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2016 MacBook Pro 15" + Apple cinema displays

I am having the same problem Mike. It looks like the best bet is to use a DVI-D to Display Port adapter and then pair that with a Mini Display Port to USB-C adapter along with a USB to USB-C adapter. The Mini Display Port adapter requires USB for power. I am current using the 30" Cinema Display on a 2009 MacBook Pro with the DVI-D to Mini Display Port adapter, so that is a possibility.
 
MikeThicke said:
Adapter: StarTech.com USB-C to DVI Adapter/Converter for MacBook (CDP2DVI) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BJ0HQK6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Computer: Apple MacBook Pro 15" 2016 Radeon Pro 450 2048 MB / Intel HD Graphics 530 1536 MB

Monitor: Apple Cinema 30" DVI

No other adapters.
Click to expand...

I tried this same adapter, but the white version, CDP2DVIW, with the same MacBook Pro and 30" Cinema, and initially got a bunch of multicolored gibberish on the screen. The connector of the adapter had a tiny bit of glue that I removed from the inside. Following that, the MacBook detects the display when plugged in and shows it as connected, but the display's screen remains black/off.
 
This is a big problem for me. As I have three of these 30" ACDs I want to use on a new MBP. Even getting one to work would be good.

Mike, have startech or apple got back to you yet?
 
I gave it another shot today using a combination of the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (already had that to connect my 30" Cinema to 2009 MacBook Pro), StarTech DP2MDPMF6IN, and j5create JCA140 USB Type-C to 4k DisplayPort Adapter but did not have any luck.

This time, the MacBook Pro screen didn't do the usual "fade out and back in" when plugging in the connector, and did not give any indication that it was aware of an external display being connected.

Maybe one of the adapters that I used was defective, but I don't have any more patience. I need to get work done so I'm just going to replace the Cinema 30" with something like the LG 27UD68-P and call it a day.
 
James.K.Polk said:
Well this is the whole issue. To my knowledge, you need Apple's adaptor (http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MB571LL/A/mini-displayport-to-dual-link-dvi-adapter) or I think there was one from MonoPrice that was still the same high price point.

I looked for a few weeks when I first got my Cinema Display; I don't think it's possible to use anything else.
Click to expand...

I've got this Apple mini display port to dual link DVI adapter. The question is WHICH USB-C adapter does one need to buy to connect to?
 
I have a 30-inch HP monitor that only has DVI dual-link inputs, and the only thing I've gotten to work so far is this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012B58MDS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Plugging that straight into the Macbook Pro, with a normal DVI dual-link cable connecting that dongle to the monitor, I'm able to get 2560x1600 resolution. The image quality is pretty good. There's no flicker, but there are white specs that come and go on the screen if you look closely. It's not a perfect setup, but so far it's the only thing that I've gotten to display any image, and I've tried numerous dongles.

I haven't found a way to get Apple's $99 Mini Displayport to DVI dual link adapter working with the new computer.
 
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jscushman said:
I have a 30-inch HP monitor that only has DVI dual-link inputs, and the only thing I've gotten to work so far is this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012B58MDS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Plugging that straight into the Macbook Pro, with a normal DVI dual-link cable connecting that dongle to the monitor, I'm able to get 2560x1600 resolution. The image quality is pretty good. There's no flicker, but there are white specs that come and go on the screen if you look closely. It's not a perfect setup, but so far it's the only thing that I've gotten to display any image, and I've tried numerous dongles.

I haven't found a way to get Apple's $99 Mini Displayport to DVI dual link adapter working with the new computer.
Click to expand...

Thanks I'll try that. My other candidate is this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EFM7Q5U/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A24Y22QERZZ9SS , which seems like it might work with my minidisplayport -> DVI adaptor.
 
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I can confirm the 23" Aluminum Cinema Display DVI will work through USB-C Multiport Adapter + Apple HDMI to DVI adapter.
 
OT2000 said:
Great news. I bought the exact same combination today. Will try tomorrow and report back.
Click to expand...

It worked!

Looks like the key is to go [DVI-HDMI-USBc], not [DVI-MiniDisplayPort-USBc]
 

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OT2000 said:
It worked!

Looks like the key is to go [DVI-HDMI-USBc], not [DVI-MiniDisplayPort-USBc]
Click to expand...

I believe Apple's DVI to HMDI adapter is a single link DVI which will only output at most 1920x1200 resolution so this combo won't work for the 30" Cinema Display.
 
cult hero said:
I see I'm way late to the party but I don't see why this wouldn't work. I can actually test a very similar setup when I get back home from the holidays.
Click to expand...

I tried 3 different variations of Mini Displayport to USB-C adapters (w/ Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter) and none of them worked. Returning them all back to Amazon and Monoprice. However, I did get the Monoprice version to blink on and off.

Apple Support Tech escalated me to someone higher up and smarter. The second tech told me DVI > HDMI > USB-C should, "in theory", work the best. Then minutes later @elektrobug confirmed the same thing. A reason was given, but it was over my head. Basically they said the DVI to HDMI was more of a natural pairing given the technology used.
 
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cult hero said:
I see I'm way late to the party but I don't see why this wouldn't work. I can actually test a very similar setup when I get back home from the holidays.
Click to expand...

In theory this should work, though you would also need to use a USB-A connection to give the minidisplayport->DVI adaptor power. What we've been discovering though is that not everything that works in theory works in practice. Perhaps an electrical engineer could explain why, but it's all a mystery to me.
 
I wonder if it has to do with the nature of the passive adapters. That would be my guess. I can test a couple combos next week. I have a feeling the Thunderbolt docks would work, TB3 -> TB2 -> Dock (mDP output) -> DL-DVI. Although the docks are pretty pricey "adapters" (love mine though).

I'm surprised at the total lack of USB-C to mDP adapters out there. A few exist but all of them seem really poorly rated. It's strange to me that there is basically no good way to run my Apple 27" LED Cinema Display with a MacBook or even a new MacBook Pro (other than a TB dock, which isn't an option for the former). And it sounds like the options for the older 30" suck even worse.
 
I contacted Other World Computing and asked them about their Thunderbolt 3 Dock and compatibility with the 30" ACD and the Apple Dual Link DVI to mDP adapter and they said it would work. So far that's the only positive answer I'm finding for the 30" ACD, but there's no way to confirm given that the dock doesn't come out until February.

I plan on getting one of the 5K LG monitors, but I want the option of using my trusty old 30" ACD if needed.
 
jscushman said:
I have a 30-inch HP monitor that only has DVI dual-link inputs, and the only thing I've gotten to work so far is this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012B58MDS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Plugging that straight into the Macbook Pro, with a normal DVI dual-link cable connecting that dongle to the monitor, I'm able to get 2560x1600 resolution. The image quality is pretty good. There's no flicker, but there are white specs that come and go on the screen if you look closely. It's not a perfect setup, but so far it's the only thing that I've gotten to display any image, and I've tried numerous dongles.

I haven't found a way to get Apple's $99 Mini Displayport to DVI dual link adapter working with the new computer.
Click to expand...

I had no success with the Cable Matters adapter linked above.
 
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smirking said:
I contacted Other World Computing and asked them about their Thunderbolt 3 Dock and compatibility with the 30" ACD and the Apple Dual Link DVI to mDP adapter and they said it would work. So far that's the only positive answer I'm finding for the 30" ACD, but there's no way to confirm given that the dock doesn't come out until February.

I plan on getting one of the 5K LG monitors, but I want the option of using my trusty old 30" ACD if needed.
Click to expand...

I have tried two USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapters that work with the 30" ACD when paired with Apple's Dual DVI to Mini DisplayPort adapter.

https://www.amazon.com/Nearpow-Disp...&qid=1480922356&sr=8-2&keywords=nearpow+usb+c

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CJHHTR8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (currently out of stock)
 
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I can confirm I can drive a 23" Cinema Display using Apples USB-Digital AV adapter with hdmi-to-dvi adapter.
I have power connected and a Apple USB ethernet adapter so using just one cable I have everything setup.
I just wish I had Gigabit ethernet instead.
 
Hi.
I have an ageing DVI 23 inch Apple Cinema Display which I have successfully connected to the new 15 inch MBP.
I tried a couple of different DVI to usb C adapters with no success. The computer recognised that the Cinema Display was attached but only displayed a black screen.
What worked was to convert the DVI from the Cinema Display to HDMI with a small cheap generic adapter, and then use an HDMI to usb C adapter to connect to the computer. The HDMI to usb C adapter I am using comes from De-lock and supports 4K at 60 Hz, although I also tried a cheaper HDMI to usb C adapter with only supported 1920 x 1200 (the upper limit for single link DVI I believe, which the 23 inch Cinema Display has) and it also worked.

Good luck

Screen Shot 2016-12-05 at 13.00.44.png DVI to HDMI

Screen Shot 2016-12-05 at 13.15.45.png HDMI to usb C
 

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