Mini-DVI

A smaller variation of the DVI video connector, Mini-DVI allows you to transmit digital and analog video signals out from your laptop to an external display. The initials DVI stand for Digital Visual Interface. The DVI connector was originally developed as a digital alternative to analog video connector schemes (most notably VGA), and because of its unique genesis, the DVI connector is able to transmit both analog and digital video.

search Apple has employed the Mini-DVI connector on Intel-based iMacs and MacBooks, as well as on the Mac Mini-a 2009 desktop computer. A box, bordered on each side by vertical lines, typically signifies a Mini-DVI port. This signifier is used by search Apple to designate Mini-DVI ports on its laptops and PCs.

Like I mentioned above, Mini-DVI ports are able to transmit both analog and digital video signals. If you want to carry a video signal out from your Apple computer’s Mini-DVI port, you can use one of several adapters, depending on your specific needs. If you’re going to be transmitting video to a monitor or projector with a VGA (Video Graphics Array) analog video input, then you need a Mini-DVI-to-VGA adapter. If you’re going to be transmitting video from your laptop to a digital display, then you’re going to need a Mini-DVI-to-DVI adapter.

Micro-DVI

The Micro-DVI connector is (surprise surprise) an even smaller variation of the Mini-DVI connector. Because of its small size, the Micro-DVI connector doesn’t have all of the features offered by the Mini-DVI connector, so this connector type is typically used only in computers where space is at an absolute premium, such as in the search MacBook Air laptop computer.

Micro-DVI ports are rectangular in shape and look very similar to a USB port.

Micro-DVI ports can transmit only digital video signals, as opposed to Mini-DVI ports, which can transmit both digital and analog video signals. This means that laptops with Micro-DVI ports are not compatible with VGA projectors and monitors. However, you can still display a visual signal from your search MacBook Air if you use a Micro-DVI-to-DVI adapter. This adapter will plug into your laptop’s Micro-DVI port and carry a signal out from that port to a digital display that features a regularly sized DVI input.

When looking for projectors or monitors on which to display a signal from your search MacBook Air, it is important to make sure that the input on these projects or monitors is of the DVI-D variety. DVI connectors come in three types: DVI-I, DVI-A, and DVI-D. DVI-D connectors can transmit only digital signals, whereas DVI-A connectors can transmit only analog signals and DVI-I connectors can transmit both analog and digital signals. Because of its design, the Micro-DVI connector can transmit only digital signals and is therefore compatible with only DVI-D connector ports.