Mini Displayport to HDMI? Confused..

DaleTheWhale · 2 Oct 2012 at 21:35

Hi,

I currently have 2 Philips Brilliance C-line 234CL2SB Monitors which allow for a HDMI connection and VGA connection, no DVI. I am running them side by side, one for my computer and one for my Xbox 360, however I sometimes need the use of both screens for my computer work outside of gaming.

I'm looking for a Mini Display-port solution, as I cannot find one anywhere which isn't white! Or has a direct wire which is Mini-DP on one side and HDMI on the other side. I am running a HIS IceQ 6950 2GB card which has 2 DVI slots, 1 HDMI and 2 Mini display-port, I wanna run a Mini-DP as VGA to DVI doesn't give a crisp image at all, so wanted HDMI quality, is this possible?

I'm overall looking for a black Mini-DP to HDMI cable or if possible a way to have a switch between my PC & Xbox so I can choose which system I want using the screen normally used by just the Xbox 360, so both the PC and Xbox will be connected however I can switch between, as Xbox has to be HDMI and the PC I want to be HDMI, is either solution possible?

This is for the second PC screen I have, I will be keeping the first monitor the same, directly connected to the PC through HDMI.

Many thanks!

monitorsgrrrrrr · 2 Oct 2012 at 22:18

Why not use a hdmi splitter like this behind your monitor? Its pretty cheap on ebay.

http://www.mobilesandeverything.co.uk/image_server/5060263028017_splitter.jpg

no hotlinking

DaleTheWhale · 2 Oct 2012 at 22:27

A splitter as such would be fine, however I need a way to get a connection from my PC to my second monitor by using mini display-port?

I tried DVI to HDMI, but that requires a converter, which isn't really the route I wanna be taking to tackle this when Mini-DP works better?

Axeia · 2 Oct 2012 at 23:31

HDMI = Single link DVI + sound on a slightly different plug (same wires) so don't worry about it not being good, any conversion between the two is done by rerouting the wires to a different plug (lossless).
I think you'd want a HDMI switch rather than a splitter though.

b0rn2sk8 · 2 Oct 2012 at 23:36

Why can't you just plug in the 360 via VGA?

DaleTheWhale · 2 Oct 2012 at 23:45

Axeia said:
HDMI = Single link DVI + sound on a slightly different plug (same wires) so don't worry about it not being good, any conversion between the two is done by rerouting the wires to a different plug (lossless).
I think you'd want a HDMI switch rather than a splitter though.

So lets say I buy a standard HDMI to DVI cable, would I be able to have the DVI side connected to the PC, then the HDMI plugged into a HDMI switch? Would this still be good quality without any losses?

Do you know of any decent switches, or would any work fine?

b0rn2sk8 said:
Why can't you just plug in the 360 via VGA?

It's a little complex with the Xbox as I have one set of speakers, and the screens don't have built in speakers, so the Xbox 360 has to be HDMI otherwise the monitor won't output sound through the jack.

This then brings on another question:

To get sound for the PC I can plug into the monitor or the PC.
To get sound for the Xbox it has to be plugged into the monitor.

Is there anything such as Audio switches? As I'll be switching the HDMI between Xbox & PC, I'll still have to take the jack out the back of the monitor and plug into my PC and vice versa.

Axeia · 3 Oct 2012 at 11:15

Don't know if there is something such as audio switches, most KVM switches come with an audio jack though. DVI to HDMI into a HDMI switch will work fine, can't link any though as OCUK doesn't stock them and linking one would no doubt be considered as linking to a competitor.

DaleTheWhale · 3 Oct 2012 at 13:08

I found a somewhat audio switch which I think would work, It's meant to be used for AV connectivity but has the 2 phono connectors for audio, so I could connect a jack lead from my PC and monitor into the one side of the switch, and then on the output, get a 2 phono to 2 phono cable into my speakers? Think that would output the audio, and allow for switching between?

Axeia said:
Don't know if there is something such as audio switches, most KVM switches come with an audio jack though. DVI to HDMI into a HDMI switch will work fine, can't link any though as OCUK doesn't stock them and linking one would no doubt be considered as linking to a competitor.

The HDMI switch seems the easier of the 2 to complete, thank you for clearing up the DVI and HDMI.