Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox pro

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colinmcc
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 8:49 pm

Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox pro

Post by colinmcc »

Hi,

I just received today my new mintbox pro, thanks!

Both the monitors I want to use with it are fairly old, both have DVI-D dual link inputs, I will use one with the HDMI-DVI cable that came with the mintbox pro, but am not sure what adaptor I need to drive the second screen from the displayport.

All the adaptors I can find via Google say that the displayport must be a DisplayPort++, which I don't think(?) the port is on the mintbox-pro is.

Can you recommend an adapter that will work for this?

Thank you!

Colin
Canada
Geek by nature.. Linux by choice.. ;-)

gabrielh
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Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 1:13 pm

Re: Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox

Post by gabrielh »

We have tested successfully this adapter

http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... CG4Q8wIwAA
Gabriel Heifets

Fit-PC2/3/IntensePC support.

colinmcc
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 8:49 pm

Re: Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox

Post by colinmcc »

Many thanks, gabrielh.

I visited the link and was interested to see in the item description:

'DP2DVIMM6 is a passive adapter cable that requires a DP++ port (DisplayPort++), meaning that DVI and HDMI signals can also be passed through the port.'

So my original question is answered, the MIntBox Pro port IS a DisplayPort ++. Which means that signals for DVI and HDMI are also available on the port's pins. You should mention this in your literature. And call the port a DisplayPort ++ rather than just a DisplayPort.

The wikipedia entry on DisplayPort ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DisplayPort ) includes this description:

(A) Dual-mode DisplayPort can directly emit single-link HDMI and DVI signals using a simple passive adapter that adjusts for the lower voltages required by DisplayPort. When a dual-mode chipset detects that a DVI or HDMI passive adapter is attached, it switches to DVI/HDMI mode which uses the 4-lane main DisplayPort link and the AUX channel link to transmit 3 TMDS signals, a clock signal and Display Data Channel data/clock. Dual-mode ports are marked with the DP++ logo; most current DisplayPort graphics cards and monitors offer this mode.

A notable limitation is that dual-mode can only transmit single-link DVI/HDMI, as the number of pins in the DisplayPort connector is insufficient for dual-link connections; an active converter is needed for Dual-Link DVI (and analog component video such as VGA, since it employs digital to analog conversion). Active conversion can be powered by +3.3 V wire in the DisplayPort connector, but some active adapters require external power.[24]

VESA foresees that all HDMI and DVI conversion will eventually be handled by active adapters which act as DisplayPort Sink devices, in order to facilitate easier updates to latest HDMI and DisplayPort specs, and work with dual-link HDMI, DisplayPort connections with either fewer than 4 lanes or different data rates, and multiple DisplayPort streams. '

I'll order the adaptor and see how it works with my monitors.

Colin
Geek by nature.. Linux by choice.. ;-)

colinmcc
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 8:49 pm

Re: Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox

Post by colinmcc »

I notice while 'Googling' DisplayPort specs that a DisplayPort++ port should have DP++ marked on it.... The port on my MintBox Pro doesn't... (should it?)
I'm still confused as to how the port is configured. None of your literature mentions the port being DP++ either.. :?:
Geek by nature.. Linux by choice.. ;-)

gabrielh
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Re: Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox

Post by gabrielh »

Hello Colin

This is DP++ port. We have tested also several other passive hdmi adapters, and found them compatible too. Compulab will provide in near future certified adapters of their own.
Gabriel Heifets

Fit-PC2/3/IntensePC support.

colinmcc
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 8:49 pm

Re: Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox

Post by colinmcc »

Hi Gabrielh,

I bought a couple of new monitors, one with HDMI and one with DP, and now have system that is running really well. I do however have a couple of questions that you may be able to answer, as to the way mint and the pc hardware interact.

1/ When I go into the settings for the displays both are identified as 'Laptop' which is odd and I can't find a way to change their names, for example setting the HDMI one to be called main screen and the DP to be called left screen. Is there a way to change the displays' names?

2/ I want to run firefox on the one connected to the HDMi. If I close firefox on that screen it reopens there, buit if I add firefox to the list of progs that automatically load on startup, it always opens on the DP screen. In the start file I can see no way to say on which screen I want a program to open. Is there a way?

Thanks,

Colin
Geek by nature.. Linux by choice.. ;-)

gabrielh
Site Admin
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Re: Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox

Post by gabrielh »

Hello Colin

This are a Linux Mint OS specific features. I suggest you to contact the Linux Mint support team to get help with those both questions
Gabriel Heifets

Fit-PC2/3/IntensePC support.

colinmcc
Posts: 24
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 8:49 pm

Re: Connecting a DVI monitor to the displayport on a mintbox

Post by colinmcc »

Posted the question at http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 6&t=116939 If I get the answer I will post it here..
Geek by nature.. Linux by choice.. ;-)

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