Mini Display Port to VGA Mac Mini

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Hi, I am trying to get my VGA monitor to display on my mac mini using the mini port display to VGA converter cable. On booting the machine the display stays in standby but after a few minutes if I disconnect the display from the back of the mac mini and reconnect it the display will sometimes come on and show me the login screen of the mac. I have this cable plugged into the Thunderbolt connection on the mac as I was told that this works same as mini display port.

I was thinking there wasnt any drivers loaded (or the mac equivalent) to display anything on screen until the operating system has loaded. The display only sometimes works if i disconnect and reconnect it once the display once the mac mini has been switched on for several minutes.

Any info you can offer would be great.

Thanks
 

chscag

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It should work if the monitor is OK. No drivers are needed. The Thunderbolt port is backwards compatible with the mini display port. It's possible the adapter or cable may be loose or intermittent. Does your monitor also have a DVI input that you can try? You would of course need the proper adapter and cable for DVI.
 
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No, it isnt loose confirmed it was tightly connected with the screws and connected firmly at the back of the mac mini. On the odd occasion that the monitor works, if I reboot the machine the monitor then doesnt come on at startup. So I am pretty sure it isnt a connection.

None of our monitors have DVI inputs sadly. I just wondered in case there was any sort of key combination needed to bring it up on screen immediately or anything like that?
 

bobtomay

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Have you tried it on another monitor? and the results?

Tried a different adapter/cable?

Disconnect and reconnect the adapter/cable - yep, this works quite often even when everything is screwed in properly.

Try a SMC reset.

Exchange the adapter/cable for another.
 
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This is an abject failure by Apple - read below

I have the same issue but at one time it did work. I was able to have a 2nd VGA screen. Then one day it quit. I left it alone for a while then started researching and it turns out it's a known issue. They produced a firmware update but it never worked for me. I picked up thecause again recently and found the same update but it fails to install and claims an error prevented it. It's something Apple just seems to ignore b/c we shouldn't have to use VGA :-{
 

pigoo3

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I have the same issue but at one time it did work. I was able to have a 2nd VGA screen. Then one day it quit. I left it alone for a while then started researching and it turns out it's a known issue. They produced a firmware update but it never worked for me. I picked up thecause again recently and found the same update but it fails to install and claims an error prevented it. It's something Apple just seems to ignore b/c we shouldn't have to use VGA :-{

Let's be realistic. I can log onto Craig's List just about any day of the week...and find used VGA monitors selling for $15-$20 bucks each...drop in the bucket! Much better & larger used DVI monitors can be had for just a little more ($50).

If we were talking $150-$200 VGA monitors...maybe there would be more reason to be upset. Even Windows users have run away from using VGA monitors years ago. The minidisplayport to VGA adapter Apple sells ($29) costs more than many used VGA monitors are worth.

Time to responsibly recycle the VGA monitor...and release the "VGA frustration".;)

- Nick
 

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