27" ACD plugnplay into a 7300GT?

[Sean Dempsey]

Eh?

[Chupa Chupa]

If you mean the one shipping in Sept, you would need a mini displayport to duallink DVI adapter for full resolution. Amazon has them for $80 or so I think.

[goMac]

I'd just buy a GT120 instead. Not much more than the adaptor, much faster card, and it has a mini displayport.

Edit: D'oh. Is that card compatible with the OP's Mac?

[Sean Dempsey]

I'd just buy a GT120 instead. Not much more than the adaptor, much faster card, and it has a mini displayport.

Edit: D'oh. Is that card compatible with the OP's Mac?

1,1 2006 :confused:

[goMac]

Nope, no go...

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=9806621

For $100, you could probably do a flashed 4870, which would be faster still than the GT 120. Might not be a bad choice. (oh, but that wouldn't have MDP again. Crap.)

[Sean Dempsey]

A 7300GT will run a 30" ACD over the Dual Link port.



Is there a reverse MDP to Dual Link Adapter? Right now, I have a 30" ACD plugged into Dual Link > MDP adapter, and then the MDP male end plugged into a Macbook Pro.

Is there an adapter that goes the other way, from a Dual Link DVI port on a card, to a mini display female port?

In other words - how do you use a MDP male end on a monitor with a Dual Link DVI port on a card?

[macuser154]

A 7300GT will run a 30" ACD over the Dual Link port.



Is there a reverse MDP to Dual Link Adapter? Right now, I have a 30" ACD plugged into Dual Link > MDP adapter, and then the MDP male end plugged into a Macbook Pro.

Is there an adapter that goes the other way, from a Dual Link DVI port on a card, to a mini display female port?

In other words - how do you use a MDP male end on a monitor with a Dual Link DVI port on a card?

There is no way to use an adapter to go from MDP to DVI since they are not electrically compatible. However, you can buy boxes that convert the signal from MDP to DVI. I have never used these before but they are supposed to be good.

[Sean Dempsey]

$110 bucks to go from a DVI to a MDP?

http://estore.circuitassembly.com/products/DVI-to-Mini-Displayport-Adapter.html


That's the only solution I've found.

[xraydoc]

But will these adaptors handle the resolution of the 27" ACD?
They'll do 1920x1200 (or 1920x1080) without problem, but will they do the ACD's 2560x1440??

[Spanky Deluxe]

The 7300GT won't be able to drive the 27" screen at it's native res with those linked adapters although I think the Atlona AT DP400 can do it. Mind you, it's $145.99. Right now genuine Apple 4870 cards are going for $300ish on eBay and one of those would be a better way to spend your money. Or wait a while and see if the 5770 graphics upgrade kit will support 1,1 Mac Pros. If it doesn't then the only way to drive that screen would be to get a genuine Apple 4870 card or one of those Atlona AT DP400 adapters. Flashed 4870s don't work with display port right now.

[Sean Dempsey]

Looks like Steve Jobs doesn't want my money.

[Killerbob]

Actually he wants your money very much. He wants you to buy the "approved" upgrades, or a whole new MP.

I upgraded to the ATi4870 and it rocks. Not even sure how much I am loosing by not having waited to the ATi5770, according to Anandtech, not too much.

[Sean Dempsey]

Actually he wants your money very much. He wants you to buy the "approved" upgrades, or a whole new MP.

I upgraded to the ATi4870 and it rocks. Not even sure how much I am loosing by not having waited to the ATi5770, according to Anandtech, not too much.

Will that card plug and play into a 1,1 Mac Pro?

Is there a 1,1 MP guide on video cards? Or am I stuck getting an eBay 8800? Are there 1,1 cards that do MDP at dual link resolutions?

[Killerbob]

I just researched if any of these cards will work in an old 1.1 MP, and unfortunately the answer is "no". It supposedly has to do with the PCIe bus and FW:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=660645

KB

[666sheep]

^You linked old thread :)
4870 works with 1.1 perfectly. Apple and flashed ones. OP's only choice is Apple branded 4870 - if he wants 27" ACD so bad to spend additional few hundred bucks for this card.

[Sean Dempsey]

^You linked old thread :)
4870 works with 1.1 perfectly. Apple and flashed ones. OP's only choice is Apple branded 4870 - if he wants 27" ACD so bad to spend additional few hundred bucks for this card.

on a 1,1 Mac Pro, how else do you go past 1920x1200? I guess a 30" ACD will work with the 7300GT's dual link, but I can't see any point to dropping $1800 on that, when a 27" is nicer and $999.


Question: Will I be able to push more than 1 monitor from the 4870 if the 27" is hooked to the MDP?

[Mackilroy]

Sure, as long as the other display uses DVI or you have an adapter.

[peskaa]

on a 1,1 Mac Pro, how else do you go past 1920x1200? I guess a 30" ACD will work with the 7300GT's dual link, but I can't see any point to dropping $1800 on that, when a 27" is nicer and $999.


Question: Will I be able to push more than 1 monitor from the 4870 if the 27" is hooked to the MDP?

Yes, as the 4870 has a dual-link DVI as well as MDP.

[CaptainChunk]

I guess the question now becomes whether or not you actually need Steve's monitor.

This Dell (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=224-8284&cs=19&c=us&l=en&dgc=SS&cid=27530&lid=627063) uses the same S-IPS panel the 27" ACD does and it has DVI-D connections. It's $50 more expensive and lacks a web cam, but it's also cheaper than buying the 27" ACD plus an MDP graphics card or conversion box.

[Killerbob]

hmmmm More expensive, and no iSight. It does allow for more connections, but it is not an ACD, and MDP is the future.

[CaptainChunk]

hmmmm More expensive, and no iSight. It does allow for more connections, but it is not an ACD, and MDP is the future.

Yes, it doesn't have iSight. To me, BFD. The 30" ACD it replaced doesn't have iSight, either. The Dell probably wouldn't look as pretty on a desk, but I suppose some people have different viewpoints on aesthetics than others.

The Dell also supports DP (standard-sized connector; easily adaptable) for future graphics cards.

The point I was trying to make was that the OP would have to jump through hoops just to make a 27" ACD work with his 06 MP. His options would be:

1. [more expensive] Get an official Apple Radeon 4870 card (it works on older EFI-32 systems like the MP 06-07, despite what Apple says). It looks like Apple still has them available on their online store (just checked), but they're $349. Add the cost of the 27" ACD and he'd be sitting at $1,348 before tax and shipping. The advantage here of course, is that he'd get a much faster GPU in the process.

2. [cheaper] Buy the Gefen or Altona DVI to MDP converter. Both cost around $150. 27" ACD + converter would be around $1,149 before tax/shipping. With this option, he'd continue to use his 7300 GT card.


Then, there's the Dell U2711. Same panel as the 27" ACD, works with practically any graphics card, etc. The only thing it doesn't have is a web cam. It's currently $1049 at Dell. So yes, a little more expensive than the ACD, but it's still $100 cheaper in the long run than Option 2 above.

Just something to think about. I just fail to understand why so many people perceive Apple displays to be superior when that isn't always the case.

[Mackilroy]

hmmmm More expensive, and no iSight. It does allow for more connections, but it is not an ACD, and MDP is the future.

It's also non-glossy (which is amazingly important to some people), uses the same panel, and has DisplayPort.