Running your Mac Mini headless by faking a display for it (HDMI 1080p/4K or Thunderbolt VGA); similar for DVI
Posted by jpluimers on 2017/08/28
CompuLab 4K Display Emulator (fit-Headless 4K)
The MacMini is a bit dumb as it won’t enable the GPU when there is no display attached. Which means headless operation is cumbersome as display rendering is very slow.
There are a few tricks of which the off-the-shelve HDMI solutions work best.
You can buy them at Amazon:
- CompuLab HDMI 4K Display Emulator (fit-Headless 4K) (or de or uk)
- CompuLab HDMI Display Emulator (fit-Headless) (or de or uk)
- CablesOnline Graphics Card Display VGA Detection Dummy Plug (VE-D01) (or de or uk)
CompuLab Display Emulator (fit-Headless)
Sources:
- Quick look at the 4K HDMI Adapter | Macminicolo Blog – Tips, tutorials and reviews on running a Mac mini server [WayBack]
- An HDMI adapter for a headless Mac mini | Macminicolo Blog – Tips, tutorials and reviews on running a Mac mini server [WayBack]
- Build a Dummy Dongle for a headless Mac mini | Macminicolo Blog – Tips, tutorials and reviews on running a Mac mini server [WayBack]
Basically the trick to simulate a monitor with a dummy load works for other display connectors as well (most of them work fine with 75 ohm resistors, usually a bit lower or higher works just as well):
- VGA: The Personal Computer – VGA Dummy [WayBack]
- DVI analog: How to create dummy plugs for your graphics cards [WayBack] and The 5-second VGA Dummy Plug – Zorinaq [WayBack]
- Composite: Creating a fake display [WayBack]
- SCART: SCART pins and voltage specs [WayBack]
Note that for VGA and DVI analog often you need to use three resistors instead of one: some graphics cards try to be smart and require that.
Heck, you can even make a Chromecast Audio Adapter with this trick and perform all sorts of to/from VGA conversions:
- VGA to Scart [WayBack]
- VGA to Arcade monitor [WayBack]
- VGA to composite video in black and white [WayBack]
- Jamma to Scart [WayBack]
- Scart to VGA [WayBack]
The DIY for a Thunderbolt to VGA adapter looks like this:
–jeroen
The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff 
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