[RStock521]

Title says is all. Why does the Surface Pro use Minidisplay port over the Mini HDMI that the RT uses? I would think that the mini HDMI is a lot more common and would lead to less confusion...any input?

[chriscookz]

I believe that displayport is a more functional and versatile port, capable of sending audio signals as well as data, not just images and video. Could be a reason? I could be wrong too.

[rebornempowered]

Title says is all. Why does the Surface Pro use Minidisplay port over the Mini HDMI that the RT uses? I would think that the mini HDMI is a lot more common and would lead to less confusion...any input?

I believe it is because Display Port is more functional. It can do analog without a fancy adapter. I was hoping both the RT and the Pro would have display port but at least Microsoft made a decently priced analog adapter available for RT so I can use it with a projector.

[ChrisLynch]

I believe that displayport is a more functional and versatile port, capable of sending audio signals as well as data, not just images and video. Could be a reason? I could be wrong too.

HDMI 1.4 offers video, audio and data through a single connector. DisplayPort is Video (can support multiple video streams, where HDMI cannot) and Audio only.

[xkxkxk]

Displayport can run a screen at 2560x1600 ... most hdmi cables / displays can't handle that. You can able get cheapo displayport to 2x hdmi adapters.

Displayport is pretty common now in corporateland (maybe not so much in SMEs). HP elitebooks and thinkpads use displayport - surface pro will be competing with those.

[jdevenberg]

Biggest reason is the ability to use analog sources. And for the record, Surface RT does not have a mini-HDMI port. It has a propriatary connection marketed as an HD port. They sell HDMI adapters, among others.

[Fleon]

Biggest reason is the ability to use analog sources. And for the record, Surface RT does not have a mini-HDMI port. It has a propriatary connection marketed as an HD port. They sell HDMI adapters, among others.

There are people reporting that MicroHDMI cords fit and work in the Surface. I've just ordered a cord from Amazon, so I guess we'll find out soon enough.

And to the others above- I have no idea why they went with DisplayPort. Makes no sense to me. HDMI supports 2560x1600, can carry sound, and can do ethernet and 3D. More importantly, it's in far more displays than DisplayPort.

Just wierd.

[mister2d]

There are people reporting that MicroHDMI cords fit and work in the Surface. I've just ordered a cord from Amazon, so I guess we'll find out soon enough.



And to the others above- I have no idea why they went with DisplayPort. Makes no sense to me. HDMI supports 2560x1600, can carry sound, and can do ethernet and 3D. More importantly, it's in far more displays than DisplayPort.



Just wierd.

It's not proprietary. My generic HDMI cable I had lying around worked fine on my (now returned) RT.

[Nataku4ca]

here are my thoughts and my experience

1 - it say proprietary HD Video out, but I used micro HDMI and it worked, without any issue in the video or audio, only thing is my HDMI cable is a bit stiff so it bends the port a bit... so i might end up buying their adapter anyways, since it has a softer cord connection to the tablet then at the end it's just a HDMI port to plug in your regular HDMI cable, all that said, YES Micro HDMI works

2 - Display Port, it is actually a very versatile port and is the direction that the computing world is trying to go, i think for the Pro Display port actually makes more sense, as it can drive two monitors at once, so if u want to use your pro as your main computer you can and have dual big screen to work on whatever you are trying to do, and given the massively higher bandwidth, i think it can also support touch input when you connect to those larger panels (assuming they include touch capability), the latter part is speculation, but the dual screen part is actually very interesting to me

[dsp4]

DisplayPort is definitely the superior standard, and it's also a royalty-free specification, meaning Microsoft doesn't have to pay to use it in their products.

For comparison, HDMI costs $10,000/year + 4-5 cents per unit produced. A drop in the ocean for MS, but still.

Also, it supports pretty much everything HDMI does, like audio, 3D & 4K video, ethernet andthen more, like USB signals. Current touchscreen displays require to be connected via both a video cable and an USB cable. I wouldn't be surprised if DisplayPort touchscreens would only require to be connected through a single DP cable.

[pdch]

Simple, display port can push much more data than hdmi and can run analog or digital without a convertor. To give you an idea of how much more data, a single current display port can push up to 6 1200p monitors if your gpu has the power.

[bauerbach]

analog, that's it, end of story.

MANY workplaces still use VGA connections on old conference room projectors.

also why you still see VGA outs on enterprise laptops.

[Nataku4ca]

analog, that's it, end of story.

MANY workplaces still use VGA connections on old conference room projectors.

also why you still see VGA outs on enterprise laptops.

not attacking you, just saying, there are hdmi to vga connectors too...

HDMI to VGA HD15 (Male) Cable: Amazon.ca: Electronics

[jhoff80]

It's because mini-displayport is capable of higher resolutions (therefore a better connector) and because it's also royalty free. Why would you want a connector that does less?

[bauerbach]

not attacking you, just saying, there are hdmi to vga connectors too...

HDMI to VGA HD15 (Male) Cable: Amazon.ca: Electronics

trick is that you need a special port, same for DVI. many pc video cars are designed this way, in the case of DVI they call it DVI-a, Im not certain, but I think it is just able to piggyback an analog signal onto 3 pins. If the card cant do that, you need an active digital to analog converter to make the switch.

I would assume its the same trick for display port, but maybe its a more "standard" feature for display port, as opposed to a variant.

[pdch]

trick is that you need a special port, same for DVI. many pc video cars are designed this way, in the case of DVI they call it DVI-a, Im not certain, but I think it is just able to piggyback an analog signal onto 3 pins. If the card cant do that, you need an active digital to analog converter to make the switch.

I would assume its the same trick for display port, but maybe its a more "standard" feature for display port, as opposed to a variant.

Just read the spec for that hdmi/vga cable. Good luck with one of those. The only reliable way to go from hdmi to vga is with an active convertor like hdfury.

Analog/digital is standard to displayport.

[Bmstrong]

How many different types of display port connectors are there?

[Tempest790]

My second monitor by HP is a very slim model and only has one displayport connector. If I travel and need a full size monitor, it will work perfectly, so displayport out is a must for me. Most consumer laptops have HDMI, but business models appear to have displayport.

There are many displayport to HDMI adaptors available but almost no HDMI to displayport adapters. Apparently it's a very expensive/difficult to make that happen for whatever reason. If they ever make a Surface Pro 2, I hope they even go thunderbolt (same connector as displayport) for even more versatility.