MacBook refresh includes Mini DisplayPort that pumps out HDMI audio
By Sean Hollister 
posted May 18th 2010 10:44PM
posted May 18th 2010 10:44PM
posted May 18th 2010 10:44PM
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hahaha, why bother asking for more. This is Apple. They put things in and take things out at their whim, and control their mindless drones yet to adore their products. It's great Apple has all this great hardware, but it always leaving you asking for more doesn't it.
does that mean we'll be seeing HDMI Audio interfaces..? since they can push audio now? would be neat....
@jona7
HDMI has always pushed audio... ALWAYS
@Luxury Guy yeah i was referring to the mini displayport pushing audio now. It is a no brainer that HDMI has ALWAYS pushed audio. ALWAYS.
@jona7
Theoretically they should be able to, but Apple won't support it 1st party because they refuse to pay HDMI licensing costs for some reason (same thing with BluRay).
You'll have to wait on Monoprice releasing a compatible adapter that takes advantage of it, as the current ones they sell don't.
Now we just need hdmi out in iphone4
« sacre bleu! »
En voila un beau juron!
-> What a beautiful swearword :)
@Darkroom
No, actually, it shouldn't.
3 things:
1. I (and most others) need VGA. Sometimes you just need it, it's not an option in many cases when hooking up to projectors.
2. Apple doesn't ever include more than one video port on a laptop, and hasn't included a bulky-ass VGA port for years.
3. An adapter while not super convenient, is at least easier than some expensive digital to analog converter.
4. HDMI does not support VGA, and never will.
So if you are Apple, what do you do?
Well, it wasn't that bad before, at least they had digital audio out through the audio jack.
I hate the display port, i refuse to buy their proprietary cable.
@engadget123
Whether you like it or not... you're essentially an idiot. MiniDP WAS proprietary till about 6 months ago when exactly this connector (MiniDP) was added to the VESA standard of DisplayPort.
So go educate yourself before you post useless crap... or stop trolling altogether.
As an aside... have you spotted the relatively new Eyefinity 6 Cards ???
Guess what... they sport 6 MiniDP ports... and no... Apple did NOT build these cards.
Additionally MiniDP has some major advantages. It's fucking SMALL (so you can place six of them on one GFX Card). It's compatible with VGA and DVI (HDMI)). And essentially uses an improved signaling protocol that is more in line with the packages sent via ethernet cables.
So if you have a problem with this tech... don't buy it. I myself bought an End of Life MacBook Pro when the unibodies were released because I prefer plain ol' DVI, but did I make a buzz of it ? I simply didn't buy it. Period.
@Chris Leither They have no cable that goes directly into dvi, vgi, or hdmi, all of which are on my tv where I would want to hook it up. Instead I would be forced to buy their expensive adapter (for $30) and then pay to buy the ACTUAL cable. All because they decided to not put an hdmi adapter on the macbook. So again, I hate the display port.
But is it actually HDMI-audio or is it DisplayPort-audio which has be introduced recently?
i was playing around with a MBP yesterday and dear god I felt like a complete idiot, I don't know how to minimise screens, browse my CD contents, find where Safari dl'ed the damn files and where's the right click button to open up more functions...Did Apple make computers so that you can learn to be an idiot or they assume you'd be one already? :(
@annoynimous
Dude seriously. The right-click thing I understand that you might not find it. But minimizing screens? Windows top RIGHT of the screen. Mac OS X top LEFT of the screen. They even include a rollover effect so that you SEE a minus, plus or X symbol.
Besides Windows used to have these controls (at least for maximizing and minimizing) on the top LEFT as well. Windows 3.11 here we go.
Adn the Safari thing. Erm... EVERY browser (!) has a default location to where it DLs files. Every SINGLE Browser on every SINGLE OS. And in default settings it is almost always either a 'Downloads' folder or the Desktop. Additionally every browser has a pop-up window in default that shows you a progress bar when you dl something. Double click on the item... or drag it to the desktop or reveal it in the Finder/Explorer. It's the same with every OS and browser!!!
So yeah... you are an idiot....
@annoynimous:
"where's the right click button to open up more functions"
Check the top menu for *all* functions or toolbar. Mac OS generally doesn't hide the functionality: for most common used there are buttons on top of the window and the rest is in top menu (larger part of which is application specific). Though many applications got themselves the pop-up menus now (Cmd+Click) yet the traditional Mac design philosophy is still prevalent and I rarely if ever use pop-up menus on my MBP.
Though I can imagine how confusing it might be.
First time I went to Apple store I actually prepared myself by reading some tutorials and forums.
When will Apple space their USB-ports better? The average USB-memory device is wider than that. But yes, I know - if it can be used without an adapter, Apple sees it as a failure.
@evolutionofnonsens, blame the USB stick vendors - they do not comply with port dimension from USB spec. The flash inside is really miniscule, yet all EOMs try to add /flashy/ plastic enclosure to differentiate their devices - thus making them from plain fugly to unusable.
My friend has the new Micro USB stick, something looking very similar to that : http://maceton.com/en/urune.asp?id=6 - fits everywhere.
Releasing laptops without an audio-enabled MiniDP/HDMI was a moronic move on Apple's part. Everybody else (Dell, HP) does it for a quite long time now.
My MBP17 can't do it and there were already few occasions when it could have helped.
Not really a must for laptop, bit still a dumb omission.
@shinratdr
If you are apple you blatantly ignore consumers by adding an unstandardized port anyway for a premium.
VGA is dying, although saying that my projector and HD 23" monitor are both VGA. Taking the VGA option instead of DVI saved me a good £40.
I'm glad I didn't consider the thought of using a Mac Mini for an HTPC. I had assumed that their Display port carried audio (my Dell's does). How does a company that is so behind get such press?
i notice the security slot is back where it used to be, blocking all other ports. does nobody at apple ever use a computer lock? why can't they stick it at the rear, where it belongs?
@patches66
Everyone at Apple is either typing on their Macbooks at Starbucks, or carrying them in their man purses. What do they need a lock for?
@shinratdr
I have VGA and HDMI ports on my Lenovo. As for VGA ports being "bulky" All I can say is "whatever dude", keep on drinking the kool-aid. Apple just wants to push it's own standard, that nobody is buying, or force you buy overpriced adapters.