jaapv Posted September 7, 2020 Share #1 Posted September 7, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) I am planning to get a Mac Mini, but I use two older Eizo CG screens with VGA+DVI ports, I cannot figure out whether the Mac Mini will support them (with Thunderbolt adapters, for instance). Can anybody help me out? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 7, 2020 Posted September 7, 2020 Hi jaapv, Take a look here Question for Mac Mini 2018 users. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Jeff S Posted September 7, 2020 Share #2 Posted September 7, 2020 Don’t know if this helps.... https://www.eizo.com/eizo/media/contentassets/2020/02/14/Mac_mini_2018_compatibility_EN.pdf Or this.... https://www.eizoglobal.com/support/compatibility/thunderbolt_macmini_macbookair/ Jeff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
verwackelt Posted September 7, 2020 Share #3 Posted September 7, 2020 Hi, i have a very old but still good Quato monitor running on an external GPU that is connected via TB-cable. The Quatomonitor is connected to the exGPU with a displayport <-> displayport cable. The second monitor which is a cheap BenQ ist connected via UCB-C <-> Displayport cable. I think(but not 100% sure) that that could be done with your Eizo too. But i would recommend an external GPU if you have bigger PSDs. Two monitors on the internal GPU might be too much. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted September 7, 2020 Share #4 Posted September 7, 2020 Jaap, you just need an adapter to connect a Thunderbolt 3 port on the 2018 Macmini to whichever display connector you want. The MacOS figures out what is attached. I do recommend though that you purchase a Sonnet eGPU 650 and a real graphics card. My Eizo CX271 has Display Port, HDMI and DVI. The Eizo does not give full resolution using HDMI. This is an Eizo issue, not a MacOS or graphics card issue. So do check you Eizo manual before selecting the port to use on the Eizo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share #5 Posted September 7, 2020 Called Apple; they claim it is possible using two DVI-USB (thunderbolt2 adapters - which they are happy to sell, obviously... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted September 7, 2020 Share #6 Posted September 7, 2020 You still need a TB2 to TB3 adapter because the 2018 Macmini only has TB3 ports. It has four of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share #7 Posted September 7, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) 1 minute ago, zeitz said: Jaap, you just need an adapter to connect a Thunderbolt 3 port on the 2018 Macmini to whichever display connector you want. The MacOS figures out what is attached. I do recommend though that you purchase a Sonnet eGPU 650 and a real graphics card. My Eizo CX271 has Display Port, HDMI and DVI. The Eizo does not give full resolution using HDMI. This is an Eizo issue, not a MacOS or graphics card issue. So do check you Eizo manual before selecting the port to use on the Eizo. Yes, I have them on DVI now, so I would get DVI-Thunderbolt connectors. Thanks for the confirmation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share #8 Posted September 7, 2020 Just now, zeitz said: You still need a TB2 to TB3 adapter because the 2018 Macmini only has TB3 ports. It has four of them. Or DVI-TB3 adapters. I'm sure they exist. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted September 7, 2020 Share #9 Posted September 7, 2020 I don't know how the USB figures in this, unless you want downstream USB on the Eizo monitor. The Macmini has four TB3 and two of the older USB ports. USB-C gets connected to a TB3 port. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share #10 Posted September 7, 2020 I was looking at a 2018 64GB refurb, with a 6 TB external drive, plus an external Timemachine disk It should outperform my present 2010 macpro quite a bit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share #11 Posted September 7, 2020 16 minutes ago, zeitz said: I don't know how the USB figures in this, unless you want downstream USB on the Eizo monitor. The Macmini has four TB3 and two of the older USB ports. USB-C gets connected to a TB3 port. I do only software calibration on the Eizos, I don't use the USB connectivity. Two spare USB-C ports should do for the cardreader and main data disk, "old" USB is fine for the Time Machine SSD/disk and i1Display. I can always get an USB-C hub if needed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted September 7, 2020 Share #12 Posted September 7, 2020 I quit adding RAM when I got to 32GB. Make sure you get the 2018 Macmini with the faster 3.2 GHz i7 cores. Jaap, if I were you, I would consider a RAID. You still need a backup disk though even when using a RAID. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted September 7, 2020 Share #13 Posted September 7, 2020 (edited) I am not sure that a USB-C HUB works with TB3. TB3 is meant to be daisy-chained. It might be best just to hot swap the USB-C devices if you have too many. One nice thing about a real graphics card is that it gives you four DP connections, depending on the model of card you select. Then you have four free TB3/USB-C ports. Edited September 7, 2020 by zeitz Forgot to put in a word 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted September 7, 2020 Share #14 Posted September 7, 2020 As long as I am spending your money, get a TB3 RAID, a Sonnet eGFX 650 which is TB3, and a Lexar card reader hub which is TB2. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share #15 Posted September 7, 2020 5 minutes ago, zeitz said: I quit adding RAM when I got to 32GB. Make sure you get the 2018 Macmini with the faster 3.2 GHz i7 cores. Jaap, if I were you, I would consider a RAID. You still need a backup disk though even when using a RAID. Yes, but I will get one which has the original 64 by Apple. With things like the new Topaz AI software I have a feeling that I will need it before I have to replace the Mac. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndreasG Posted September 7, 2020 Share #16 Posted September 7, 2020 I run a Mac Mini with the fast i7 processor and 32GB RAM, it is sufficient and fast enough for various Topaz software like SharpenAI and Denoise AI. I am satisfied with speed and overall performance. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/313113-question-for-mac-mini-2018-users/?do=findComment&comment=4041671'>More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share #17 Posted September 7, 2020 Yes, but I tend to use my Macs for a good many years... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted September 7, 2020 Share #18 Posted September 7, 2020 I found this Apple response to USB-C to Eizo, which may or may not apply here... https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8016556 Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobitybob Posted September 7, 2020 Share #19 Posted September 7, 2020 You could use a HDMI to DVI adapter for one monitor and a usb c to VGA for the other, both are available on eBay. Using the HDMI would free up another TB3/USB 3 port for other peripherals. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitz Posted September 7, 2020 Share #20 Posted September 7, 2020 2 hours ago, Jeff S said: I found this Apple response to USB-C to Eizo, which may or may not apply here... Apple's desire to have unique/better connections causes confusion and incompatibility. Thunderbolt and Thunderbolt 2 do use a Mini Display Port connector, but the protocols for a display port signal to a monitor and for a Thunderbolt signal to a Thunderbolt device are different. The Mac hardware and software accounts for the differences and works (usually). It becomes even more confusing with Thunderbolt 3. The TB3 and USB-C connector is the same, but the protocol is different. It is so different that not all USB-C cables work this TB3. TB3 is a subset of USB-C because the USB-C spec allows for unique protocols. So far TB3 is the only unique protocol within the USB-C universe. I am getting way out on a limb here with regard to my knowledge. Please do correct me if I am not understanding this right. Apple's latest way to irritate me is that my new iPad Pro has a USB-C connector, but it is not Thunderbolt 3. The iPad Pro is a USB-C. You may say "who cares". But wouldn't it be nice to just connect the iPad Pro to my MacMIni or to my graphics card to get Sidecar? No, a common iCloud connection has to be running on both the Mac and the iPad. And the Sidecar data is wireless. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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