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Dongle thread for the new Macbook Pro's

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rozelida

macrumors member
Jul 11, 2008
75
6
I would like to do the same thing, but looking for an adapter that will allow two of these on the same side of the rMBP. From the pictures, I am not sure that will work.

Has anyone tried it?

NAYo2002 said:
I posted in another thread but I wanted to contribute my solution here as well just in case:

I'm going to get a few of these and leave them permanently connected to my existing USB A devices. These are only about $4 each so cost is not a concern as long as they work well. I can even use a regular USB SD card reader with this.

View attachment 669067

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Rank...sr=8-4&keywords=usb+c+adapter#customerReviews
Click to expand...
 
bennyf

bennyf

macrumors regular
Mar 29, 2011
194
278
USA
JTToft said:
- It unfortunately will not work like that, which is also spelled out pretty clearly in that linked support document.

You need a different sort of adaptor for your DVI monitors.
Click to expand...

Are we 100% on this? I've got the old Apple Cinema Display 30 which uses a dual-link DVI input (no other options). I've been using the Thunderbolt 2 + USB dongle here. You are correct that the link says DisplayPort is not supported.

There are a bunch of people out there with Apple, Dell and other early >1080p displays that rely on dual-link DVI.

Are all of us out of luck with new MBP? Is there any theoretical hope for a new adapter that can bridge the gap?

If the 3-to-2 adapter would work, plugging in the monitor would require THREE adapters from Apple at a cost of $170. The third is the USB C-to-A that the adapter uses for power (I actually assume it's just power, but if it's also data then that prevents plugging it into a generic hub).
 
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J

JTToft

macrumors 68040
Apr 27, 2010
3,447
796
Aarhus, Denmark
bennyf said:
Are we 100% on this? I've got the old Apple Cinema Display 30 which uses a dual-link DVI input (no other options). I've been using the Thunderbolt 2 + USB dongle here. You are correct that the link says DisplayPort is not supported.

There are a bunch of people out there with Apple, Dell and other early >1080p displays that rely on dual-link DVI.

Are all of us out of luck with new MBP? Is there any theoretical hope for a new adapter that can bridge the gap?

If the 3-to-2 adapter would work, plugging in the monitor would require THREE adapters from Apple at a cost of $170. The third is the USB C-to-A that the adapter uses for power (I actually assume it's just power, but if it's also data then that prevents plugging it into a generic hub).
Click to expand...
- I suppose we're only 100 % when someone has tried it. But the support article is pretty clear that it can't be done with that adaptor.

I's certainly possible in other ways. But like you said, it gets expensive and cumbersome really quickly to keep old connection types like DL-DVI in use.

You need a USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adaptor such as the one below and then of course USB-C to USB-A and your Mini DisplayPort to DL-DVI.
Quite the effort.

To be perfectly honest, I think it's time to let go of displays and connections that are more than 10 years old. It's not unreasonable that you can no longer easily plug them into a state-of-the-art computer.

https://www.amazon.com/AV-Access-Di...059&sr=8-8&keywords=usb-c+to+mini+displayport
 
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N

NAYo2002

macrumors 6502
Apr 16, 2011
388
81
bennyf said:
If the 3-to-2 adapter would work, plugging in the monitor would require THREE adapters from Apple at a cost of $170. The third is the USB C-to-A that the adapter uses for power (I actually assume it's just power, but if it's also data then that prevents plugging it into a generic hub).
Click to expand...


I would put the $170 toward the 4K LG display that also charges the MacBook as well as a USB C hub (only 480MBps per port though)
 
A

arbitrage

macrumors 6502a
Mar 19, 2009
609
206
NAYo2002 said:
I posted in another thread but I wanted to contribute my solution here as well just in case:

I'm going to get a few of these and leave them permanently connected to my existing USB A devices. These are only about $4 each so cost is not a concern as long as they work well. I can even use a regular USB SD card reader with this.

View attachment 669067

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Rank...sr=8-4&keywords=usb+c+adapter#customerReviews
Click to expand...

That is what I'm doing also. I was going to order just new cables form my external HDs and memory card readers but then decided to get a few of those and just leave them permanently on the cables I already have. Seems a really simple solution for now. New cables are also fairly cheap but these were cheaper.

I've maybe used the HDMI port on my 2012 5 times over 4.5 years but when I needed it it was very useful. I will be looking for an HDMI dongle for as cheap as possible.

I'm happy with Apples decision to go all TB3. Makes the laptop more future proof so I can get another 4-5 years out of this one like I did my original 2012 rMBP.
 
B

Baldrake

macrumors 6502
May 22, 2012
335
353
Great White North
arbitrage said:
That is what I'm doing also. I was going to order just new cables form my external HDs and memory card readers but then decided to get a few of those and just leave them permanently on the cables I already have. Seems a really simple solution for now. New cables are also fairly cheap but these were cheaper.

I've maybe used the HDMI port on my 2012 5 times over 4.5 years but when I needed it it was very useful. I will be looking for an HDMI dongle for as cheap as possible.

I'm happy with Apples decision to go all TB3. Makes the laptop more future proof so I can get another 4-5 years out of this one like I did my original 2012 rMBP.
Click to expand...
This is all fine, and I'm glad it's working out for you. Most of the people in this thread are struggling with other issues:
  • How to be a mobile presenter when you need to use whatever projector is given you - means need to connect to VGA and HDMI.
  • How to connect to a legacy thunderbolt display.
  • How to power your computer when you have multiple offices and want to simply plug in wherever you go.
  • How to connect to legacy HDMI or DVI displays.
At a quick estimate, I could easily be spending well over CAD $500 just to bring myself back to the functionality I have today with my 2012 rMBP.

So really, for some of us, it's a lot worse than just being able to connect your Razer mouse or SAN Disk via USB adapters.
 
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schmidti91

schmidti91

macrumors regular
Oct 10, 2016
111
55
Eisenach, Germany
Brookzy said:
The Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter is Apple's solution to that problem. They won't make a direct cable.
Click to expand...

Ok, that's disappointing.

And the extension cord for the power adapter (so you don't need to plug the adapter directly into the outlet) doesn't go with the new 61 and 87W adapters. At least it doesn't say so in the description. Any news on that?
 
A

arbitrage

macrumors 6502a
Mar 19, 2009
609
206
Baldrake said:
This is all fine, and I'm glad it's working out for you. Most of the people in this thread are struggling with other issues:
  • How to be a mobile presenter when you need to use whatever projector is given you - means need to connect to VGA and HDMI.
  • How to connect to a legacy thunderbolt display.
  • How to power your computer when you have multiple offices and want to simply plug in wherever you go.
  • How to connect to legacy HDMI or DVI displays.
At a quick estimate, I could easily be spending well over CAD $500 just to bring myself back to the functionality I have today with my 2012 rMBP.

So really, for some of us, it's a lot worse than just being able to connect your Razer mouse or SAN Disk via USB adapters.
Click to expand...

If I had those demands, I personally wouldn't buy this 2016 version. If your 2012 is in need of upgrade I'd go for the maxed out 2015...probably can get that refurbished now. For my use case the new one makes sense but I understand it will be a big headache for other use cases.

Wouldn't this make more sense? http://www.apple.com/ca/shop/produc...-28ghz-quad-core-intel-i7-with-retina-display
 
Brookzy

Brookzy

macrumors 601
May 30, 2010
4,976
5,573
UK
Baldrake said:
But this adapter is designed for the rMB, does not provide enough power for the rMBP.
Click to expand...
It does provide enough pass through power for the 13" - up to 60W.

For the 15", you can use one of the other three ports for charging.
[doublepost=1477839578][/doublepost]
schmidti91 said:
Ok, that's disappointing.

And the extension cord for the power adapter (so you don't need to plug the adapter directly into the outlet) doesn't go with the new 61 and 87W adapters. At least it doesn't say so in the description. Any news on that?
Click to expand...
The extension cable works with all the adapters, from a 10W iPad charger all the way up to the 87W MacBook Pro one.
 
B

Baldrake

macrumors 6502
May 22, 2012
335
353
Great White North
arbitrage said:
If I had those demands, I personally wouldn't buy this 2016 version. If your 2012 is in need of upgrade I'd go for the maxed out 2015...probably can get that refurbished now. For my use case the new one makes sense but I understand it will be a big headache for other use cases.

Wouldn't this make more sense? http://www.apple.com/ca/shop/produc...-28ghz-quad-core-intel-i7-with-retina-display
Click to expand...
What would have make more sense would have been to limp along with my 2012 for another six months until adapter/dock situation has resolved itself. :) But I've made my order and I'm not cancelling it now!

But really my point was (and I hate to use this term), a lot of "Pro" users need all this stuff. It would have been nice if Apple at least had had all its ducks in a row before releasing the new MBP.
 
N

NAYo2002

macrumors 6502
Apr 16, 2011
388
81
Baldrake said:
  • How to be a mobile presenter when you need to use whatever projector is given you - means need to connect to VGA and HDMI.
Click to expand...
I maybe way off here but $140 (price for both digital AV and VGA adapters) is not a lot for business purposes in my experience. You could easily spend that per day on a trip to a presentation and some people charge that for as little as 15 minutes of their time. There's also this
for old thunderbolt (I doubt you'll need this for business setting though.)

If you're doing something that requires you to present in this nature, it's prob worth just investing in official Apple dongles or get a dedicated presentation laptop with all the ports you need.
 
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B

Baldrake

macrumors 6502
May 22, 2012
335
353
Great White North
NAYo2002 said:
I maybe way off here but $160 (price for both digital AV and VGA adapters) is not a lot for business purposes in my experience. You could easily spend that per day on a trip to a presentation and some people charge that for as little as 15 minutes of their time. There's also this
for old thunderbolt (I doubt you'll need this for business setting though.)

If you're doing something that requires you to present in this nature, it's prob worth just investing in official Apple dongles or get a dedicated presentation laptop with all the ports you need.
Click to expand...
For sure. I'll get the VGA adapter. I'm not sure what to get for the HDMI. I'm looking into the 3d party options that people have been linking.

(For what it's worth, money is still money. I have a budget from my employer, and if I spend money on dongles, it's money I'm not able to spend on other things. Don't get me wrong, I'm going to spend the money, it's just a case of figuring out what's going to provide the best function and most convenience without totally blowing the bank.)
 
P

phil-o-soph

macrumors newbie
Oct 30, 2016
10
8
I'm thinking about getting a 5K Dell screen (the UP2715K) for my new MBP 15".
Should I just wait if there will be any docks with 2x DisplayPort soon (CES maybe?) or should I wait whether there will be a version using TB3? Or anything else?
 
J

JTToft

macrumors 68040
Apr 27, 2010
3,447
796
Aarhus, Denmark
phil-o-soph said:
I'm thinking about getting a 5K Dell screen (the UP2715K) for my new MBP 15".
Should I just wait if there will be any docks with 2x DisplayPort soon (CES maybe?) or should I wait whether there will be a version using TB3? Or anything else?
Click to expand...
- I would probably wait and see what the monitor manufacturers come up with.
If you want to connect the UP2715K you can do it right now with two USB-C to DisplayPort cables, or you can (probably) do it with a Thunderbolt 3 dock such as the one from Belkin which is coming soon.
 
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G

GoodOne

macrumors regular
May 6, 2012
192
209
Well apparently all the Multi function hubs have their issues so I dedided to get individual Dongles instead.

Requirements:

- When I'm in the office, I Need to connect to Ethernet cable (Wifi at the customer site is spotty) and an external Display via HDMI
- I don't want to use the ports on the rights side to Keep it as neat and clean as possible

I ended up getting the Apple Digital AV Adapter which can connect to HDMI and offers one USB A port to Charge the iPhone and it can also do power passthrough plus I a cheap but solid USB-C Ethernet Adapter. Problem solved.

Luckily, when work from my Home Office I don't Need any Adapters. ;-)

To connect to projectors when in I'm in a meeting, I also got another VGA and a Displayport Adapter just in case, you never know.

That makes 4 Adapters, jeeez. But usually I only Need the two Adapters for HDMI/power and Ethernet.
 
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