30" Cinema Display Resolution issue

[ronsheridan]

I have a 27" iMac and a 30" Cinema Display. I took the Cinema Display to an event last week and finally got back and hooked it back up to my iMac. At the event we lowered the resolution and used it on my Mac Laptop.

Prior to yesterday it all worked ok.

NOW the resolution on the Cinema will not show anything higher than 1280 x 800, while my iMac goes all the way up to 2560 x 1440 just as before.

I am using a DVI adapter that matches the gender/pins of the Cinema cable so I am stumped.

A friend had me restart while holding down OPTION,CMD, R&P - but that did not change anything.

I am stumped.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Ron
San Rafael, CA

 

[peskaa]

The full resolution of the 30" ACD is 2560x1600. You're getting exactly half of that, which tells me you're using the MDP>DVI single-link adapter, rather than the correct dual-link adapter which costs a lot more.

Basically, buy the correct one.

If you were getting the full 2560x1600 prior to this, using the same adapter, then something has gone wrong with the adapter and it's only working in single-link mode. Would have been useful to show a picture of the adapter rather than the MDP port and DVI end of the ACD...

 

[ronsheridan]

...If you were getting the full 2560x1600 prior to this, using the same adapter, then something has gone wrong with the adapter and it's only working in single-link mode. Would have been useful to show a picture of the adapter rather than the MDP port and DVI end of the ACD...

Same adapter- see updated pics in this reply of both the adapter and the monitor cable (male) end.

Q; do these adapter FAIL?


Q: there is a USB and a Firewire cable coming from the 30" Cinema, are either of them required to be plugged inot the back of the iMac? My understanding is NO.

Thank you peska for taking the time to try to help me!

 

[Aboo]

Same adapter- see updated pics in this reply of both the adapter and the monitor cable (male) end.

Q; do these adapter FAIL?


Q: there is a USB and a Firewire cable coming from the 30" Cinema, are either of them required to be plugged inot the back of the iMac? My understanding is NO.

Thank you peska for taking the time to try to help me!

It looks like you are using the single link mini display port to DVI adapter. In order to use the full resolution of the 30" cinema display, you need to get a mini display port to dual link DVI adapter, which runs about $99 from Apple and $60 from manufacturers like Monoprice.

I am not sure how you were displaying the native resolution of the 30" on that monitor by using only a single link mini DP to DVI cable prior to your trip...

 

[ronsheridan]

It looks like you are using the single link mini display port to DVI adapter. In order to use the full resolution of the 30" cinema display, you need to get a mini display port to dual link DVI adapter, which runs about $99 from Apple and $60 from manufacturers like Monoprice.

I am not sure how you were displaying the native resolution of the 30" on that monitor by using only a single link mini DP to DVI cable prior to your trip...

BINGO - That's it - I bought one of those when I got the diaplay but I do not know what happened to it.

Also not sure if I had it before I moved my display.

anyhow


Thanks Aboo for helping me figure out what I needed!

 

[peskaa]

That's definitely the single link adapter Find the one you bought!

 

[ronsheridan]

weirdness

That's definitely the single link adapter Find the one you bought!

ah yeah... not sure what to feel more stupid about..

not remembering if I had that adapter here before I took my display to the event..

or being too high now to even summon a good memory..

 

[ronsheridan]

for what it's worth..

Thank you to those who helped me, and to those who got here after the drama left the room, watch, listen and learn..

"Social Sharing is the new killer app on the internets"