Can a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable support resolutions above 1920x1200?

Question

Is it theoretically possible for a cheapo Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cable or adapter to support resolutions above 1920 × 1200, e.g. 2560 × 1440 (QHD)?

Or is it always electrically-equivalent to a single-link DVI, and such resolutions above 1920×1200 are out of the question?

From empirical evidence, I've tried out some rather expensive brand-name adapter from a local Apple dealer that was marked as HDMI 1.3 compliant with my mid-2013 MacBook Air (5000) and also with X230 (4000), and a QHD monitor, but was only getting a maximum of FHD resulution through such an arrangement.

Solution

Active DisplayPort (either normal or mini 1.1 or 1.2) to HDMI converters can go up to 3840x2160@30hz that's 4K@30hz. They use a Parade PS171 chip to achieve this, however it's not exactly plug and play on the Mac, you have to use SwitchResX. I'm told Windows works just fine on the same Mac hardware. (I'm using a 4K 40' Samsung 40HU6500 TV as a display)

Also make sure the HDMI cable is High-Speed.

See these:

http://www.delock.de/produkte/F_658_Displayport_62607/merkmale.html http://www.delock.de/produkte/F_658_Displayport_62611/merkmale.html

Later edit: Apparently mini Display Port 1.2 to HDMI 2.0 4k@60hz adapters are avaiable now, like this one from Clug 3D:

http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mini-displayport-12-to-hdmi-20-uhd-active-adapter.html

Later edit, however your Mac is newer than mine, I have a Macbook Pro Retina 13' late-2012, yours will do these resolutions directly over HDMI 1.3a, but it doesn't have a physical HDMI port, with a High Speed HDMI cable, and it should have DisplayPort 1.2, it could do 4K@60hz easily but there are no converters for that yet, essentially you need to connect it directly via DisplayPort.

---

Which I think is what you want, IF your monitor has DisplayPort input just buy a miniDisplayPort (Thunderbolt) to DisplayPort Female adapter, this is very cheap and you get any resolution you wish.

http://amzn.com/B00HNF0KF0

http://www.delock.de/produkte/F_1293_Mini-Displayport-Stecker---Displayport-Buchse_65554/merkmale.html

https://www.google.ro/search?q=mini+displayport+to+displayport+female

Comments

[warmth]

Actually cnst the link you provided clearly stated: > Note that this cable supports a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 when connected to a Mac computer.

[cnst]

yeah, i've since gotten myself some mDP to DP cables; those by Accell seem to work the best, since they don't connect the power pin; i'm still curious to know more about this HDMI thing, as some monitors don't have a DP connection

[unom]

Well, my answer details that too. You need an active converter and you can go up to 4K@30z for now via a high speed cable. However you might need to use SwitchResX to tweak or force the resolutions you want as it doesn't always work the way you want it.

[skiabox]

A little late to the party, but I wonder if I can use this 62611 delock adapter to setup my monitor (lg 29UM58) to 2560x1080@60Hz. Right now I use it (with an old adapter) right up to 2560x1080@52Hz (using SwitchResX of course). My system is a macbook pro mid 2010 17 inch and the adapter I use is this sendstation.com/us/products/mdpadapter

[unom]

I have the the same monitor but can't say for sure. I use it with a mini display port male to display port female adapter and it works.

[skiabox]

Excellent answer! I just used delock.de/produkte/F_658_Displayport_62611/merkmale.html to connect my macbook pro mid 2010 with a 2560x1080 lg monitor! Of course I am also using SwitchResX utility!

[Sam]

Awesome answer @unmircea, +1! I want to draw your attention to a different but related topic that I am curious what you think of! Really Really stranded and no ideas how to solve it! superuser.com/questions/1216506/…