Click to expand...

The rumor was they did it because the normal DisplayPort wouldn't fit on the MacBook Air.
 
Runt888 said:
The rumor was they did it because the normal DisplayPort wouldn't fit on the MacBook Air.
Click to expand...

Well, that excuse is no longer valid since the new GPU options for the new Mac Pro's only have mini-DisplayPort, and not regular-size DisplayPort. And the ATI 4870 is even a double-wide PCIe card. Plenty of room on there....
 
Mini displayport is a freely available standard. Just give it some time and you'll get plenty of adaptors. Check out monoprice.com - they are making adaptors and have a portion of the site dedicated to it. You can put your email address there and you'll get an email when they're available, should be later this month.
 
RAS admin said:
Well, that excuse is no longer valid since the new GPU options for the new Mac Pro's only have mini-DisplayPort, and not regular-size DisplayPort. And the ATI 4870 is even a double-wide PCIe card. Plenty of room on there....
Click to expand...

Just because DisplayPort would fit on a MacPro, doesn't mean it will fit on a MacBook Air. So the excuse is still perfectly valid. Apple likes to be consistent across their product lines, so it would make sense that they would only support one type of display connector. Once mini DisplayPort is officially part of the standard, there will be plenty of adaptors for it.
 
Runt888 said:
Once mini DisplayPort is officially part of the standard, there will be plenty of adaptors for it.
Click to expand...

That's not a very good excuse either. Anyone can freely license the spec right now. It is not like VESA is going to change Apple's spec when they release the DisplayPort 1.2.
 
RAS admin said:
They don't even have the adapter we are looking for listed on that site. So, no, it won't be available later this month.
Click to expand...
I understand you're looking for a mini displayport to displayport adaptor. But I don't believe any of the monitors you speak of have ONLY a displayport on the back. In fact, I googled the LP2475W and I see it has both displayport and HDMI. So is the monoprice cable exactly what you're looking for? Nope. Will it work in 100% compatibility with the device you'd like to buy? Yup. Does it solve your problem? Yup.

I'm not defending Apple - i'm merely saying that a solution will be out very soon that will let you do what you want to do.
 
spaceballl said:
I understand you're looking for a mini displayport to displayport adaptor. But I don't believe any of the monitors you speak of have ONLY a displayport on the back. In fact, I googled the LP2475W and I see it has both displayport and HDMI. So is the monoprice cable exactly what you're looking for? Nope. Will it work in 100% compatibility with the device you'd like to buy? Yup. Does it solve your problem? Yup.

I'm not defending Apple - i'm merely saying that a solution will be out very soon that will let you do what you want to do.
Click to expand...

Not completely. I'm currently using an Apple mini-DP to DVI adapter to connect my MBP to a Dell 2408WFP monitor, which supports both DVI and DP connections, among others.

I often use BootCamp to boot into Windows to playback commercial Blu-ray discs within Windows. Although the unibody MBPs are "supposed" to properly support HDCP (which is required for Blu-ray playback over digital display connections), and the monitor certainly does over both DP and DVI, PowerDVD does not recognize a valid HDCP-protected path to the display using this method. This could be caused by any number of components (though I've tested HDCP-over-DVI with other computers to the monitor and always had success), it "appears" that either the existing Windows drivers don't properly support HDCP over DVI via the mini-DP adapter OR the mini-DP port itself is unable to properly send an HDCP signal that is properly converted using the DVI adapter.

I, for one, am very hopeful that either the BootCamp 3.0 update coming with 10.6 Snow Leopard will resolve the issue (if it is a driver problem) or that a mini-DP to DP cable comes out that can properly transmit the the HDCP signal to a monitor (if it is a hardware problem). So, for some specific purposes at least, the existing adapters are not sufficient.
 
JadedRaverLA said:
[..] OR the mini-DP port itself is unable to properly send an HDCP signal that is properly converted using the DVI adapter.
Click to expand...

I highly doubt this is a problem with the adaptor (unless you're using the dual DVI adaptor). When the adaptor is plugged in, it just signals the card to send a DVI signal out of the mini DisplayPort connection. All that the adaptor does is pass the signal through to different pins on the DVI connector. I'd guess that it's a driver problem.
 
Sun Baked said:
Pointless request with Apple.

You would have better luck making the request with Dr Bott or Belkin.

They tend to make the stuff that Apple won't.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I would highly doubt that Apple is going to produce an adapter that will work with a monitor that they don't sell. Why would they make such an adapter when you can just buy one of their new Mini Displayport monitors to connect to your Macbook?

Runt888 said:
The rumor was they did it because the normal DisplayPort wouldn't fit on the MacBook Air.
Click to expand...

A valid theory. I have one of my own. My company makes Displayport cables and something that is not known very well outside of the industry is that Molex has control over the licensing of the Displayport connector. If you want to build this connector you have to pay a fee of 250,000 dollars to molex to build it. Being a small company we obviously couldn't afford that so we purchase our connectors from a supplier who has the license. I think Apple saw this price tag and said "screw you guys we'll make our own just different enough that its a separate technology".

RAS admin said:
They don't even have the adapter we are looking for listed on that site. So, no, it won't be available later this month.
Click to expand...

You're right, if that adapter is to become available it will be sometime off. My company is currently tooling this adapter and we expect to have it available for a reasonable price around June. Check out our blog on the item for some photos or to leave us some feedback on your suggestions: http://estore.circuitassembly.com/catalog/blog/?p=50. I think this adapter will have quite a few good uses. Something a lot of people don't realize is sure you can buy a mini displayport to dvi or hdmi adapter. But if your monitor has displayport, why switch technologies when you can take advantage of the high resolution and sound that displayport offers?
 
I'd like one of these adapters, too.

It's not because I have monitors that only accept DP, but because the miniDP-DVI adapter creates this giant block in what otherwise is a neat wireharness for when I "dock" my machine.

I agree that if Apple hasn't come out with one by now then they aren't going to at all. They have no reason to, since they've never made a monitor with regular DP.

Monoprice would be the right tree to bark up. Even though they may not have one planned, they probably will make one if they get enough requests. Those guys are pretty cool.

John
 
I bought 2 macs with mini-DP (MBP + Mini) last month, confident that these mini->normal DP cables would pop up any second. No such luck. I don't get it, what's the hold-up.. Submitted a query to Monoprice myself as well, they have other mini-DP adapters already.
 
Asking Apple to release this adapter is a waste of time. The people you want to request to do it are the people at Monoprice. They are willing to make adapters upon request, as long as enough people are interested. Just email them asking if they're willing to do it. I did so back when MDP->HDMI adapters were needed. They said they would work on it, and later got an update email saying it'd be available by xx/xx/xx. Forget the date exactly, but now we have this beautiful adapter. They even made it Apple white since it was obvious that Apple users were the ones requesting it.
 
vaizki said:
I bought 2 macs with mini-DP (MBP + Mini) last month, confident that these mini->normal DP cables would pop up any second. No such luck. I don't get it, what's the hold-up.. Submitted a query to Monoprice myself as well, they have other mini-DP adapters already.
Click to expand...

Its already on its way: http://estore.circuitassembly.com/catalog/mini-displayport-to-displayport-adapter-cable-2-meter-p-287.html

We are in the process of tooling the connector and the cable right now. We are also looking into the other three adapters to see if we can get a more competitive price than monoprice. Since we are a manufacturer and not a retailer like MP we hope to be able to beat their prices.
 
AndrewLang said:
Its already on its way: http://estore.circuitassembly.com/catalog/mini-displayport-to-displayport-adapter-cable-2-meter-p-287.html

We are in the process of tooling the connector and the cable right now. We are also looking into the other three adapters to see if we can get a more competitive price than monoprice. Since we are a manufacturer and not a retailer like MP we hope to be able to beat their prices.
Click to expand...

Excellent excellent. Only one months wait :rolleyes: However as I'm not U.S. based, shipping costs will kill me on a single cable order so I'm not preordering just yet..
 
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