Question about video leads.

Hi guys,
Me again with another stupid question.
At the present time, there is a single lead, with no adapters, leading from the socket in the back of my G4 Mac Mini to an HDMI socket on my TV. I'm not 100% certain what the name of the socket on the back of my Mac is but I think it is "DVI".
Anyway, the thing is that I have been looking at new Mac Minis and they don't seem to have that same kind of socket for the video cable on the back. Does this mean that I have to buy another video cable? Or is there an adapter in the box of a brand new Mac Mini?
Also, what is the proper name of the socket on the new Mac for the video lead so that I know what to order?

Thank you for any help.
Steve

Apple (United Kingdom) - Mac mini - Technical Specifications

If you go to this link and look under Graphic and Video Support you will find the connections on the back of the Mac Mini.

The part of that link dealing with video stuff says .....

# Mini Display Port with support for up to 2560-by-1600 resolution
# HDMI port with support for up to 1920-by-1200 resolution
# DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (included)
# VGA output using Mini Display Port to VGA Adapter (sold separately)

The problem is that being an old guy who has only just started with this kind of thing I have no idea what all that means except that one kind of adapter is included in the box and one isn't. What I DON'T want to happen is for me to order one of these new Mac Minis as follows ....
* Intel Core 2 Duo dual core.
* 2.4GHz processor speed.
* 2GB memory.
* 320GB hard drive.

..... and then find that I can't use it until £5 worth of lead is ordered and delivered. I can't just go to the local store and buy one because the nearest place to buy any Apple stuff is about 40 miles away.
So what I'm hoping is that an expert on these things can look at what I wrote in the Opening Post about the lead and adapter that I already have and couple that with what would normally be shipped with a new Mac and advise me about any lead or adapter that I should buy.
Thanks very much,
Steve

You will be able to use the cable you already have. All the G4 Mac Minis have a DVI port, which means that your existing cable must be a DVI to HDMI if you have no adapter.

The new model comes with the HDMI to DVI adapter which you will use in order to use your existing cable - DVI back to HDMI.

You will still need the separate audio cable you're already using in this case. If you're running the audio to the TV, you could change out your current cable/sell it along with your old mini and get a standard HDMI cable so that you can pass the audio and video together in the single cable. Apple is selling a HDMI cable for $19 U.S., they can be had cheaper, but they're not raping anyone at that price either.

bobtomay wrote .... and get a standard HDMI cable so that you can pass the audio and video together in the single cable.

Are you talking about a lead with a simple HDMI plug on each end, one to fit in the TV and one to fit in the Mac? And are you also saying that this HDMI to HDMI lead would do away with the seperate sound lead?
That would be fantastic 'cos I already have one of those.
BTW, re not knowing what video cable I would need or if it was in the box would have been made a whole lot simpler if there was some way of knowing which way round an adapter was meant to work. For example, what is an HDMI to DVI adapter? (That's a rhetorical question) Is it an adapter such that the HDMI is at the Mac Mini end of the adapter or is it one where the DVI is at the Mac Mini end? It would have been so much easier for me to understand if that distinction was made clear.

Thanks for the help and advice, guys. Much appreciated.

ps .... I just bought the one on the left in this link over the phone. I should have it by Thursday or Friday.

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/mac_mini?mco=MTQzMDMxODY

5tevie said:

bobtomay wrote .... and get a standard HDMI cable so that you can pass the audio and video together in the single cable.

Are you talking about a lead with a simple HDMI plug on each end, one to fit in the TV and one to fit in the Mac? And are you also saying that this HDMI to HDMI lead would do away with the seperate sound lead?
That would be fantastic 'cos I already have one of those.

Click to expand...

Yep

BTW, re not knowing what video cable I would need or if it was in the box would have been made a whole lot simpler if there was some way of knowing which way round an adapter was meant to work. For example, what is an HDMI to DVI adapter? (That's a rhetorical question) Is it an adapter such that the HDMI is at the Mac Mini end of the adapter or is it one where the DVI is at the Mac Mini end? It would have been so much easier for me to understand if that distinction was made clear.

Click to expand...

Have to know your cables. Many cables pass signals in only one direction. Many others pass signals in either direction.

In general it is pretty easy, particularly with adapters. Ex. of these 2 video adapters.
HDMI to DVI adapter is just that - "from" HDMI "to" DVI.
DVI to HDMI is just that - "from" DVI "to" HDMI

So, the "from" side plugs into the device sending the signal... e.g. your Mac in this case.

The "from" side would have a male and the "to" side would have a female plug.
In the case of adapters:
An HDMI to DVI would have a male HDMI and a female DVI.
The DVI to HDMI would have a male DVI and a female HDMI.

This is generally correct, but you still have to look and see, especially when looking for bargain adapters and cables. Those chinese shops don't always use the expected terminology.

Thanks for the help and advice, guys. Much appreciated.

ps .... I just bought the one on the left in this link over the phone. I should have it by Thursday or Friday.

Mac mini - Apple Store (UK)

Click to expand...

Congrats on the new machine - hope the family doesn't have to go too many days without food for it. ;D

Bob .... Just to clear something up, when I set up my new Mac Mini I connected the video lead from the TV to a little adapter that changed my DVI plug into a new kind of plug. Then i connected the audio lead and finally the power lead. But when I switched it on there was no sound.
As you may have guessed now, the sound works perfectly with the audio lead removed.
Thanks for all your help.