A favor to ask of 30" ACD owners

[Decrepit]

Hi there,

If you own a 30" ACD, do you have a NON-Dual-Link device to plug in and run at 1920x1200? A Mac Mini, MacBook, something like that?

The tech specs at Apple.com state that the display will work properly at this resolution.

I would like to see if anybody could test this for me. If it works, I'll buy a 30" in short order.

I appreciate any information you can provide.

Thanks!

 

[techlover828]

wouldn't be pretty grainy? maybe you should stick with 23", just a thought...

 

[Decrepit]

wouldn't be pretty grainy? maybe you should stick with 23", just a thought...

That's my question. If somebody has a 30" that works with a single-link device, I can jump on a 30" ACD. I have another system that does do dual-link so it would work for that machine as it's supposed to.

I've held off going for a 30" display because I wouldn't be able to use it with my non-dual-link system.

BUT, if it works properly at 1920x1200, I can do it since I can do 2560x1600 on my other machine.

And eventually I'll have a Mac Pro...

 

[iToaster]

I don't think so... the dual link and single link plugs are different, so you'd have to break off some pins for it to work correctly with (well, plug in to) single link. It will work at 1920x1200 though, but it won't be pretty.

 

[Decrepit]

I don't think so... the dual link and single link plugs are different, so you'd have to break off some pins for it to work correctly with (well, plug in to) single link. It will work at 1920x1200 though, but it won't be pretty.

A dual-link cable and connector have additional pins beyond the single-link connector. True.

BUT, if you use a single-link cable which will fit in a dual-link connector, AND Apple's website is correct, we should be able to plug a machine in and run at 1920x1200.

Rather than having multiple displays everywhere, I'm trying to consolidate to one. I can put the ACD on a KVM. If I can run 1920x1200 on it from a non-dual-link system, then I can use it. If I can't, then I need to maintain space for a 24" display.

 

[dgdosen]

A dual-link cable and connector have additional pins beyond the single-link connector. True.

BUT, if you use a single-link cable which will fit in a dual-link connector, AND Apple's website is correct, we should be able to plug a machine in and run at 1920x1200.

Rather than having multiple displays everywhere, I'm trying to consolidate to one. I can put the ACD on a KVM. If I can run 1920x1200 on it from a non-dual-link system, then I can use it. If I can't, then I need to maintain space for a 24" display.

You could always run remote desktop, or back to my mac - I do that once in a while - but Apple's Remote Desktop technology isn't the greatest...

 

[Decrepit]

You could always run remote desktop, or back to my mac - I do that once in a while - but Apple's Remote Desktop technology isn't the greatest...

That is another potential if it's not compatible.

I will be doing that eventually when I move my current Mini into its new role as iTunes/Time Machine server. But that can't happen until SOMEBODY releases the new Mini... Mr. Jobs...

And I'm currently holding out for a Mac Pro at the end of 2009.

I'm just itching to get a 30" ACD and hate to plug it into a PC to be able to use it at all. So I'm not buying until I know it works at 1920x1200 with single link like they document on their website.

If I had an Apple store within an hour of me, I'd just ask them to test it for me. But they're a ways away, and with gas prices the way they are...

 

[xraydoc]

Using a non-dual-link capable computer on the 30" ADC limits your resolution to 1280x800 on the 30" (1/2 of 2560x1600). I've tried it.

 

[Decrepit]

Using a non-dual-link capable computer on the 30" ADC limits your resolution to 1280x800 on the 30" (1/2 of 2560x1600). I've tried it.

And there we have it. Thanks so much for the information.

How awful did it look at that resolution?

 

[alphaod]

And there we have it. Thanks so much for the information.

How awful did it look at that resolution?

Enough that spending $1500 on a monitor is not longer worth it; you're better off buying 30" LCD TV that runs at 720p; will look better and cost a lot less.

 

[Decrepit]

Enough that spending $1500 on a monitor is not longer worth it; you're better off buying 30" LCD TV that runs at 720p; will look better and cost a lot less.

I'll still get a 30" display, but not until I get my Mac Pro. That's not until the end of the year. I was just trying to talk myself into doing it sooner.