08-09-2011, 01:39 AM

After working for a couple years with Windows machines, and getting tired of the workarounds and crashes, I've just picked up the 2011 Mac Mini.

The big draw for me on this machine was the thunderbolt port.

The only problem is I've yet to see it work.

I was told the Dynex Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter was bi-directional and would do the job of getting my HDMI video into the machine through the thunderbolt port.

(Dynex Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter (DX-AP160) : Apple Computer Accessories - Future Shop)

This hasn't happened.

I don't know if it's because I'm new to Mac altogether or if I'm missing something else, but has anybody seen this work, or have any ideas?

08-09-2011, 05:11 AM

Why do you use an HDMI adapter when the Mac Mini have an built-in HDMI port?

Or am I missing something here?

08-09-2011, 05:34 AM

I would say whoever told you that was mistaken. There is no indication on the Dynex specs for that adapter that it is bi-directional. It's compatibility specifically states:

Most laptops with a mini DisplayPort output and monitors, projectors and TVs with an HDMI input.

Of course, I am sure that was written long before the advent of the Thunderbolt port on Macs.

I've also seen no indication from reviews, that the Thunderbolt port supports video in. Perhaps with a Thunderbolt cable, but I have not seen anything stating such.

If you're trying to watch video from another device such as your XBox, TV, etc... my guess is that you are still going to need a video capture device.

08-09-2011, 08:16 AM

Hey Strukt, the Mac Mini certainly does have 'onboard' HDMI, but sadly it's only an out. The Tunderbolt port is I/O

"Thunderbolt. The fastest, most versatile I/O in any desktop. Of any size."

And I was afraid you were going to be right bobtomay in saying that the lady who told me the adaptor was bi-directional was wrong.

Any suggestions on decent capture devices?

08-09-2011, 09:30 AM

To take advantage of Thunderbolt, it's going to require a Thunderbolt cable. The port itself is backwards compatible with displayport, but our displayport adapters/cables, etc., are not going to be forward capable of Thunderbolt.

The leader on the Mac side of things for video capture has been El Gato for some time. There are some other capture devices out there - seems half of those use El Gato's EyeTV software though.

Another Mac focused company is Equinux that has a device called the TubeStick for watching and recording TV.

Probably need to check out both - El Gato has a larger variety of devices.

And currently, I'd be doing some research in whatever devices you're looking at to make sure both the hardware and the software are fully 10.7 compatible. Wish I could help more, but I use Win 7 for all this sort of stuff.

08-10-2011, 05:55 AM

Thunderbolt absolutely supports video in. Whether there's any software that can recognise this yet is another story.

08-10-2011, 06:04 AM

He'd have to have a Thunderbolt cable for that, not a mdp cable.

And while it may support, say importing video from a camera or something along those lines, I've not seen any evidence that you can plug in a TV, XBox, etc... and use the screen as a monitor (except the new Cinema Display) via Thunderbolt. It could be, I just have not seen it.

Could be possible with TB, maybe with EyeTV or something?