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How much would HDMI add to the cost of a Mini?

essential

essential

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 8, 2008
255
153
I was one of the many that wanted an HDMI in the Mini. Now I’m not trying to complain that it doesn’t have one, I understand Apple not wanting to completely cannibalize the Apple TV.

While reading the forums around the time of the new Mini release, the two main arguments I read against HDMI in the Mini was the HDMI licensing fee, and the fact that one of the HD audio formats (TrueHD?) wasn’t supported through HDMI.

Hypothetically, if Apple added an HDMI to the Mini, in addition to the Mini DisplayPort, Mini-DVI, and Optical out, maybe at the sacrifice of one of the 5 USB ports, everyone would be happy in terms of video-out options.

My question refers to the licensing fee primarily. I’m not sure what the HDMI licensing fee is, but there is HDMI on the Apple TV, so it’s not like Apple is totally boycotting it, and they’ve already worked it into one of their products, so it shouldn’t be that hard to work it into the Mini.

How much would the retail price ($599/$799) of the Mini increase if HDMI was included because of the licensing fee? Is it a reasonable cost, a few dollars per unit, $50 per unit, etc?
 
Macs have very few ports compared to PCs and some of them are Apple's own ports like MiniDispalyPort (you have to buy an adapter from Apple which costs 30$ to use that port).

No Blu-Ray before 2015 and no HDMI before 2015
 
Do you have a DVI port? Do you have digital audio out? Then you already have everything HDMI does.
 
BulletToothTony said:
www.monoprice.com
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking, for you the consumer it adds 12 or 13 bucks for the adapter plus 20 or so for the cable. Mini Display is essentially HDMI, I can't remember if it does pass audio yet but I bet all we need is hacked firmware or Apple's permission (via update) and you're right there. I don't think it would make sense to put two extremely similar ports on one computer.
 
flopticalcube said:
Well not everything. Firstly, HDMI provides a single cable solution. Secondly, HDMI offers higher precision audio formats.
Click to expand...

Incorrect. Digital is digital, they both use the exact same 5.1-7.1 audio formats. Its up to the video's audio track for quality.

Two cables instead of one? Woopdeedoo. You're going to have a second cable running from the TV to the receiver or vice versa anyways.
 
300D said:
Incorrect. Digital is digital, they both use the exact same 5.1-7.1 audio formats. Its up to the video's audio track for quality.

Two cables instead of one? Woopdeedoo. You're going to have a second cable running from the TV to the receiver or vice versa anyways.
Click to expand...
TOSlink doesn't have the bandwidth to carry TrueHD or DTS-MA (i.e. lossless surround formats). Only HDMI can do this. Not that this an issue for the Mac since they are only available on Blu-Ray which Steve won't give us.
 
300D said:
Do you have a DVI port? Do you have digital audio out? Then you already have everything HDMI does.
Click to expand...

I don't know about many of you, but all I have is a 40" Sony XBR television, no receiver, no surround. I have no place to plug in an optical audio out for sound if I use a Mini DisplayPort to HDMi converter for video.

I saw those converters on Monoprice that will take a DVI and Optical in and output an HDMI, but the less pass-threws I can get the better, and I think most of us want a single cord solution ideally.

Also, many probably don't think of the Mini as a multi room solution, but one of the first things I see is something that can easily be moved from TV to TV in a house for easy watching because of it's small size. However, in it's current state it makes it more difficult.

If Apple somehow ends up allowing sound to pass through the Mini DisplayPort, then everthing is solved, we'd only need one converter to HDMI, but I doubt they ever allow that unless the Mini and Apple TV become the same product down the road.
 
I'd be happy to see mini displayport receive and update to enable the audio output and for apple to release their own mdp > hdmi adapter.

I purchased a 3rd party one from ebay yesterday for £10 and would love to have it supply audio when it arrives.
 
essential said:
I don't know about many of you, but all I have is a 40" Sony XBR television, no receiver, no surround. I have no place to plug in an optical audio out for sound if I use a Mini DisplayPort to HDMi converter for video.

I saw those converters on Monoprice that will take a DVI and Optical in and output an HDMI, but the less pass-threws I can get the better, and I think most of us want a single cord solution ideally.
Click to expand...

So just run regular stereo RCA cables to your TV... Sure 1 cable is nice but it's not the end of the world. And the Monoprice adapters are simply passing through a digital signal. It's not like you're going to get any quality loss.
 
brentsg said:
So just run regular stereo RCA cables to your TV... Sure 1 cable is nice but it's not the end of the world. And the Monoprice adapters are simply passing through a digital signal. It's not like you're going to get any quality loss.
Click to expand...

The thing is, all my HDMI inputs on my TV don't have seperate audio in for the same input. Input 1/2/3 are all HDMI in-only, so if I'm running HDMI video into the TV via the Mini, I'd be getting picture only, I have no way of getting seperate audio in the same input. I don't know any TV that has an HDMI and Optical/RCA in on the same input. It's the same issue as the Optical out, there is just no place to plug it in the TV.

I'm not investing in a receiver and speakers cause of the Mini, I just can't afford it right now.
 
essential said:
The thing is, all my HDMI inputs on my TV don't have seperate audio in for the same input. Input 1/2/3 are all HDMI in-only, so if I'm running HDMI video into the TV via the Mini, I'd be getting picture only, I have no way of getting seperate audio in the same input. I don't know any TV that has an HDMI and Optical/RCA in on the same input. It's the same issue as the Optical out, there is just no place to plug it in the TV.

I'm not investing in a receiver and speakers cause of the Mini, I just can't afford it right now.
Click to expand...

Interesting... My Pioneer works just fine running audio in via RCA and video via HDMI.
 
Hellhammer said:
Macs have very few ports compared to PCs and some of them are Apple's own ports like MiniDispalyPort (you have to buy an adapter from Apple which costs 30$ to use that port).

No Blu-Ray before 2015 and no HDMI before 2015
Click to expand...

What happens on 2015 ?

I sell Sony Vaios with BD and they start at less than $1K. Is Apple going to buy Sony in 2015 ? :D
 
brentsg said:
Interesting... My Pioneer works just fine running audio in via RCA and video via HDMI.
Click to expand...

How do you tell the TV to use the Video from, for example, Input 1 (HDMI), and the audio from Input 5 (Composite)? I didn't know those could cross. Unless you have a universal audio-in? My TV def doesn't have a universal audio-in, that would be awesome if it did.

I don't think I have that option.
 
essential said:
How do you tell the TV to use the Video from, for example, Input 1 (HDMI), and the audio from Input 5 (Composite)? I didn't know those could cross. Unless you have a universal audio-in? My TV def doesn't have a universal audio-in, that would be awesome if it did.

I don't think I have that option.
Click to expand...

Both input 4 and 5 on my display are HDMI with each having a dedicated pair of RCA audio-in jacks.

My other HDMI ports are HDMI only (2 of them).

This is for a Pioneer 5010.
 
You cant just tell video cards to do audio through the display connector, pretty sure that has to be built into it. It would likely require a special sound and video solution that works together or are the same device.
 
300D said:
Incorrect. Digital is digital, they both use the exact same 5.1-7.1 audio formats. Its up to the video's audio track for quality.

Two cables instead of one? Woopdeedoo. You're going to have a second cable running from the TV to the receiver or vice versa anyways.
Click to expand...


I use my TV to do the audio/video switching and having one HDMI cable passing both would be ideal because there isn't a TOSlink connection beside each input only one for output.

Of course you can make the connection with HDMI/RCA but why should we when digital audio is right there waiting for Apple to let us use it.
 
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