HDMI to VGA Issues

[Guest]

Hi, so I just bought an adapter to convert HDMI from my Mac Mini to VGA so it can be capable of transmitting a signal to an old screen I have that still uses VGA. After plugging it in correctly, nothing happened - nothing was being displayed. Is there some kind of limitation I don't know about or something for these two? 

[TheKDub]

You have to use an active adapter such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters%C2%AE-Active-Adapter-Support/dp/B008O7RH5C

[Guest]

You have to use an active adapter such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters%C2%AE-Active-Adapter-Support/dp/B008O7RH5C

Thanks, my adapter has an input for USB but I can't tell what kind of USB it needs - the box doesn't say. Is audio required for something like that or won't it work automatically? 

[stupidhuman]

Thanks, my adapter has an input for USB but I can't tell what kind of USB it needs - the box doesn't say. Is audio required for something like that or won't it work automatically? 

USB is probably used to power the adapter. All active adapters need power as far as I am aware.

[TheKDub]

Thanks, my adapter has an input for USB but I can't tell what kind of USB it needs - the box doesn't say. Is audio required for something like that or won't it work automatically? 

 

On the one I linked, the audio connector is for connecting speakers or headphones as HDMI can carry audio, but VGA cannot, so they still give the option to use audio through HDMI.

 

The USB connector in the one I linked should be microusb, which is the same as what you'll find on most android phones, it's needed to power the adapter so it can do the conversion from Digital HDMI to Analog VGA.