Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > Mac Pro 2.26ghz - GeForce GT 120

Mac Pro 2.26ghz - GeForce GT 120
Thread Tools
C4U
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Dec 2008
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Mar 22, 2009, 05:38 PM
 
A couple of Questions:

I am planning on buying a basic Mac Pro 8 - 2.26ghz and looking too buy (2) HP W2408H monitors but it only comes with a Standard VGA port and HDMI port and I have read that the DVI connection is better quality picture.

1) Can you hook up the GeForce GT 120 to an HDMI connection on a monitor and does it have the quality of a DVI, since they are both digital inputs inlue of analog?
2) How much video quality does one lose when connecting to standard VGA port versus a DVI port?

Thx, C4U
     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Mar 22, 2009, 06:51 PM
 
Originally Posted by C4U View Post
A couple of Questions:

I am planning on buying a basic Mac Pro 8 - 2.26ghz and looking too buy (2) HP W2408H monitors but it only comes with a Standard VGA port and HDMI port and I have read that the DVI connection is better quality picture.

1) Can you hook up the GeForce GT 120 to an HDMI connection on a monitor and does it have the quality of a DVI, since they are both digital inputs inlue of analog?
With the right cable, it should work with no quality loss.

Originally Posted by C4U View Post
2) How much video quality does one lose when connecting to standard VGA port versus a DVI port?

Thx, C4U
How wet is water? With a normal length cable, it's not so bad. DVI tends to "just work" and quality over longer distances is better, but if it's a regular display up close... no big deal.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Mar 22, 2009, 07:04 PM
 
1) You can use a Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter (from Apple) and a DVI to HDMI cable (newegg, monoprice, etc) with minimal quality loss. Unlike the horrible Mini DisplayPort to dual link DVI adapter, the single link one works pretty well.

2) Why would you even consider this?

"inlue" hey there's a new pullet surprise.
     
Simon
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Mar 23, 2009, 09:25 AM
 
Originally Posted by C4U View Post
1) Can you hook up the GeForce GT 120 to an HDMI connection on a monitor and does it have the quality of a DVI, since they are both digital inputs inlue of analog?
You can connect an inexpensive DVI->HDMI dongle to the DVI port of your GT 120 and connect that to an HDMI screen. No quality issues at all.

2) How much video quality does one lose when connecting to standard VGA port versus a DVI port?
DVI is preferable, but in certain situations VGA is fine. See P's answer above.
     
revMedia
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Salem, OR
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 4, 2009, 04:02 PM
 
Originally Posted by C4U View Post
A couple of Questions:

I am planning on buying a basic Mac Pro 8 - 2.26ghz and looking too buy (2) HP W2408H monitors but it only comes with a Standard VGA port and HDMI port and I have read that the DVI connection is better quality picture.

1) Can you hook up the GeForce GT 120 to an HDMI connection on a monitor and does it have the quality of a DVI, since they are both digital inputs inlue of analog?
2) How much video quality does one lose when connecting to standard VGA port versus a DVI port?

Thx, C4U
HDMI is DVI, seriously, it's the same thing.

In my experience, VGA sucks for a digital monitor. Always opt for DVI/HDMI is possible.
     
Simon
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 5, 2009, 02:57 AM
 
Actually it's not the same thing. DVI (in Apple's implementation) does not carry HDCP. It doesn't carry audio either. Saying HDMI is DVI implies people have the same liberties using the two. And that's far from the truth. If you're talking about video quality alone you could consider DVI, HDMI, and DP as equals. IMHO that's about the only simplification that's not misleading.
( Last edited by Simon; Apr 5, 2009 at 03:21 AM. )
     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Apr 5, 2009, 11:55 AM
 
The difference between DVI and HDMI is what is mandatory. DVI permits a bunch of things that HDMI makes mandatory at some version of the standard. With HDMI, you can just check the version number, and if it's high enough, rely on your desired feature to be there. With DVI, it's like a box of chocolates.

VGA doesn't suck. The cable is simply not designed for the high-bandwidth, high-fidelity we ask of it with our modern large displays - at least not over some distance. The identification features, where the OS tries to figure out which display is at the other end, are also hit and miss to a large extent. It's like Windows - it mostly works, just not always. OTOH, DVI is far from Mac-like either.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
tzs
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: May 2009
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 10, 2009, 03:10 AM
 
A few people around the net and on Apple's forums have reported that their MacPros with the GT120 fail to properly recognize monitors connected via HDMI. The Mac devices the monitor is an HDTV, and only offers HDTV resolutions.

I have a monitor that has both an HDMI and a DVI input. When hooked up to my MacPro/GT120 via a DVI to DVI cable, the Mac offers 1920x1200, the native resolution of the monitor. If I use a DVI to HDMI cable instead, the highest the Mac offers is 1920x1080.
     
Simon
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 10, 2009, 04:00 AM
 
Try SwitchResX to force resolutions.
( Last edited by Simon; May 10, 2009 at 04:09 AM. )
     
Drakino
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Apr 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
May 10, 2009, 02:16 PM
 
Monoprice sells a Mini Displayport to HDMI adaptor here.
<This space under renovation>
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:09 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,