30" Apple Cinema Display with Monoprice dual-link adapter

[Omek]

I have a question about the 30" Apple cinema display utilized in conjunction with the Monoprice dual-link adapter.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p..._id=1042802&p_id=6904&seq=1&format=4#feedback

I'm planning on getting one of the newer 15" Macbook Pros which only has two usb ports, and I've already inherited a few 30" Apple cinema displays. I currently have a 27" i5 iMac late 2009, but it has so many issues with the screen staining and the yellow tinge on the lower third of the screen. I'm just sick of it, so I'm hoping this 15" Macbook Pro and 30" display combo will work better for me.

The 30" cinema display has two usb and two firewire 400 ports on the back. And the dual link cord connected to the 30" display has DVI, usb and firewire 400. The monoprice adapter looks like it has no place to plugin either the usb or the firewire cable, just the DVI. So, will the ports still be usable on the monitor? Or does that require the firewire and usb cord from the 30" to be plugged into the computer for the two firewire and usb ports to be functional? This is so confusing...

My only concern is that I have 2 USB hard drives, a usb printer, and usb for connecting my iPad. So I was hoping I could use the ports on the back of the monitor and maybe get some firewire 400 to usb converters. I saw a few people mention that this monoprice cable doesn't have usb pass-through, and I'm assuming they're talking about the usb ports not being usable on the 30" cinema display. Is that correct? And is the usb cord that comes out of the adapter only for powering the monitor and not for powering the actual ports on the monitor?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[apunkrockmonk]

Neither Display Port nor DVI can transmit USB or Firewire signals. The only difference between dual-link DVI and regular DVI is the amount of pixels they can drive.

If you want to use the USB and Firewire ports on the back of your 30" Cinema Display you'll need to hook up the USB and Firewire cables from the back of the monitor to your MacBook Pro.

 

[Omek]

Neither Display Port nor DVI can transmit USB or Firewire signals. The only difference between dual-link DVI and regular DVI is the amount of pixels they can drive.

If you want to use the USB and Firewire ports on the back of your 30" Cinema Display you'll need to hook up the USB and Firewire cables from the back of the monitor to your MacBook Pro.

Thanks for the quick response. That's exactly what I figured. I already have a wired apple keyboard, so that would fill the 2nd usb port. So, it looks like it would be impossible to plugin the usb cable from the 30" display. I don't suppose you'd be able to use a usb hub to connect the usb cord from the 30" display. I'm guessing that wouldn't work though.

 

[convergent]

What you had described wanting is what Thunderbolt does... it pumps video, FW, and USB all through the one display cable.

 

[Omek]

What you had described wanting is what Thunderbolt does... it pumps video, FW, and USB all through the one display cable.

Really? But will the monoprice adapter be able to power the two usb and firewire ports on the 30" Apple cinema display?

 

[apunkrockmonk]

I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to hook the display to a USB hub. The dual link adapter does nothing other than deliver a display signal.

The power for the display and the ports on the display comes from the power adapter. The Firewire and USB data comes from the USB and Firewire cables on the monitor.

 

[convergent]

Really? But will the monoprice adapter be able to power the two usb and firewire ports on the 30" Apple cinema display?

No, a Dual Link cable is a display cable only. What I was saying was that Thunderbolt (as in the 27" Thunderbolt Display) will provide display, usb, firewire, and thunderbolt through the single cable. It doesn't solve your problem since you don't have a Thunderbolt Display... just providing tangential information.

 

[Omek]

No, a Dual Link cable is a display cable only. What I was saying was that Thunderbolt (as in the 27" Thunderbolt Display) will provide display, usb, firewire, and thunderbolt through the single cable. It doesn't solve your problem since you don't have a Thunderbolt Display... just providing tangential information.

No worries, and thanks for following up on that. It does make sense the display itself doesn't have thunderbolt input. Although, I wonder if maybe I could get away with plugging the usb from the 30" into a usb hub that's plugged into the Macbook Pro. And then maybe I could also connect the firewire 400 cable from the 30" into a firewire 400 to 800 adapter. Do you think the ports on the monitor would work then?

 

[minifridge1138]

Old thread, but ended with a question.

The 30" has 1 cable come out of it.
The end of that cable has 4 connectors coming out of it.

1) is power. It goes to the power adapter, which goes into the wall.
2) is a fire wire cable. It goes to a fire wire port on your mac. Now the 2 ports on the back of the display act as a hub.
3) is a usb cable. It goes to a usb port on your mac. Now the 2 ports on the back of the display act as a hub.
4) is a Dual Link dvi cable. It goes to your mac OR to an adapter and then to your mac.