Mini Display Port

[AWayne]

Hello LTT Community,

 

Just a quick question about Mini DP. I own a laptop that has only HDMI and mini DP outputs on it. I frequently hook up my laptop to a tv or peripheral monitor via HDMI. Have I been doing it wrong all along?

 

Wondering if there is a real difference between Mini DP and HDMI when connecting to a peripheral device. Also what are the advantages of mini DP on a laptop as compared to HDMI. If I go Mini DP to HDMI converter is it not just the same as HDMI, and i thought I read somewhere that I could get a Mini DP to a hub where I could potentially connect 3 extra devices to my laptop-- is that a possibility?

 

Many Thanks

[Glenwing]

3 minutes ago, AWayne said:

Hello LTT Community,

 

Just a quick question about Mini DP. I own a laptop that has only HDMI and mini DP outputs on it. I frequently hook up my laptop to a tv or peripheral monitor via HDMI. Have I been doing it wrong all along?

 

Wondering if there is a real difference between Mini DP and HDMI when connecting to a peripheral device. Also what are the advantages of mini DP on a laptop as compared to HDMI. If I go Mini DP to HDMI converter is it not just the same as HDMI, and i thought I read somewhere that I could get a Mini DP to a hub where I could potentially connect 3 extra devices to my laptop-- is that a possibility?

 

Many Thanks

Mini DP to HDMI is the same as HDMI to HDMI.

 

You can get a hub to connect a mDP port to multiple HDMI devices if you want multiple displays, but the hubs are quite expensive. You can get two extra displays just by using the mDP and HDMI ports together, so there's no need for a DP hub unless you want 3 external displays.

[AWayne]

Just now, Glenwing said:

Mini DP to HDMI is the same as HDMI to HDMI.

 

You can get a hub to connect a mDP port to multiple HDMI devices if you want multiple displays, but the hubs are quite expensive. Unless you want more than 2 extra displays it will be simpler to just use the mDP and HDMI ports together.

Alright so there is basically no advantage in having a mDP over HDMI besides variety?

[Glenwing]

1 minute ago, AWayne said:

Alright so there is basically no advantage in having a mDP over HDMI besides variety?

DP ports can connect to either DP, HDMI, or DVI displays with a simple cable, HDMI can only connect to HDMI or DVI displays. DP has more flexibility in that regard, but for connecting to a DVI or HDMI display it doesn't matter whether you do if from a DP port or an HDMI port.

[AWayne]

1 minute ago, Glenwing said:

DP ports can connect to either DP, HDMI, or DVI displays with a simple cable, HDMI can only connect to HDMI or DVI displays. DP has more flexibility in that regard, but for connecting to a DVI or HDMI display it doesn't matter whether you do if from a DP port or an HDMI port.

Thank you very much, so If I had a device with a DP input, it would be advised to do mDP to DP. Any other scenario with HDMI will give the same result. I think I got it. Thanks so much for your help!

[AT0MAC]

for computer use no real difference, for av type equipment like cameras there can be a difference. HDMI can in some varities offer ethernet trough the HDMI cable, or audio return channel between an amp and tv set, there can also be differences in how high a resolution the cable can support in different lenghts, were dp can usually support higher refresh rates and higher resolutions for a longer cable run than a similar HDMI cable can.

 

not usually any reason to think about that for general use cases, picture will be just as good in a lets say 3 meter HDMI as a 3 meter dp cable, in similar quality of the actual cable of course (unfair if you hold a 10cent cable up against a 50dollar one)

[Glenwing]

2 minutes ago, AWayne said:

Thank you very much, so If I had a device with a DP input, it would be advised to do mDP to DP. Any other scenario with HDMI will give the same result. I think I got it. Thanks so much for your help!

Correct