Sanely-Priced Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Coming Soon

With the introduction of the new unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro this past October, Apple also made standard its Mini DisplayPort display connector across all of their updated systems.

DisplayPort is the natural successor to DVI and HDMI technology and Apple is working hard to make sure their “Mini” standard gains industry acceptance. However, the one area where Apple is refusing to help customers is the much sought after Mini DisplayPort to HDMI connector.

Apple currently sells a Mini-DP to Dual Link DVI adapter for the “bargain” price of $99.00 USD via its online store. But if you have been purchasing cables and connectors over the Internet, you would undoubtedly have heard of Monoprice. Macyourself reported that during its contact with Monoprice, a Mini-DP to HDMI adapter is already in the works and expected to ship in January 2009.

Since there is currently no other way to carry a digital signal from the new MacBooks to an HDTV except through DVI, this is leaving lots of users frustrated. Not all HDTVs are equipped with a DVI port and even if they do, you would still have to purchase a $99 adapter from Apple. The news of Monoprice carrying such an adapter is not only excellent for users but also for the frugal consumer.

Monoprice has the reputation in the home theater community for its affordable cables. For comparison, a Mini-DVI to DVI adapter that Apple sells for $19 USD ; Monoprice sells for $9.69 USD — almost a 50 percent in savings (and it’s even white to match your Apple lifestyle).

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Pei-chen 9 years ago

I don’t get why they designed Mini DisplayPort for notebook when DisplayPort is already tiny compares with D-SUB and DVI. On cameras yet but not on notebook.
Shadow703793 9 years ago

^+1
nukemaster 9 years ago

^
^+2
aapocketz 9 years ago

I still think the length of the displayport would mean more wasted space, even though its small. The longer rectangular shape makes sense when you have USB and you may want to stack 2 on top of each other, making a more of a "golden rectangle" profile.

My problem with displayport is what does it really buy anyone more than the widely accepted HDMI standard other than confusion? HDMI was backwards compatible with DVI video which was nice. Displayport needs to be tossed. I think people will just eventually upgrade to USB3 which I believe supports video displays as well as the kind of devices USB currently supports.
trevorvdw 9 years ago

Wow Apple overcharges for things? First I've heard of this Wow Apple overcharges for things? First I've heard of this ...
awolfe63 9 years ago

DisplayPort to Dual-linkDVI is hard. It requires translator circuits. There are no cheap solutions on the market. In fact, it is hard to find any other solution for sale. DisplayPort to HDMI or single-link DVI is a simple cable between two connectors - much cheaper but won't run a 30" display.
kamkal 9 years ago

lol 99$ for an adapter? go f*ck yourselves apple.

why do people continue to buy this over priced trash??
dyingcat 9 years ago

aapocketz

I think I read somewhere that you have to pay licensing fee for HDMI, where it is free to put Display Port..or something like that,
Tindytim 9 years ago

Display port has little over HDMI (30-bit color, big whoop), and HDMI has the market. Give it up, display port may have had some benefits, but it lost. Use HDMI, and maybe you'll get lucky next time.
Tindytim 9 years ago

Quote:

I think I read somewhere that you have to pay licensing fee for HDMI, where it is free to put Display Port..or something like that,

Yes, Display port can be used Royalty free, there is no one you need to pay, or any licensing to acquire in order to use Display ports in products.
miltoxbeyond 9 years ago

With all the money they charge on macs in the first place you'd think the small fees they'd be paying for HDMI would have about as much effect on their profits as a kick has on an elephant...
TwoDigital 9 years ago

I look at DisplayPort today kind of like BluRay (or maybe HD-DVD) in 2006. It's 'cool' and cutting edge, but it's not the standard everyone else is using (HDMI.) One day it may be a great idea if the 30-bit color thing catches on.

For now, I'll stick with my HDMI cable to connect my BluRay player to my 60" HDTV and someone else can buy the laptops requiring the $99 converter cables for their system.
Tindytim 9 years ago

Turns out it's even more retard. I just checked, HDMI 1.3 supports 48-bit color for 1920x1200 at 60 frames progressive scan.
BarryAllen 9 years ago

This article contains several errors.

Firstly, Apple's mini-DVI to DVI cable is $19, not $29 as stated in the article.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9321G/B?mco=MTIxODk3Mw

The Mini-DisplayPort to DVI adapter, however, is $29. As of this writing, it is not available from third parties at all, let alone for cheaper.

The $99 Mini-Displayport to Dual-Link DVI adapter is only necessary if you're hooking a new MB or MBP up to a monitor with resolution greater than 1920x1200, like the 30" monitors from Apple or Dell, which have resolutions of 2560x1600. Chances are, if you're willing to spend $1799 for a monitor, an extra hundred will not hurt you too much.

Currently, If you're hooking up your new MB or MBP to an HDTV, you don't need the Dual Link adapter for $99, you need a mini-DP to DVI adapter for $29, as well as a DVI to HDMI cable.

Finally, before everyone gets too bent out of shape, they should read this article:

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/the_myth_of_an_hdmi_displayport_standoff
Anonymous 9 years ago

Displayport (and mini-displayport) is a VESA standard and HDMI is not. The reason that Displayport came about is not due to Apple primarily but due to the video home electronic manufactures not wanting to pay royalties for HDMI. So blame Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Dell, LG, etc for Displayport. Although it seems to be ubiquitous today, HDMI's lifespan will be short. Manufactures want to control the video standard through membership in VESA and not be tied to a proprietary connector with royalties forever. Mini-Displayport is just a smaller (and better thought out - IMHO) physical connector than the VESA DP standard.

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