Mac mini to Projector connectivity

Zirax · 19-04-2009, 22:27

I have a mac mini which is being used to output to a projector (1024*768).

Now the cunning plan is to run an HDMI cable from the projector to a media point in the wall. Then you can have a splitter for xbox, blu-ray, mac etc. The snag that I have hit is with the connectivity for the mini.

Previously I had this setup which allowed me to output a higher than native signal (PJ downscaled but had a cracking picture):-

Mac (DVI) -> (DVI to VGA) -> VGA lead -> (VGA to M1) -> Projector

Now I have this:-

Mac (DVI) -> (DVI to HDMI) -> HDMI lead -> (HDMI to M1) -> Projector

The upshot of this change is that now the mac mini talks directly to the projector as it see's the connection as a DVI connection. This has confirmed two things:-
1. I really need to setup the colours properly when using VGA. There is a 3200MP profile under DVI and the colours look great.
2. The mac locks the output to the native res (1024*768).

Obviously this now means that HD films get squished in 720p and look a whole lot worse with the software compression.

Idea

The solution that I can think of for the mac mini is:-

Mac (DVI) -> (DVI to VGA) -> (VGA to DVI) -> (DVI to HDMI) -> HDMI lead -> (HDMI to M1) -> Projector

Not ideal by a long shot but stops the mini from locking the res to 1024&768. The projector in question is a Dell 3200MP, which does actually take an HD signal (scaling applied).

Anyone have any ideas or ideally how I can force the mini to output a non standard res signal when in DVI?

Mark · 20-04-2009, 02:03

HDMI needs a digital signal path, which disappears when you do DVI -> VGA. In short, you'll get nothing - nada - zip - no picture at all apart from the very helpful words 'no signal'.

Try SwitchResX instead. I think that's what I used when I set up my Mac Mini. My KVM doesn't understand 16:10 resolutions and so doesn't send the DDC for them to the Mac, so I didn't get the resolution I wanted.

Caution! This tool uses the dreaded APE. Do not - I repeat - do not - attempt OS X upgrades with this installed. It will fubar your system. Updates seem fine but be careful - APE has a habit of hooking into undocumented things, and since they're undocumented, Apple can (and will) remove them. How very kind of them.

19-04-2009, 22:27	#1
Zirax Goes up to 11! Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 4,577	Mac mini to Projector connectivity I have a mac mini which is being used to output to a projector (1024768). Now the cunning plan is to run an HDMI cable from the projector to a media point in the wall. Then you can have a splitter for xbox, blu-ray, mac etc. The snag that I have hit is with the connectivity for the mini. Previously I had this setup which allowed me to output a higher than native signal (PJ downscaled but had a cracking picture):- Mac (DVI) -> (DVI to VGA) -> VGA lead -> (VGA to M1) -> Projector Now I have this:- Mac (DVI) -> (DVI to HDMI) -> HDMI lead -> (HDMI to M1) -> Projector The upshot of this change is that now the mac mini talks directly to the projector as it see's the connection as a DVI connection. This has confirmed two things:- 1. I really need to setup the colours properly when using VGA. There is a 3200MP profile under DVI and the colours look great. 2. The mac locks the output to the native res (1024768). Obviously this now means that HD films get squished in 720p and look a whole lot worse with the software compression. Idea The solution that I can think of for the mac mini is:- Mac (DVI) -> (DVI to VGA) -> (VGA to DVI) -> (DVI to HDMI) -> HDMI lead -> (HDMI to M1) -> Projector Not ideal by a long shot but stops the mini from locking the res to 1024&768. The projector in question is a Dell 3200MP, which does actually take an HD signal (scaling applied). Anyone have any ideas or ideally how I can force the mini to output a non standard res signal when in DVI?

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20-04-2009, 02:03	#2
Mark Screaming Orgasm Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Newbury Posts: 15,194	HDMI needs a digital signal path, which disappears when you do DVI -> VGA. In short, you'll get nothing - nada - zip - no picture at all apart from the very helpful words 'no signal'. Try SwitchResX instead. I think that's what I used when I set up my Mac Mini. My KVM doesn't understand 16:10 resolutions and so doesn't send the DDC for them to the Mac, so I didn't get the resolution I wanted. Caution! This tool uses the dreaded APE. Do not - I repeat - do not - attempt OS X upgrades with this installed. It will fubar your system. Updates seem fine but be careful - APE has a habit of hooking into undocumented things, and since they're undocumented, Apple can (and will) remove them. How very kind of them.