Triple Display New Mac Mini 2012

[Neodym]

Because Thunderbolt 1 actually had two channels. Thus with the TBD display could pull the display off of one Thunderbolt Channel and then the second display pulled it off of the Second Thunderbolt Channel. [...] Seriously, just google all of this.

Hmm, the rhetoric question obviously did not come over as intended 2nd try:
It may be a technical limitation from a DP specification point of view, but not directly bandwidth-related. The TB1 interface actually can push two video streams at the same time, just not together in 1 channel.

To quote Anandtech: "if you connect the Thunderbolt Display to a Promise Pegasus you can then chain on another DP panel. If you own a 27-inch Cinema Display and were hoping to add the Thunderbolt Display to it on the same Thunderbolt chain, you will need another TB device in between."

So you can daisy-chain a 2nd monitor of your choice to the Mac mini (even DVI via adapter) as long as there is another TB device with 2 TB ports between the two. Whether that is financially feasible, is another question though ...

 

[gpspad]

Not sure if I read this wrong, but which 2012 mac mini can drive 3 monitors?

How can you tell if you have the right display?

 

[marker227]

That's too bad, I was hoping I could drive 2 monitors. I think I'll be able to deal with it. I can always put my slow applications on a USB to DVI adapter. Has anyone used those? I don't know which one would be reliable.

 

[dogslobber]

That's too bad, I was hoping I could drive 2 monitors. I think I'll be able to deal with it. I can always put my slow applications on a USB to DVI adapter. Has anyone used those? I don't know which one would be reliable.

Yes, I've used a gefen USB2DVI that does output of 1600x1200 to a Dell 2001FP. It's quite usable for non-gfx intensive apps like email or web browsing. Obviously don't play video or your cpu utilization goes up.

 

[paulrbeers]

Hmm, the rhetoric question obviously did not come over as intended 2nd try:
It may be a technical limitation from a DP specification point of view, but not directly bandwidth-related. The TB1 interface actually can push two video streams at the same time, just not together in 1 channel.

To quote Anandtech: "if you connect the Thunderbolt Display to a Promise Pegasus you can then chain on another DP panel. If you own a 27-inch Cinema Display and were hoping to add the Thunderbolt Display to it on the same Thunderbolt chain, you will need another TB device in between."

So you can daisy-chain a 2nd monitor of your choice to the Mac mini (even DVI via adapter) as long as there is another TB device with 2 TB ports between the two. Whether that is financially feasible, is another question though ...

What is your point? Your original question was around using DP 1.2 and using MST. I've already pointed out what that is impossible with the Mini. Now you are skewing your question. Further, the example by Anandtech (which THANK YOU for final doing your own research), clearly discusses having to use a Thunderbolt display first and then how he was able to access the second video stream (channel 2 from the TB) by using another DATA only TB device to strip the video stream off so they could feed it to a non-Thundebolt display.

Anyway you look at it, your original premise that MST should be possible on a 2012 Mac Mini is wrong. The only daisychaining that can be done is ONLY if using a Thunderbolt Display which is completely irrelevant to the discussion and is not what your original point was.

No rhetorical question was missed.

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Not sure if I read this wrong, but which 2012 mac mini can drive 3 monitors?

How can you tell if you have the right display?

None can drive 3 monitors without using a USB Video device which would bypass the Mini's GPU (thus being slower). The ONLY Mini that could drive 3 was the 2011 Mid-Mini with the AMD GPU. All Intel Mini's can only drive a max of 2 displays.

 

[gpspad]

Thanks, didn't know the 2011's could do that....

 

[marker227]

Yes, I've used a gefen USB2DVI that does output of 1600x1200 to a Dell 2001FP. It's quite usable for non-gfx intensive apps like email or web browsing. Obviously don't play video or your cpu utilization goes up.

That seems to be discontinued . Is there anything else you could recommend?

 

[giggles]

eGPUs over thunderbolt people...

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1815596/

For triple 1080p (in desktop enviroment) even a gtx 750 is enough, just pick one with 3 digital ports, like this EVGA

 

[marker227]

That would be a really expensive alternate route...

 

[Neodym]

What is your point?

It is possible to have TWO displays on the mini's single Thunderbolt port WITHOUT the need to BOTH being a Thunderbolt display. I had been hoping that it could be two displays of choice, but it is WRONG that it NEEDS to be two Thunderbolt displays. Bluntly enough?

 

[marker227]

Can anyone recommend a good HDMI to DVI adapter?

 

[dogslobber]

Can anyone recommend a good HDMI to DVI adapter?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2E1MQA/ref=twister_B00LAIF4U2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

That's one example from searching. Note that one says no Mac however commenters say they have got it to work with the DisplayLink drivers. I use DL drivers under Yosemite for my ancient gefen.

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http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2E1MQA/ref=twister_B00LAIF4U2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

That's one example from searching. Note that one says no Mac however commenters say they have got it to work with the DisplayLink drivers. I use DL drivers under Yosemite for my ancient gefen.

Oh you said hdmi to dvi. Oops. Try monoprice.com for such items.