Atlona Shows Off HDMI to Mini DisplayPort Converter

Atlona has a history of offering a variety of connectivity solutions, especially signal converters, one of the latest being a USB-powered 1080p VGA to HDMI adapter. The company has also been selling a DVI to Mini DisplayPort converter known as the DP200. Most recently, Atlona has launched a modified version of this device, which will be responsible with converting HDMI signals and output them via a Mini DisplayPort output, for display on 27-inch iMacs and LED Cinema Displays.

Among the devices whose signals will be convertible via the DP200HD are Xbox 360 consoles, PS3s, Blu-ray players and other devices with HDMi outputs. The only limitation encountered in the actual conversion process is not so much a problem with the converter as it is a hardware limitation of the 27-inch iMac.

Such systems only support 800x 600, 1280 x 720 or 2560 x 1440 resolutions, whereas the Atlona HMDI to Mini DisplayPort converter is limited to single-link 1920x1200 and, thus, cannot display in 2560x1440. This makes the next resolution down the list, namely the 720p, the maximum at which video can be transmitted.

The device is USB-powered, uses true pixel to pixel signals and is HDCP-ready, which allows it to play copy-protected material. In addition, being hardware-based, the converter will not have any issues with the iMac's operating system, even if Apple updates it. Furthermore, Atlona's DP200HD will work with any HDMI device capable of 720p resolutions and uses the Re-clocking technology to ensure that the signal has the same quality it had before entering the converter.

Atlona tested the product on all Apple DVI-based computers, as well as AppleTV devices, PS3s, the Xbox 360, Blu-ray players, DirectTv and Dish Network boxes and even Comcast Cable boxes. The product has already been made available and comes with a price tag of roughly $150.