DisplayPort: What you need to know

#1 Macworld

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:15 AM

Post your comments for DisplayPort: What you need to know here

#2 TAllenSr

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:26 AM

I really like the "What You Need to Know" series, and this is a great overview of the new technology that Apple has adopted. But I still have two questions that were not answered in the article:
1. Is Apple's "Mini" version part of the spec, or if not, is being considered for addition to it?
2. For the new Cinema display, will there be adapters that "go the other way", for instance from DVI to Mini DisplayPort to use this new display with older Macs/PCs?

#3 Peter Cohen

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:30 AM

TAllenSr said:

I really like the "What You Need to Know" series, and this is a great overview of the new technology that Apple has adopted.

Thanks!

Quote

But I still have two questions that were not answered in the article:

1. Is Apple's "Mini" version part of the spec, or if not, is being considered for addition to it?

Yes, actually, it was answered in the article, and the answer is yes, it's part of the spec.

Quote

2. For the new Cinema display, will there be adapters that "go the other way", for instance from DVI to Mini DisplayPort to use this new display with older Macs/PCs?

That I do not know. I looked around and couldn't find any such boxes. And if I'm reading the DisplayPort Web site correctly, it looks like the cables that are out there are either direct connectivity cables or designed to enable other devices equipped with VGA, DVI or HDMI to communicate with a DisplayPort-equipped host device, such as a computer.

#4 tmedia1

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:54 AM

This is a nice informative article, thank you for that. I have to say I think Apple was premature in jumping on the DisplayPort bandwagon. To my knowledge, virtual no peripherals exist for DisplayPort yet and they certainly aren't mainstream at this time or in the near foreseeable future. I use my MBP regularly for presentations driving a projector of some sort. I use the VGA-DVI adapter 95% of the time and was just starting to use DVI (without adapter) as it is getting more available on projectors. Now Apple throws another display connector in the mix just as DVI is getting to be accepted. I like being on the leading edge, but not the bleeding edge. This move by Apple seems to be the latter of the two. I'll be sticking with my DVI MBP for the foreseeable future.

#5 TAllenSr

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:56 AM

Peter Cohen wrote:
Yes, actually, it was answered in the article, and the answer is yes, it's part of the spec.
@Peter: I did see the following sentence in the article...
bq. Compared to a full-sized DVI interface, DisplayPort-and especially Mini DisplayPort-is much smaller. Apple says the Mini DisplayPort-a smaller derivative of the official spec-on its redesigned portables is 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector. Thus, DisplayPort frees up a lot more space on the side of a laptop as well inside the machine.
So the line that reads "a smaller derivative of the official spec" is intended to say it is part of spec? Because that is not how I read it. To me it sounded like "there is the official spec" and "Apple made thier own smaller derivative of that spec". Maybe it would have been more clear to me if it read "a smaller derivative contained within the official spec". Or it could be my overly-critical grammatical eye, which if so, please roundly ignore me. Posted Image

Did anyone else misread this part like I did?

P.S. Is Anal-Retentive hyphenated?

#6 Peter Cohen

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:58 AM

tmedia1 said:

To my knowledge, virtual no peripherals exist for DisplayPort yet

That's not correct. There's a difference between virtual [sic] no peripherals and a scarcity.

As I point out in my article, a few vendors are now making displays with DisplayPort connectors on board. Dell, HP and Lenovo, for example.

But I agree, DisplayPort is definitely on the bleeding edge right now, and will probably remain so for longer than many of us would like.

#7 elCapiton

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:03 AM

It would be nice if they'd include the adaptors with the computer like they did with the previous MBP DVI>VGA adaptor.

#8 benroethig

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:13 AM

The one thing that hasn't been said is that while display port is an open standard, mini display port is, as of now, a proprietary connector. There are no cables to connect a macbook to a full display port display and there is no way to connect Apple's mini display port display to a full display port display,

#9 tmedia1

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:20 AM

To clarify, I understand your point that other manufacturers are "starting" to make computers with DisplayPort, no arguement there, but its an "optional item" with those other manufactureres, whereas Apple does no offer this as an option, but forces it upon us. I guess that's the main difference here and part of my gripe. Anyway, I don't foresee very many people being able to use DisplayPort (without an adapter) anytime in the near future and god help you if you lose that adpater because you won't find it at Radio Shack.

#10 Peter Cohen

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:20 AM

benroethig said:

The one thing that hasn't been said is that while display port is an open standard, mini display port is, as of now, a proprietary connector.

Did you miss the discussion above? Mini DisplayPort is not proprietary, It's part of the spec.

#11 the__fox

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:34 AM

[quote name='Peter Cohen']
> [quote name='benroethig']
> The one thing that hasn't been said is that while display port is an open standard, mini display port is, as of now, a proprietary connector.

Did you miss the discussion above? Mini DisplayPort is not proprietary, It's part of the spec.
[/quote]

I think he meant that since Apple is the (apparently) only manufacturer currently using a mini DisplayPort, it is for the moment a de facto proprietary connector. In that you can't jump online and buy a miniDP-to-DP cable.

#12 Kachakaach

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:41 AM

I have heard differing opinions on this - Question: Is the mini display port part of the approved current spec, or part of a proposed future spec under development/negotiation (and potentially subject to change before adoption)?

#13 tewha

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:42 AM

Great read!
Peter: I gather from the comments that you think the article makes it clear that Mini DisplayPort is part of the spec. But I missed that, too. This, in particular:
"Apple says the Mini DisplayPort—a smaller version of the official spec—on its redesigned portables is 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector."
...does not say the mini port is part of the spec. It says it's a smaller version of the official spec. That's a different thing. Exact physical properties including size is surely a part of the spec.
It might be worth clarifying it in the article.

#14 producer

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 10:46 AM

"...and god help you if you lose that adpater because you won't find it at Radio Shack."

But I bet you will be able to find it at any of the other authorized Apple resellers including Best Buy, Circuit City, smaller independent Apple distributers. And, let's not forget the Apple Store itself.