How to connect 2 LED cinema displays to MBP?

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How to connect 2 LED cinema displays to MBP?

Currently running a 2012 13" MBP. Found a great deal on 2x24" cinema displays. Now trying to figure out how to get them working together.

I'm not sure about miniDisplay tech, but curious if it can function similar to HDMI. The reason being, there are many (affordable) miniDisplay to 2 HDMI splitters, such as this one

http://belkinbusiness.com/products/f2cd059-mini-displayport-2x-hdmi-f-splitter-d ongle

The only thing I've found for miniDisplay to 2 miniDisplay is over $100 (for a monoprice product).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/371542962942?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STR K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Do you think using a minidisplay to hdmi adaptor on both monitors, attaching those to an hdmi splitter and hooking that up to the MPB would split the signal properly? Can't explain it well, maybe this diagram will help

LED ACD LED ACD

miniDisplay miniDisplay

HDMI (M) HDMI(M)

| |

HDMI(F) HDMI(F)

Belkin splitter

miniDisplay(F)

|

miniDisplay on MPB

Posted on Mar 10, 2016 6:40 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 10, 2016 8:47 PM in response to dijons

Do you want both 24" displays showing the same image? That's what most splitters do. Monoprice says that, Belkin does't say what their splitter does.

If you want different images on the displays you will need a Matrox unit:

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/dh2go/digital_me/

Simple Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters are for connecting HDMI displays to Mini DisplayPort. They will not work in reverse.

To connect a Mini DisplayPort display to HDMI (or DVI with a DVI to HDMI cable) you need a converter, such as:

http://www.kanex.com/xd

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Answer 2

dijons Author

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Mar 10, 2016 10:32 PM in response to Malcolm J. Rayfield

Thanks. After looking at the Matrox Dual2go ME and DP it seems both of those units spread the image as one long display (not separate desktops) across both. Maybe that's not right. I work in full screen applications a lot and would like to have the ability to work in say photoshop on one screen, and have the other screen function as it's own desktop. Not sure if that's possible.

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