"The Video Electronics Standard Association officially issued its Mini DisplayPort standard Tuesday, based on the technology licensed from Apple. VESA said that all devices using the Mini DisplayPort connector must meet the specifications required by the DisplayPort 1.1a standard, and cables that support the standard must also meet specific electrical specifications. It's a formal confirmation of the news from earlier this year, when VESA announced the Mini DisplayPort connector would be included in the forthcoming DisplayPort 1.2 specification."
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Member since:2005-07-06
The thing is, in the most popular use case--simply getting video from point A to point B--it really is apples to Apples (pun intented 
). Most users will never see the benefits of DP--but there's not question they will notice when the connectors don't line up.
Still, I am a DP supporter, because I like the full-size connector 
. It's easy to plug in like HDMI but more obvious which side is which, and it has a very simple, excellent push-button locking mechanism . OK, I'm a cable fetishist...
Only thing I wonder about is whether the 'royalty free' stipulation actually applies when it comes to Mini-DP. From the article summary it sounds like manufacturers will still need to pay Apple licensing fees to use it.... :/
Member since:2007-06-12
actually consumers will physically benefit from DP or MDP over HDMI simply because of the connector.
Ignoring all the technical differences, HDMI is too flimsy for a laptop and DVI is honestly a bit painful with the screws.
And for those who think VGA should still ship on video cards or laptop, no. They make $10 adapters for a reason.
Edited 2009-11-11 21:33 UTC
Member since:
2007-12-13
DP is different than HDMI, so it's like comparing apples to oranges. HDMI has licensing costs and contractual restrictions, DP is royalty-free and open to all. HDMI has 15% higher bandwidth, but isn't bi-directional whereas DP is fully bi-directional and the standard not only permits audio and video to go over DP, but also USB, etc. (so you can have a monitor with a USB hub connected using just the single DP cable). DP has a spec for internal connections between graphics engines, etc. There's more, but you get the idea.
HDMI is intended for high-end A/V, and DP is designed for computer components.
FWIW - neither is a good spec for video production.