Hello Rich, There are a number of different points that seem to have cropped up in this thread and its discussion, including some misinformation and comments that, when taken out of context, can be misleading. I'll try to separate out these topics:
1. Mac Mini performance slow-down when used without a monitor connected and the solution You said: >>>> I am having difficulty on my Mac Mini with web pages loading >>>> quite >>>> slowly. Is anyone else experiencing this problem and do you have a >>>> solution? Answer: This issue has been noted by other Mac users. Certain applications like iTunes, Open Office, and Safari appear to slow down when run without a monitor. Also, there are problems playing DVDs when a monitor is not connected. Because the Mac Mini is sold without a monitor, and visually impaired users may choose to use it this way, these problems have cropped up for Mac Mini owners, but are not seen by VoiceOver users with other Mac computers. The solution, that Dan posted to this list more than three years ago, is to buy a $19.95 adapter that attaches to the Mini, and that For older Mac Mini models manufactured before about February 2009, the correct adapter to buy is: • the "Apple DVI to Video Adapter": http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9267G/A For the newer Mac Mini models manufactured March 2009 and later, the correct adapter to buy is: • the "Apple Mini-DVI to Video Adapter": http://store.apple.com/us/product/M9319G/A Neither of these adapters comes in the box with the Mac Mini, nor are these the same adapters that you use to connect a Mac Mini to a monitor. The monitor connector is either via a "Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter" or "Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter" in the current models or via a "DVI to VGA Adapter" for the Mac Minis made before March 2009. Once again connecting a monitor connection without an actual monitor will NOT solve the performance problems, because communication through these connectors is bi-directional -- i.e., the Mac can tell when there is no actual monitor connected at the other end through these connectors. The DVI or Mini-DVI Video Adapters allow you to connect to TVs, VCRs, etc. that support S-video or composite video connections. You'll feel a circular protruding connection end as compared with the flat end of the VGA monitor connections. These work because your Mini only senses that the connector is in place -- it does not look for a return signal through the connector. 2. Kieren's comments have to do with the fact that the new Mini-DVI Video Adapters do not not support an analog out signal so that you can play movies and videos with older television sets, the way you can on the older Mac Minis and MacBooks/MacBook Pros. This comment is irrelevant to your purpose, since you do not intend to use a television connected to your Mac Mini or, indeed, any other type of display device. It would affect your plans if you had bought your Mac Mini in order to use it as a staging device for storing and playing digitized movies on you analog television set -- something that is possible with the older models (which also have smaller hard drive capacities for such storage.) Hope this is all clear. There are problems using the Mac Mini without a mouse or any of these other devices. And if you buy the correct connector for your model Mac Mini, you will be able to play DVDs, browse the web, use Open Office, and perform all other activities without performance degradation and without having to buy a monitor. If in doubt, an Apple store can identify which model Mini you have from your serial number. Find it by going to "About this Mac" in the Apple Menu on your menu bar (VO-M, then arrow down to "About this Mac" and press return.) In the window that comes up, you should be on the field that announces your system version number (e.g. 10.5.8 or 10.6.0), but you'll have to move off and then back to this field with your VO+arrow keys (in Leopard) to hear it announced. Route your mouse cursor to your VoiceOver cursor (VO-Command-F5) and double-click on this field by holding down the Control, Option, and Shift keys and tapping the space bar twice. Now when you VO-Right arrow and VO-Left arrow back to this field you'll hear your serial number announced. You can copy it with VO-Shift-C ("Last phrase copied to pasteboard") and paste it into a TextEdit window with Command-V to keep a record. Cheers, Esther On Sep 5, 2009, Rich Ring wrote: > > Please clarify this message, I am somehow not understanding what you > are > telling me here. I want to solve this problem if possible, and your > help > would be greatly appreciated. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Kieren" <[email protected]> > To: "MacVisionaries" <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 10:41 PM > Subject: Re: Web Pages Loading Slowly > > > > Just a quick note that the new 2009 Mac Mini's DO NOT have analog out > so if you ever did want to use the composite out adapter with an older > style TV ie no dvi or HDMI inputs (ike mine ) this adapter will not > work as it relys on the analog signal which no longer exists. > > You may be able to get away with the mini DVI to DVI adapter but YMMV. > > This all has something to do with the video card in the meini not > knowing what size to default the screen to for a given screen. > In the case of total VI users this is quite annoying. > > All the same give it a go and if it works thats great. > > Kieren > > On Sep 5, 11:13 am, Mike Arrigo <[email protected]> wrote: >> No, you don't need a monitor. What you can do is get the adapter that >> apple sells that will allow you to connect the mini to a TV. I think >> it's around $19, connecting this to the monitor port will make the >> computer think it's connected to a monitor, even if no tv is >> connected. Of course, this issue only happens with the mini, since >> the >> other macs have screens built in. >> On Sep 4, 2009, at 12:17 PM, Rich Ring wrote: >> >> >> >> >> >>> Are you saying I have to purchase a monitor which I can't see in >>> order to >>> use this machine successfully? >>> That's not what I would consider an accessible function. >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Mac Cougar" <[email protected]> >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 9:58 AM >>> Subject: Re: Web Pages Loading Slowly >> >>> make sure you have a monitor connected or it will say busy all the >>> time or most of it anyways. >> >>> Steve >>> On Sep 3, 2009, at 3:31 AM, Michael D. Barber wrote: >> >>>> I thought I submitted this last night, but perhaps it didn't make >>>> it >>>> to the >>>> list. I am having difficulty on my Mac Mini with web pages loading >>>> quite >>>> slowly. Is anyone else experiencing this problem and do you have a >>>> solution? Are there any settings which need changing? >>>> Thanks. >> >>>> Cordially, >>>> Michael Barber > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
