An mDP connector on a Unibody MacBook.

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) has put the seal of approval on the Mini DisplayPort connector as an alternative to the standard solution.

Originally developed by Apple for their Unibody MacBooks, the mDP connector technology has been licensed to VESA for inclusion in the DisplayPort Revision 1a standard.

Mini DisplayPort connectors offer all the bandwidth, signaling and protocol capabilities of the standard DisplayPort connector at a significantly reduced horizontal footprint.

The mDP connector is ideal for products like PMPs and Ultra Thins which can be connected to TVs for 720p or 1080p playback, but can’t afford the space for a full DisplayPort connector.

More commonly, a DisplayPort cable is increasingly replacing the bulky Dual Link DVI connectors which are required to drive 28-30″ displays and their 2560×1600 resolutions.

Now that mDP has been standardized, expect it to start appearing on a whole host of products in lieu of the aging DVI and Mini-DVI connectors. PC enthusiasts are likely to get their first peek at the technology when AMD releases Eyefinity editions of their Radeon HD 5000 series bearing six mDP connectors near the New Year.