Wednesday
Oct152008
DisplayPort - Implications!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 12:52PM
It's only just dawned on me what a big deal the inclusion of DisplayPort is in the new Cinema Display and new rage of notebooks.
DisplayPort is actually bidirectional allowing data to flow both ways.
The new 24" Cinema Display only has three connections to the new MacBooks
But the Cinema Display has built in speakers, a built in video camera and a built in microphone, so how do they connect to the notebook?
Via the DisplayPort connector. It's handling data to and from the Cinema Display.
This is a big deal people!
So to provide a connector to marry the new Cinema Display (s) Apple cannot provide a single connector. They would need to produce a mini dock with DisplayPort out and Audio IN, Audio Out, Video In and Video Out. Now with it being Apple, will they produce this themselves or will they just refresh the desktop range and let third parties produce a mini dock?
DisplayPort is actually bidirectional allowing data to flow both ways.
The new 24" Cinema Display only has three connections to the new MacBooks
- A Magsafe power connector so you can power the notebook from the display
- A USB Cable so you can access the USB hub in the display
- A DisplayPort connector
But the Cinema Display has built in speakers, a built in video camera and a built in microphone, so how do they connect to the notebook?
Via the DisplayPort connector. It's handling data to and from the Cinema Display.
This is a big deal people!
So to provide a connector to marry the new Cinema Display (s) Apple cannot provide a single connector. They would need to produce a mini dock with DisplayPort out and Audio IN, Audio Out, Video In and Video Out. Now with it being Apple, will they produce this themselves or will they just refresh the desktop range and let third parties produce a mini dock?
Reader Comments (3)
Also note that the DisplayPort adapters to normal DVI/VGA have gone up in price from £15 (for the old Mini-DVI adapters) to £20.
It is nice to see, however, Apple implementing a new standard rather than creating a proprietary connector. Hopefully third party adapters will work too so it's not necessary to be extorted to connect to older displays.
Technically it sounds pretty awesome too - having the ability to do so much without the tangling and hassle of loads of connectors.
Are you sure it goes via display port? Audio in/out and video in (eye-sight) could be going via the USB. Nothing new about USB speakers, USB cameras and USB microphones.
I look forward to the day there is only one connector that does the lot, power and USB included.
Chris,
Still to get this confirmed either way although it does look like it's a early implementation of DP so the liklihood is that the iSight and Audio is being handled by USB