Hi guys I am hoping someone can help me with this, I am trying to connect 2 VGA screens to the new 2012 Mac Mini, thats all I have available, its for my church and I know I can use a thunderbolt to VGA but how about the HDMI? Can I do the same? I will eventually buy a HDMI or DVI monitor but we just bought the mini so $ will make me wait to upgrade the monitor for later. I really appreciate any help. Also I really need to have to VGA outs since the one is for a monitor and the other one is for a VGA projector, thanks.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
2 VGA screens with new 2012 MacMini?
- Thread starter boriscolombia
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There is apparently no native HDMI-to-VGA on the Mac mini (HDMI is by definition digital-only, but some computer manufacturers route VGA over the HDMI pins when used with an adapter, it appears Apple only supports VGA over the Thunderbolt port this way.)
But, there are companies that make HDMI to VGA adapters that actively convert the HDMI digital signal to a VGA analog signal. Apple sells a third-party one that is marketed toward the AppleTV, but HDMI is HDMI, so it should work with the mini: http://store.apple.com/us/product/H...ay-mirroring-for-vga-projector-cable?fnode=51
There should be similar ones available elsewhere, possibly cheaper. But they won't be cheap since they do active conversion.
The other possibility is a Matrox DualHead2Go adapter that makes two monitors appear to the computer as one single double-wide monitor. (That one plugs directly into the Thunderbolt port and gives you two DP outputs that can each use a DP-to-VGA adapter. They also have one that takes a VGA input with two VGA outputs. The direct Thunderbolt connection would produce a "less noisy" picture on the monitors, but requires more adapters.)
But, there are companies that make HDMI to VGA adapters that actively convert the HDMI digital signal to a VGA analog signal. Apple sells a third-party one that is marketed toward the AppleTV, but HDMI is HDMI, so it should work with the mini: http://store.apple.com/us/product/H...ay-mirroring-for-vga-projector-cable?fnode=51
There should be similar ones available elsewhere, possibly cheaper. But they won't be cheap since they do active conversion.
The other possibility is a Matrox DualHead2Go adapter that makes two monitors appear to the computer as one single double-wide monitor. (That one plugs directly into the Thunderbolt port and gives you two DP outputs that can each use a DP-to-VGA adapter. They also have one that takes a VGA input with two VGA outputs. The direct Thunderbolt connection would produce a "less noisy" picture on the monitors, but requires more adapters.)
WOw thanks for your reply, a quick google search led me to this adapter, do you think it will work for what I need it? http://www.provantage.com/startech-hd2vgae~7STR92LK.htm?source=googleps
if this is just a temporary solution, I'd get USB-VGA adapter (which is essentially a cheap video device) - I think you could get those for cheaper than active HDMI converters - you can use that at least for the second monitor.
but they are crap, good only for some light use... the latency is big.
but they are crap, good only for some light use... the latency is big.