[olePigeon]

So I got our three minis in, one to be used as our broadcast workstation. I found out that the mini-DVI port is now DVI-D, it doesn't support analog signal, so we were unable to hook up a DVI to RCA adapter (well, we could, but it didn't work.)

We had some old InFocus TV Presentation boxes. They take a computer signal and turn it into 640x480 RCA or S-Video. They work great despite being 20 years old.

So just keep this in mind for anyone buying a Mac mini, it won't work over component, RCA, or analog VGA .

[CharlesS]

Well, it'll work over VGA with the right adapter (or this one), but you're right about the rest of those.

[olePigeon]

No, it doesn't. I have both of those adapters and neither works.

[CharlesS]

1. The MDP->VGA adapter works fine on my MacBook Pro, which has the same NVidia 9400M GPU as your mini

2. The customer reviews for those adapters specifically say they work with their 2009 minis

If these adapters don't work for VGA, something's probably wrong with your mini and you should get it replaced under warranty.

[P]

Adapters are not converters. Those Infocus things are converters - I have one myself, as it happens - but the other things you mention (like the DVI to "RCA", presumably component or composite) are just adapters that tell the GPU to do the work. They almost never work with anything except the GPU they came with or another of the same brand and reasonably close in time.

EDIT: Two posts while I'm typing? Damn. Anyway: IME, Apple's adapters don't always work so well. The mini-VGA adapter stopped communicating with the GPU at some point, only outputting snow, and no magic I could conjure could bring it back. I know some people have had success with an SMC reset, though.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by CharlesS 

1. The MDP->VGA adapter works fine on my MacBook Pro, which has the same NVidia 9400M GPU as your mini

MDP to VGA works, but MDP to VGA with a VGA to RCA does not.

I have three Mac mini servers, none of them work with that combination of adapters. I have that exact cable, it does not work to connect the Mac mini to an analog source.

[CharlesS]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

MDP to VGA works, but MDP to VGA with a VGA to RCA does not.

That's what I said. I specifically said that VGA would work with the right adapter, but that you were right about the rest (i.e. RCA, component).

[Simon]

I think the confusion stems from the fact that the OP was talking about the Mini-DVI having become DVI-D and hence it won't work with VGA adapters. OTOH Charles points out correctly that the MDP->VGA will still work. Bottom line, you can get VGA with your 2009 Mac mini, but only through MDP.

Analog connections like RCA, component, composte, and S-Video all require adapters that signal the graphics circuitry to switch the output. So any kind of adapter dongle made for another system most probably won't work.

[Simon]

Come to think of it, back when the 2009 Mac mini came out I was quite surprised to see Apple keep Mini-DVI alongside MDP. When I asked here about the motivation for doing so (especially since even the highest-end 17" MBP doesn't have two video outputs) the answer I got was that it was most likely done in order to retain S-Video over Mini-DVI. But once we learned that the mini's Mini-DVI is purely digital, we knew that the S-video thing was baloney.

So once again, what's the deal with retaining Mini-DVI on the Mac mini?

[CharlesS]

Beats me. I can only assume it's so you can drive multiple monitors.

One thing though, the customer reviews on the Monoprice page say that the Mini-DVI to VGA adapter works on the 2009 mini. And really, I don't see why it shouldn't, because both the Mini-DVI and Mini-DP ports are going to the same video card. If the 9400M can output VGA through one, it ought to be able to output VGA through the other one too. What it can't seem to output is S-Video, which is why it doesn't work even with the previously existing Mini-DVI to S-Video adapters.

[olePigeon]

I think the FCC should mandate that every computer needs to support at least 1 analog format (be in VGA or component, or whatever.) Unfortunately they're doing just the opposite by moving everyone to digital as if it's better for everything.

I hate that the MPAA/RIAA are getting away with forcing computer manufacturers to "close the analog loophole."

[iDaver]

Originally Posted by CharlesS 

One thing though, the customer reviews on the Monoprice page say that the Mini-DVI to VGA adapter works on the 2009 mini. And really, I don't see why it shouldn't, because both the Mini-DVI and Mini-DP ports are going to the same video card. If the 9400M can output VGA through one, it ought to be able to output VGA through the other one too. What it can't seem to output is S-Video, which is why it doesn't work even with the previously existing Mini-DVI to S-Video adapters.

For what it's worth, out of curiosity I connected a second monitor to my Mac mini using an Apple mini-DVI to VGA adapter and a VGA cable. Both monitors work just fine. I don't have a VGA to composite (or component or S-Video) adapter to do any further experiments. It's odd that they wouldn't work though.

[Simon]

So Apple's adapter can still get the video circuitry to output VGA through the Mini DVI interface?

And if so, how come Apple doesn't mention their Mini-DVI->VGA adapter is compatible with the new Mac mini?
http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9320G/A

[CharlesS]

I don't think it's DVI-D, it's just that the 9400M either doesn't know how to output analog signals other than VGA, or that Apple's drivers don't.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by CharlesS 

Beats me. I can only assume it's so you can drive multiple monitors.

Oh, that's for sure.

But the question is why chose two different interfaces? Or more precisely why add one that works with Apple's display and one that doesn't? Obviously Apple isn't expecting every Mac mini owner two drive two 24" ACDs with it. However, break this option by design? It's as if they were deliberately trying to force people to buy their second monitor from another company. Just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

[reader50]

The Mac Mini has been sold from the start as a "low-cost Mac, use your existing peripherals". So it has more need than any other Mac to support whatever display the customer has. Requiring a mess of adapters might just be ... untidy.

[Simon]

But no screen ever came with Mini DVI input. So people are now forced to use adapters anyway. It was the former Mac minis that allowed people to hook up a DVI screen directly. That's over now.

And since no Mac mini before used Mini DVI it's not like people were expected to have piles of Mini DVI adapters already lying around. And even if they did (let's say a MB to Mac mini switcher), we already know that some of these (S-video, composite) don't work.

I simply don't see their point. So far from what I can tell Mini DVI gives them nothing a second MDP wouldn't have given. But it locks out their own display which seems just plain silly.

Is there any technical limitation that for some reason one 9400M can't drive two MDP ports? Obviously one 9400M cannot drive two 30" screens, but it's a huge stretch to think that because of the faint possibility somebody might try that out (which would also require they buy two $100 DDL adapters!), Apple figured it would be better to use Mini DVI instead of MDP for the second port.

[Reader, just so there's no misunderstanding here, I'm not trying to argue or bicker with you. I'm merely thinking out loud trying to find out what the reason was they went with the Mini DVI port.]

[ibook_steve]

Originally Posted by Simon 

I'm merely thinking out loud trying to find out what the reason was they went with the Mini DVI port.]

The reason for the mini connectors is always the same: space. There's probably simply no room for a full-size connector anymore.

Steve

[Big Mac]

He was asking why they included a mini-dv port along with the MDP instead of just the MDP.

[Simon]

Actually, I was asking why they didn't use two MDP ports instead of one MDP and one Mini-DVI port.

[Spheric Harlot]

I was wondering that, too, but given the much higher resolution that the MDP can supply, it might be a graphics card thing.

[Eriamjh]

Apple still claims to output VGA using a mini-DVI-to-VGA adapter on their mini Tech Spec page.

[Spheric Harlot]

This thread verifies that.