Dual Monitor, Mac Mini

Question

Level 1

1 points

Dual Monitor, Mac Mini

Hi

I have looked around and most places say buy this dual head 2 go thing but i dont want to spend loads, anyway.

I have an old mac mini G4 with Raedon 9200 graphics card, and so can i get dual monitors working with my mac? I dont care how, anyway possible, i would like to know thanks.

Also im looking into getting a new intel mac mini would that support dual monitors?

I did order some bits off amazon, and now i want to get my vga TV and vga monitor going together, i bought a DVI splitter, 1 male and 2 female connectors. From them i have an adaptor on each going from dvi to vga and having vga cables going to each my TV and monitor.

Anyway even better if you can help me get it working with those cables, no matter if you cant but please let me know if there are other ways. Thanks. Any help much appreciated.

Mac Mini G4, Mac OS X (10.4.10), Sony Handycam, FCE 3.5 HD

Posted on Jan 14, 2008 10:11 AM

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Answer 1

AndyO

Level 6

17,064 points

Jan 14, 2008 10:25 AM in response to Josh Kahane

The simple answers are:

I have an old mac mini G4 with Raedon 9200 graphics card, and so can i get dual monitors working with my mac? I dont care how, anyway possible, i would like to know thanks.

There is no native support for dual display output from the mini. It cab potentially support mirroring with a splitter, but both displays would have to be capable of the same resolution(s) in order for that to work, and even then if they are not identical the mini could be readily confused by receiving two conflicting display IDs.

An external device - namely the Matrox product - would be needed.

Also im looking into getting a new intel mac mini would that support dual monitors?

No. While it has different video controllers, the display output is the same single video DVI-I as the G4 mini. It can thus be split with the same degree of success (or otherwise) for mirroring, but without such as the Matrox unit, not spanned across displays.

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Answer 2

Josh Kahane Author

Level 1

1 points

Jan 14, 2008 11:23 AM in response to AndyO

Ok thanks alot. With the Martrox adaptor, does it just mirror the image or does it extend the actual desktop?

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Answer 3

AndyO

Level 6

17,064 points

Jan 14, 2008 11:50 AM in response to Josh Kahane

It extends (spans) the desktop across the attached displays.

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Answer 4

BSteely

Level 5

7,643 points

Jan 14, 2008 12:08 PM in response to AndyO

Yeah, but I belive there is a limitation that the two displays have to be running at the same resolution. Not sure about that so check with Matrox. If your TV and monitor are intended to run at different resolutions, then the DualHead2Go may not work.

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Answer 5

AndyO

Level 6

17,064 points

Jan 14, 2008 1:23 PM in response to BSteely

The do recommend the two displays run the same resolution, but they do not state it as a requirement. Overall, however, I'm not sure that driving two displays with the mini, even with the Matrox, would necessarily be all that satisfactory due to the maximum resolution the system supports.

I would want to see one in use with the system first, to make sure it does what it's needed to do.

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Answer 6

AndyO

Level 6

17,064 points

Jan 16, 2008 1:55 PM in response to Josh Kahane

Just noticed that according to the report at http://www.macnn.com/articles/08/01/16/usb.network.display/ the DisplayLink USB-based multi screen solution which had been mentioned in Apple Discussions recently seems due fairly soon, and is being demonstrated at MacWorld, so that may provide a viable solution as and when it is released. Kensington is also reported (http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/01/15/kensington.usb.display/) to be getting a suitable product ready which reportedly works with Intel Macs, though the Kensington site does not (yet?) reflect that.

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