30 inch Monitor & Cables

[Tali]

Hi,

I need some more screen real estate at home and I'm currently looking into 30' displays. LED Displays strain my eyes quite a bit and I tend to get a headache after some time, so I'm thinking about buying an "old" ACD before they update it (to possible 27' LED). I might also go with a Dell, that's not the real issue here.

My MP will go fine with it, but I sometimes work from my MBP (now 2010 version) and sometimes on my girlfriends mini. Now the MBP has a different MiniDisplay port than the MBP. I can't get my head around which cables to buy. I still have an older 20' monitor sitting around, but I'd like to throw it out when I get the new one, so having the cables would be a nice backup, just in case I need to connect one of the two machines to the display.

Do I need 2 Dual Link DVI cables - 1 for the MBP and 1 for the mini - as they have different mini display ports or are there any adapters or does one fit both?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Hellhammer]

If they both have Mini DisplayPorts, then you only need one. Mini-DVI can't even drive the 30" with native res

 

[milk242]

The MBP should have a mini displayport and the mac mini, depending on which model, should have a single link dvi (Pre-2009) or a mini displayport AND mini DVI (post-2009).

If you have a pre-2009 mac mini, you won't be able to drive the 30" display, but if you have a post 2009 mac mini, you can, by using the mini displayport.

So assuming you have a post 2009 mac mini, 2010 MBP and a 2008 Mac Pro, you should get a Dell 30". The Dell has every input port you would need. For the Mac Mini and MBP, you can use a mini displayport to displayport cable and for the Mac Pro, you can use a dual link dvi cable.

 

[Tali]

The MBP should have a mini displayport and the mac mini, depending on which model, should have a single link dvi (Pre-2009) or a mini displayport AND mini DVI (post-2009).

If you have a pre-2009 mac mini, you won't be able to drive the 30" display, but if you have a post 2009 mac mini, you can, by using the mini displayport.

So assuming you have a post 2009 mac mini, 2010 MBP and a 2008 Mac Pro, you should get a Dell 30". The Dell has every input port you would need. For the Mac Mini and MBP, you can use a mini displayport to displayport cable and for the Mac Pro, you can use a dual link dvi cable.

It's a 2009 mini so that should work. Thanks for the help, going to order the Dell tomorrow.