Mini Display Port - Compatibility

Compatibility

VESA states, "DisplayPort assures that you get the best experience from your LCD, it simplifies display design and connections, enables interoperability with existing display interfaces and provides a technology foundation to deliver new and exciting display capabilities."

However, the removal of the DVI port from the MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro in favor of Mini DisplayPort, and the use of Mini DisplayPort as the video connector for the new 24-inch Cinema Display, may complicate compatibility:

• Mini DisplayPort's HDCP extension disables playback of certain DRM-encrypted content on any display not designed for it. This includes some content from the iTunes Store which has no such restrictions if played on a Mac without Mini DisplayPort.

• Apple's Dual-Link DVI or VGA adapters are relatively large and expensive compared to past adapters, and customers have reported issues with the new adapters, such as being unable to connect to an external display. Monitors connected to a Mini DisplayPort via these adaptors may have resolution issues or not "wake up" from sleep.

• While the DisplayPort specification is capable of supporting digital audio, the older 2009 line of MacBooks and MacBook Pros are unable to provide an audio signal through the Mini DisplayPort, and only do so over USB, Firewire, or the audio line out port instead (the April 2010 line of MacBook Pro, and late-2009 iMac and later, however, supports this). This can present a problem to users who intend to connect their computers to HDTVs using a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. To work around this issue, some third-party manufacturers have created dual or triple headed adapters that get power for the adapter from a USB port, video from the Mini DisplayPort, and audio from either the USB port or the optical out port. Either option terminates with a single female HDMI connector, thus allowing both video and audio to be channeled over the one HDMI cable.

• As of October 12th 2012 it's been widely discussed in the Apple Support Communities that Mini DisplayPort has compatibility issues with the HDMI standard. Apple have yet to make an official statement on this. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2180106?start=0&tstart=0