Apple teases Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (update)
By Darren Murph 
posted April 13th 2010 12:02PM
posted April 13th 2010 12:02PM
Wait a second, can it be true? Is Apple really caving to the pressures of supporting a socket that's used by pretty much every home entertainment owner ever? In the Tech Specs section that went up with this morning's MacBook Pro refresh, there's a fourth video output listed: "HDMI output using Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (optional)." That's the first mention we've seen of such a cable from Apple itself; to date, users have had to rely on third-party solutions in order to get an HDMI connector from the Mini DisplayPort. Of course, we're guessing those alternatives sold at Monoprice will best Apple's in terms of price, but as of now, the company has yet to even reserve a product portal within its store. Let's just go ahead and call it: $29.99, shipping in May. Feel better?[Thanks, Arnav]
Update: Ars Technica has it that Apple actually won't be making its own adapter; instead, these new machines will simply support audio pass-through with the aforesaid third-party dongles. Glad that's cleared up!
@crunc are you kidding? No.
Look, I honestly don't care if apple makes such a cable itself or not, the simple fact they're available (I got 2 for under $7 from Amazon and they work great), is fine. It would be much nicer if AUDIO carried over the HDMI output as well... but here's to wishing. Audio is not an official part of the DP spec.
@zelannii Actually, audio has always been an optional part of the official DP spec. And thanks to the update posted, looks like we'll be using it at long last - and with our dirt-cheap-well-built Monoprice cables to boot.
Real news would be Apple including HDMI built-in. Yes, that would be news.
If this is news... then me just discovering that there's a 3rd party mouse + 'nunchuck' combo for the Xbox 360 and PS3 on eBay should be news too.
How on earth is this news?
I can understand some hype around the ipad (somewhat).
I can understand a post about a macbook pro refresh (even if it was a yawn).
But an article about a possible HDMI adaptor? Are you kidding?
How come there isn't an HDMI port built into the computer.. you know like every other computer even close to its price range. Why does apple insist on being so stubborn?
Flash really is a CPU hog, especially when you ship your latest "upgrades" with a genuine Intel Pentium processor!!! I'm going to take my just announced 13" MacBookPro with C2D processor on Antiques Roadshow & see how much I can get for it!!!
WOW! I got mine nearly a year ago for $6-10 from DX lol...
Engadget supports monoprice; I LIKE monoprice.....
however, if Microsoft sells a sole seller an item at a guessing 500% markup [I'm guessing it costs $10=15 in MC]] it's not a good thing to advertise.
Apple is just crazy with markups! Like MC to market price [[mc/mp]] of out of the pocket of anyone who works for their plants in China for a few dollars a day as Engadget thankfully caught!