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2011 Mini Dual Display
- Thread starter englishman
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Just wait on a thunderbolt ready multi thunderbolt output external graphics controller and then you will be able to run as many ACD's as your heart desires from one new mini.
Could this be why the macpro hasn't been updated yet as a lot of people use them with 2+ monitors.
I seem to remember reading some propaganda about the new iMacs with two thunderbolt ports being capable of running four external 30" displays and the native screen simultaneously as built once the thunderbolt displays became available. But that gpu is a different animal than a mini config.. I do have faith that within a couple years an external gpu will be available to make it a mute point though. There are two channels out of tb.. probably limiting native support to 3 displays with the mini including 1080p. Throwing in a cheap ext. gpu might bump that up to 5 hdmi outputs within the near future. Thoughts?
Speculation is that the 6-8 week wait on the Thunderbolt Display will coincide with the updated Mac Pro.
I am running a 30" Cinema Display on the 6630M (via the Apple Dual-DVI adapter) and subjectively the performance seems ordinary. I am comparing to my 256MB Nvidia 8600GT on a Hackintosh, but not done any objective testing.
I would guess that any dual display setup which includes a 2560x1600 or 2560x1440 will not perform that well with only 128MB RAM (split between the two monitors.)
Wouldn't a refurb 27" iMac and + an ultrasharp 30" be the way to go? I'd be faster than the mini and about the same price, right?
The Sandy Bridge parts the Mac Pro will (probably) use just aren't out yet. It'll be interesting to see how they implement Thunderbolt.
I'm kind of confused by all this. We have two 23" Apple CinemaHDisplays that were, until this weekend, attached to a G5 that has since given up the ghost and as a result we are contemplating a MacMini and trying to find a solution to running them both from the Mini. They have three connectors; Firewire, USB and one that I cannot name but, I think is a mini-display port.
Does anyone have a layman' solution?
Uncle H
Does anyone have a layman' solution?
Uncle H
Your two ACDs run a bog standard DVI connection. A mini comes with a HDMI-to-DVI converter...so there is the first display taken care of. Next, you'll need a Mini Displayport-to-DVI adapter, something avaiable to you to select right when you configure your Mini on Apple's store...so that takes care of your second display. As for the USB and FW connections, just plug those into the back of the mini as well.
Does HDMI support 1920x1200 as well (rather than just 1920x1080 or "1080i")? I want to run two 24" 1920x1200 monitors of the new mac mini. That shouldn't be a problem right?
The Mini's HDMI spec supports up to 1920x1200, and the TB port supports up to 2560x1600 (via Dual Link DVI converter).
This works with other TB equipped macs so I don't see why it would not work with the mini, but your ACD will have to be the last device in the TB chain.
Im after a mac mini and hope to pick one up in the good "ole" US of A in a weeks time. I want to use my 2 HP 24" monitors which both have DVI and hdmi inputs, from the comments on here would I be right in thinking I run one hdmi direct to hdmi and the other thunderbolt to Dvi (with a connector of some sort)?
As long as at least one of them is 1920*1200 is lower then yes, that would work.
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That's incorrect. The Mini's HDMI spec (using the included HDMI-to-DVI adapter) supports 1920x1200 displays, and its TB/MiniDP spec supports 2560x1600. The 2011 Mini CAN run dual 1920x1200 displays.
@Tomb to run DVI out of the TB/Mini DP port, you'll need a Mini DP-to-DVI converter. These are readily available from sellers like Monoprice, or from Apple. Apple conveniently makes it an option to be shipped with your Mini when you configure it on the Apple website. Your local Apple retailer should also have this adapter.
What you'll want is to use the Mini's HDMI-to-DVI adapter for your first display, and a Mini DP-to-DVI for the second.
I have a 30 inch 2560x1600 ACD and a 2010 iMac with the 2560x1440 display.
I am thinking of getting a new mini.
Will I somehow be able to drive both the 2560x1600 ACD and the 2560x1440 iMac display at the same time from the new mini?
( And if it is possible, will the Intel graphics be able to handle it? )
Thanks.
I am thinking of getting a new mini.
Will I somehow be able to drive both the 2560x1600 ACD and the 2560x1440 iMac display at the same time from the new mini?
( And if it is possible, will the Intel graphics be able to handle it? )
Thanks.
No, you won't be able to. You can either drive the ACD through a Mini-DP to Dual link DVI adapter, or you can drive the iMac display through a Mini-DP cable.
Therein lies the rub. You'd need two TB/Mini-DP ports to accomplish this, the Mac Mini has but one.
Therein lies the rub. You'd need two TB/Mini-DP ports to accomplish this, the Mac Mini has but one.
Why is the HDMI limited to 1920x1080? Does anyone know this?
From wikipedia:
"HDMI 1.3 increased (pixel clock rate) to 340 MHz, which allows for higher resolution (such as WQXGA, 2560×1600) across a single digital link.
What is stopping the HDMI on the new mini to output res higher than 1920x1080?
Which version of HDMI is in the mini?
Would the graphics card be able to handle 2560x1600 (over HDMI) and over Thunderbolt port at the same time?
The Mini's HDMI spec actually supports up to 1920x1200 when using the included HDMI-to-DVI adapter, not that it makes much difference really. In any case, odds are that Apple chose to limit the Mini's HDMI spec given that they expect most users to drive a 1920x1080 display using the HDMI port. Also, one must consider that there are few, if not zero HDMI panels that are higher resolution than 1920x1080. Also, AFAIK the Mini actually runs HDMI 1.4, but that doesn't mean that it supports every part of the 1.4 standard.
In any case, the Mini does technically have the ability to drive a up to a 1920x1200 display and 2560x1600 display at the same time, but performance will vary depending on what all you want to do. Say you want to play back a high-motion 1080p video on both displays at the same time...you'll strangle the base Mini's HD3000 and tax the upgraded model's 6630. If you're going to just be looking at websites and stuff, you should be able to drive both of those displays with relatively little effort. When in doubt, get the Mini with the 6630 GPU.
I've been using a MD port to HDMI since last year (max res is 1920 x 1200). Not sure what you're talking about.
single-link hdmi appears to be able to drive a 30" monitor at native resolution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi#Version_comparison
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HDMI -> single link dvi adapter = 1920x1200
i believe, based on that info, HDMI 1.3a -> HDMI 1.3a would allow you to do 2560x1600.
I think it would work, but you are going to be badly vram limited. 256 mb of vram for 2 30" monitors will mean that you will be out of vram pretty quickly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hdmi#Version_comparison
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HDMI -> single link dvi adapter = 1920x1200
i believe, based on that info, HDMI 1.3a -> HDMI 1.3a would allow you to do 2560x1600.
I think it would work, but you are going to be badly vram limited. 256 mb of vram for 2 30" monitors will mean that you will be out of vram pretty quickly.