'09 mini not compatible with mini-DVi to video adapter?

Question

Level 4

1,026 points

'09 mini not compatible with mini-DVi to video adapter?

I hooked up my new '09 mini to my AV receiver via Apple's mini-DVI to video adapter but got no picture. My previous mini ('06 model) worked fine w/ the DVI to video adapter. I'm thinking the mini-DVI port on the new mini doesn't pass analog signals anymore, i.e., it's now DVI-D vs previously being DVI-I.

Anyone else have this experience w/ the '09 models? I know it works with the older models. I'm just trying to figure out if I have a defective adapter or if the '09 mini's DVI just doesn't pass analog. I noticed the supplied mini-DVI to DVI cable is DVI-D, so maybe that is a hint.

MacBook Pro 2.4 (Late '08)/MacBook Pro 1.83/ MacPro 2.66/ Mac mini C2D 2.0Ghz, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Mar 4, 2009 4:14 PM

Answer 1

jlindh

Level 2

270 points

Mar 4, 2009 6:00 PM in response to Harry

You are correct, DVI-D is digital only.

Answer 2

Mar 4, 2009 6:50 PM in response to jlindh

So can we use the adapters in the following order for the s-video to work?

"Mac Mini" ---> "Mini DVI to DVI" ---> "DVI to Video"

Answer 3

Harry Author

Level 4

1,026 points

Mar 4, 2009 11:56 PM in response to striker_2009_2009

No. The supplied mini-DVI to DVI adapter is DVI-D while Apple's DVI to Video adapter is DVI-I. I've Googled to see if anyone else sells a Mini-DVI to DVI-I adapter, and no luck so far. Monoprice only has a DVI-D adapter. It's looking like Apple has sealed up the "analog hole." The only way I see of getting video to a TV is via VGA or a VGA to Video adapter, similar to what has to be done w/ the Late '08 MB and MBPs. I wouldn't have sold my '06 model mini if I'd know this. My fault though for buying too quickly.

Answer 4

snoppo

Level 1

0 points

Mar 5, 2009 11:41 PM in response to Harry

I think I am having a similar problem. I just bought a Mac Mini '09 and tried to hook it up to an old (2002) Sony Plasma 32" TV. I am using the mini-DVI to S-video/composite video adapter. I get a "no signal" response from the TV, indicating that the Mini and the TV are not communicating. My black '06 MacBook is able to successfully connect to the Sony TV using the exact same adapter and cable combination.

I spoke with an Apple Care person, and she and I agreed that there is likely a compatibility issue with the new Mac Mini's video card and older TV's. Is there any fix for this, either a driver or a cable adapter?

Answer 5

Harry Author

Level 4

1,026 points

Mar 6, 2009 3:56 AM in response to snoppo

It's amazing how many people at Apple tech support do not realize that the mini-DVI to Video adapter does not work with the '09 mini. I was told twice that it did, but then confirmed with an Apple Store manager that it did not, just as it doesn't with the just updated white MB. Analog video is dead to Apple. There is no "fix," as it's a "feature," not a defect.

If you are desperate for a work around you could try a mini-DVI to VGA to VGA to TV converter to Composite or S-Video. That was too klugy for me and I'm unsure what the picture quality would end up looking like.

Answer 6

Mar 6, 2009 11:44 AM in response to Harry

You say the new Mac-Mini has a mini-DVI-D connector. Where is that stated at Apple?

Answer 7

Harry Author

Level 4

1,026 points

Mar 6, 2009 1:09 PM in response to Bill Bard

That is the problem. Apple never stated it and even a good number of tech support aren't aware either. However, the mini-DVI port in the '09 mini is the same that is on the '09 white MB; it does not pass analog RCA video. Apple does specify that the mini-DVI to video adapter does not work with that model. Apple got caught napping not notifying customers about the mini.

Answer 8

ceder

Level 1

0 points

Mar 7, 2009 4:00 PM in response to Harry

I picked up a mini DVI to DVI-I at Best Buy for cheap:
http://www.dynexproducts.com/pc-584-9-dynex-mini-dvi-to-dvi-adapter.aspx

But, my new Mini is acting poorly with a DVI-I based KVM. It doesn't sync well.
If I I disconnect to cable from the mini and reconnect it finds sync. And even stranger, if it's synced and I start iTunes it loses sync.

Note: my Black MacBook doesn't have any trouble in the same setup, so I am hoping for an NVidia driver or firmware update.

Answer 9

smueboy

Level 1

0 points

Mar 9, 2009 3:53 PM in response to Harry

That is very annoying, but that is the only option that i can think of also - using a mini-DVI to VGA connector, and then using a VGA to S-video or composite video converter ( http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?cid=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011407&pid=4724&seq=1&format=2).

It's an incredibly annoying way to go, and i am sure it will look pretty poor. I hope someone can come up with a better solution.

Message was edited by: smueboy

Answer 10

Mar 16, 2009 4:42 PM in response to smueboy

Has any one tried the Mini-DVI to VGA and then the VGA converter to SVIDEO? I just purchased a new mac Mini and want to make sure it works on my analog TV. I am hoping the picture will be acceptable.

Answer 11

Mar 17, 2009 5:46 AM in response to Craig Gabron

I doubt that'd work. Usually these adapters work by connecting "legacy" wires on the newer connectors to an older interface. The mac actually produces all the appropriate signals, and the adapter just hooks the wires together appropriately.

It sounds like the only analog signals the mac is producing are Red-Green-Blue signals, like you'd use for VGA or component video. It's not producing a composite video signal. So if you convert mini-DVI to VGA, the composite line is going to be dead on both.

The only kind of adapter that could help you would be one with some amount of circuitry that actually pastes the Red-Green-Blue signal into a composite signal. Something like:
http://www.svideo.com/appletv2tv.html (I do NOT vouch for this site/product, just an example of what I mean)

Answer 12

Mar 17, 2009 5:57 AM in response to wickning1

Someone posted this in another thread. That's much cheaper than the device at svideo.com. You'd also need one of these.

Answer 13

tracr

Level 1

0 points

Mar 21, 2009 2:05 PM in response to wickning1

has anyone actually tested this (above) setup, i.e. mini DVI to VGA to RCA?

Answer 14

Mar 27, 2009 2:22 PM in response to Harry

It doesn't look like has brought up the following idea so far. The solution might be to get the new Mini DisplayPort-to-VGA adapter and connect a VGA-to-composite (or S-video) cable to it. It looks like the new $29 Mini-DP-to-VGA adapter actually converts the digital signal to analog signal, and might be a better solution than using some third-party converters. The mini-DVI-to-VGA or the mini-DVI-to-Video adapters probably do not contain the digital-to-analog converter, and that likely explains the price difference.

Answer 15

LarsW

Level 1

24 points

Apr 2, 2009 12:23 PM in response to Harry

This is absolutely ridiculous and simply not acceptable from Apple!

I bought a Mac Mini to use as a media center, and now I can't hook the thing up to my TV?!? Included in the box is a Mini-DVI to DVI adapter, into which the DVI to video adapter I had didn't fit - apparently because of analog vs. digital, which no non-expert could be expected to know. The plugs look and are called the same after all! Then I went out to get the Mini-DVI to Video converter (20€): now the plug even fits into the Mac Mini, but still no pic. On the pack it just says "Requires a Mac computer with a Mini-DVI port", but apparently that's simply not true, it's a straight-out lie.

What happened to good old user-friendliness, Apple's core? This is nothing short of a rip-off - they're just not honest about their product. I'm really disappointed and annoyed by this. Is there a good looking PC that can run Windows Media Center instead of this one?