New Mac Pro (2013) - What Monitor Adapater?

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New Mac Pro (2013) - What Monitor Adapater?

My new Mac Pro is set to arrive in the next few days, and I plan on connecting 3-4 monitors to it. The monitors have VGA, DVI, and HDMI connections. I've read about the issues people have had connecting more than two monitors, so I'm hoping to avoid that out of the gate.

So my questions:

Which connection type (VGA, DVI, or HDMI) would be best?
In looking on Amazon, I'm seeing "Thunderbolt Compatible" adapters. Will those work?
I'm assuming these still need to be "active" adapters?

I was on chat with Apple asking the same questions, and she told me that I couldn't use a Mini DisplayPort adapter - it had to be Thunderbolt. Yet when I went to the page she sent me to, the adapters a) were called Mini DisplayPort and b) don't show "active".

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

Posted on Jul 9, 2014 1:22 PM

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Answer 1

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Jul 9, 2014 2:42 PM in response to wbdzynr

Have you looked at:

Mac Pro (Late 2013): Using multiple displays

HDMI, DVI and VGA are all called legacy connections.

You can get mini displayport (plugs into Thunderbolt port) to VGA, HDMI and DVI adopters.

As said in the article you can only have two non-action adopter. All mini display port to VGA adopter are active but only the better mini displayport to DVI adopters are active. Thunderbolt to HDMI adopters are inactive (I think).

The best monitor connects are using either a monitory that uses thunderbolt or a displayport or mini displayport input.are

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Answer 2

wbdzynr Author

Level 1

12 points

Jul 9, 2014 3:08 PM in response to lllaass

Thanks for the response. I did see that article and noticed the reference to the legacy connections. It only references when using DVI that you need active adapters for more than two monitors (or at least that's how I read it). So I'm simply trying to determine for sure that I do need (or don't need) an active adapter, whether I go with HDMI or DVI.

I have chatted with a few sales people and the mini displayport to HDMI adapters they point me don't mention "active". Not sure whether they are missing that I'm trying to more than two, or if they are right and I'm making it harder than it is.

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Answer 3

lllaass

Level 10

210,411 points

Jul 9, 2014 3:21 PM in response to wbdzynr

Mini displayport to HDMI are not active to my knowledge.

The one article says:

Two HDMI (HD or 4K) devices: one connected via HDMI and one connected via Mini DisplayPort with an HDMI adapter (see note below).

and

Mac Pro supports DVI displays using Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapters. Use a single-link DVI adapter such as the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter for DVI displays with a resolution up to 1920x1200. Use a Dual-Link DVI adapter such as the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter for resolutions up to 2560x1600.

Mac Pro supports a total of two single-link DVI displays. If you connect a third DVI display using a passive adapter or a display via HDMI, it will cause one of the three displays to become inactive.

Can I connect more than 2 DVI or HDMI displays?

Mac Pro supports a total of two DVI or HDMI displays when connected via the built-in HDMI port or using the Apple Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter. To connect additional DVI displays, use an active DVI adapter such as the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter. You can connect up to six active adapter DVI displays. This requires a powered USB hub since Mac Pro offers four USB ports and you will need six to connect them all.

The dual-link adapter are required for display greater than 1920X1200 with DVI input

I use two display port 1920X 1200 monitors and one 1920X 1080 HDMI monitor.

Before I obtained the second display port monitor I used a non-active mini displayport to DVI adapter and min displayport to VGA adapter.

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Answer 4

Jul 9, 2014 5:43 PM in response to wbdzynr

I was on chat with Apple asking the same questions, and she told me that I couldn't use a Mini DisplayPort adapter - it had to be Thunderbolt.

That person needs to be sent back for re-training on non-Apple Brand equipment. That answer is exactly wrong for third-party displays.

Mini DisplayPort plugs into and picks up a subset of the ThunderBolt port's signals.

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Answer 5

Jul 10, 2014 6:08 PM in response to wbdzynr

Mini DisplayPort to VGA and dual-link DVI adapters are always active.

Most single-link DVI and HDMI (including the built-in HDMI on the Mac Pro) adapters are not active, but there are some active ones available:

<http://www.accellcables.com/collections/adapters/products/ultraav-mini-displaypo rt-to-dvi-d-active-single-link-adapter>

<http://www.accellcables.com/collections/adapters/products/ultraav-mini-displaypo rt-1-2-to-hdmi-1-4-active-adapter>

<http://ca.startech.com/AV/Displayport-Converters/Mini-DisplayPort-to-HDMI-Active -Video-and-Audio-Adapter-Converter-Mini-DP-to-HDMI-1920x1200~MDP2HDS>

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Answer 6

Oct 20, 2014 12:02 AM in response to wbdzynr

Hi wbdzynr,

Have your monitor issue solved? I planing to buy a new Mac Pro, with the same setup as you using, 2 old DVI Samsung 24", and 1 HDMI 42" LCD TV.

In the near future I'm planing to buy a further 28" Display (Dell 2713h), which is bigger, than FullHD, but it has a Mini Display port, a Display port, a dual link DVI and HDMI. So I really need your help, will it work with my setup:

2x Samsung 24" display - using Apple single link minidisplay to DVI (passive)

1x mac pro HDMI to - LCD TV HDMI

Dell 27 - need nothing, because it has mini display port

-- or --

1x Samsung 24"- using Apple sinlge link

1x Samsung 24" - using thirdparty Active minidisplay to DVI (or Apple Dual link to DVI)

1x HDMI to HDMI

1x mini display to mini display for Dell

Sorry for my long letter, but this is not a simple question, and all of your help would be important for me!

Thanks,

Arte

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