Since the Mac Pro still doesnt have HDMI (even the Mac Mini has it. What the hell Apple?), what do I need in order to connect it to a non Apple display?
It has nothing to do with "pro users" and getting "pro" quality signals. HDMI is simply DVI with digital audioboth of which you get out of a Mac Pro. Plus the higher bandwidth, complementary DisplayPort.
You might hook up to a TV to preview video output. But again, DVI and HDMI are the same thing. So consumer or professional, I really don't get what the deal is. I have a DVI-HDMI cable at home that was like $10.
Since the Mac Pro still doesnt have HDMI (even the Mac Mini has it. What the hell Apple?), what do I need in order to connect it to a non Apple display?
I've got a 30 inch Dell hooked up via dual-link DVI. Standard cable came with the monitor and the Mac Pro already had Dual-link DVI. I'm not sure if all the video cards come with Dual-Link, though.
I think HDMI is widely considered a consumer connection. Blackmagic makes a cheap HDMI i/o card, I think.
Yeah, really you'd only want the Blackmagic card for input...
HDMI exists because the DVI plug was too large and clunky for consumers, so they took DVI and reduced the size of the plug. That's why they're the same thing but yet different connections. They just redesigned the DVI plug so you didn't have to screw it in or anything.