Every new Mac since the last iMac refresh will support audio through mini display port to HDMI in 10.6.4
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Updated MacBook Supports Both Audio and Video Output via Mini DisplayPort
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Every modern TV now has HDMI jacks......Apple .......we better not use this then
stupid is as stupid does.
stupid is as stupid does.The new MacBook and MacBook Pro 13 have the same: screen size, screen resolution, CPU, chipset, GPU, battery type, battery life, and hard disk. If I spec the MacBook to 4GB, I'm still paying £100 for... a FireWire port and SD card slot. What am I missing?
Polycarbonate has better wifi and radio performance and is a bit less cosmetically vulnerable to rough handling.
Those MDP-HDMI cables that comply with the standard, please post them here. This seems to be a new thing for the cable folks.
Also a SPECIFIC list of macs compatible under 10.6.4 would be nice.
Rocketman
Audio format support
For those of you that are not home theater geeks, here is the low down on audio formats.
Types of audio outputs
1) Analog audio - individual channels - as many as you can support. Generally, the mini audio port supports just 2 channels. I have seen PC audio cards with 5 or even 7 channel support.
2) Digital optical/coaxial audio - Upto 5.1 or 6.1 channels of compressed bitstream. Typical compression schemes include Dolby Digital or DTS. This also supports 2 channel PCM (uncompressed).
All Apple computers combine the above two into one port. You can use standard stereo mini cable (for analog) or a mini-Toslink connector (for digital). The drawback is you can only have one or the other at a time.
HDMI and Display Port have audio that do everything listed above and in addition to that the following:
1) Support for newer forms of lossy-compressed multi channel bitstream audio such as Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD and DTS-HD-HR.
2) Support for newer forms of lossless-compressed multi channel bitstream audio such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD-MA. These two are prevalent in Bluray.
3) Support for uncompressed multi channel audio (PCM 5.1, PCM 7.1). PCM is the generic way a digital signal is handled inside an audio system. Audio CDs are PCM 2 channel, 16-bit per channel, 44.1kHz sampling rate. Many early Bluray movies were 5.1 PCM with 16 or 20-bit per channel at 48kHz sampling rate. I have one jazz bluray that does 24-bit PCM 5.1 channel at 96kHz (13.8 Mbps audio only).
So, depending on Apple's implementation of audio, the new Macs are theoretically capable of doing 7.1 PCM or DTS-HD-MA or Dolby TrueHD. Anyone out there care to try out.
Also, can I use both analog audio out of the mini stereo port and digital audio out of Display Port at the same time?
For those of you that are not home theater geeks, here is the low down on audio formats.
Types of audio outputs
1) Analog audio - individual channels - as many as you can support. Generally, the mini audio port supports just 2 channels. I have seen PC audio cards with 5 or even 7 channel support.
2) Digital optical/coaxial audio - Upto 5.1 or 6.1 channels of compressed bitstream. Typical compression schemes include Dolby Digital or DTS. This also supports 2 channel PCM (uncompressed).
All Apple computers combine the above two into one port. You can use standard stereo mini cable (for analog) or a mini-Toslink connector (for digital). The drawback is you can only have one or the other at a time.
HDMI and Display Port have audio that do everything listed above and in addition to that the following:
1) Support for newer forms of lossy-compressed multi channel bitstream audio such as Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD and DTS-HD-HR.
2) Support for newer forms of lossless-compressed multi channel bitstream audio such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD-MA. These two are prevalent in Bluray.
3) Support for uncompressed multi channel audio (PCM 5.1, PCM 7.1). PCM is the generic way a digital signal is handled inside an audio system. Audio CDs are PCM 2 channel, 16-bit per channel, 44.1kHz sampling rate. Many early Bluray movies were 5.1 PCM with 16 or 20-bit per channel at 48kHz sampling rate. I have one jazz bluray that does 24-bit PCM 5.1 channel at 96kHz (13.8 Mbps audio only).
So, depending on Apple's implementation of audio, the new Macs are theoretically capable of doing 7.1 PCM or DTS-HD-MA or Dolby TrueHD. Anyone out there care to try out.
Also, can I use both analog audio out of the mini stereo port and digital audio out of Display Port at the same time?
And why should I have to when the cheeziest PC notebook with an HDMI port doesn't require this? Obviously Apple got some flack over it which is why they now include audio throughput for the mini display port. Also we have 5 new computers in our office. 3 Macbooks and 2 PC notebooks. It looks foolish for the PC's to only need one cable but the Macs (which are suppose to be the "superior machine") needs a separate audio cable.
What are you connecting it to? If it is a HDTV, definitely HDMI. VGA is full of problems.
WHile I am sure that the devil is in the details, cant windows 7 send audio and video to an A/V receiver or television wirelessly? Not sure if it would be high def, but thats what the commercial makes it seem like.
Most obviously, the Aluminium unibody (which comes with a 3.3 mm thinner body). But for most people FW800 (which is easily twice as fast as USB2) might already easily be worth the extra money. For others, the thinner body together with very sturdy and (to most people) more elegant exterior might be worth it.
DisplayPort has higher bandwidth than HDMI. It supports higher resolution than HDMI. It can support higher refresh rates than HDMI.
When in doubt, go with the better standard, then scale down.
Quick question, what would it cost to get my title changed to macrumors Demi-Dog?
When in doubt, go with the better standard, then scale down.
Quick question, what would it cost to get my title changed to macrumors Demi-Dog?
Exactly. This is why Apple is going with mini-displayport.
That and the fact that all new Apple displays will have mini displayport.
It is multichannel audio. I called to confirm when the new MBPs supported audio over MDP. The cust. service rep said that it would transmit whatever the source is.
Using HDMI would require Apple to pay royalties on every device with the port. Unless its court ordered,Apple ain't payin no stink royalties.
Yeah 8 cents a unit which is pretty minimal. Personally I would like to have HDMI, but the MDP is just a nicer port. To me they just seem much easier to plug in than HDMI. Oh for everyone that tells me that there is a $10,000 per year royalty for HDMI, isn't apple already paying that for the appleTV?
FYI, the minidisplayport to HDMI adaptor with video and audio compliance is about $7 U.S. at Amazon and Fry's plus shipping. I have one and it works on my 2010 macbook pro - so I agree Apple should just give you one, but they're not hard to get cheap. Just make sure the adaptor meets recent HDMI standards, i.e. includes audio - some of the aftermarket guys didn't see any point in including audio for a macbook conversion. And just like HDMI cable (also under $5 for 6 feet), you can pay $30 to $40 if you want. But why?
Doesn't anyone bargain anymore?
Ok so I'm buying on behave of the company I work for a few computers a year so they tend to know me at my local mac store. Still sales people are still sales people they all have room to sweeten the deal if you don't make them hate you in the process. I've seen people walk off the street. Ok so it's a bit harder in the Apple stores but not impossible.
If you need a specific adapter be willing to pay, but be friendly ask for it before they ring up the purchase, even try flirting a little (everybody love that). See how you go. It gets easier if you are already up buying like applecare or harddrive,....
You do have to be friendly. Go it there with expectation or attitude and you'll pay full price.
I guess that's why there's about 5 monitors on the market that have DP, right?
Owned.
Now we need an upgrade for the Mac mini. I would love to replace one of my aPple TVs with a mini that I could load up with external hard drives.