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Apple Thunderbolt Display - connect to DisplayPort?

H

hamishb2

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 12, 2020
33
13
I am upgrading my 5,1 with a new GPU - it has HDMI and DisplayPort.

I am hoping to connect it to my 27” Apple Thunderbolt Cinema Display (currently connected to my MacBook Pro’s USB-C port via an Apple TB2 - USB-C adpater).

However it appears TB2 -> DP cannot be done. There are no dongles, adapters, cables or hubs which allow this.

Is this correct, or has someone found a way to solve this.

Plan B is to swap the 27” display for an older 24” display which has mini-display port.
 
What is a "5,1" ?
Mac Pro ?

HDMI and displayport ONLY?
The Thunderbolt display requires thunderbolt.
No thunderbolt?
Then... no display.
 
If you add a GC-ALPINE RIDGE Thunderbolt 3 add-in card (not a GC-TITAN RIDGE!) to the Mac Pro and use a Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter (you already have one), it should work.

zephyrsmarket.com

Gigabyte Alpine Ridge Thunderbolt 3 Flashed For Mac Pro

Gigabyte Alpine Ridge Connectivity: 1 x Header port, 2 x Thunderbolt 3, 1 x HDMI, 2 x Mini DisplayPort Power Delivery: Up to 36w , Cold Boot Supported (without windows), Hot Swap/unplug re-plug (supported), Systems this is known to work with: Mac Pro 3,1 4,1 5,1 7,1. Get Boot screen on your Mac...
zephyrsmarket.com zephyrsmarket.com
 
Fishrrman said:
What is a "5,1" ?
Mac Pro ?

HDMI and displayport ONLY?
The Thunderbolt display requires thunderbolt.
No thunderbolt?
Then... no display.
Click to expand...
Yes a Mac Pro 5,1.
Understand - need TB per the above post.
 
Amethyst1 said:
If you add a GC-ALPINE RIDGE Thunderbolt 3 add-in card (not a GC-TITAN RIDGE!) to the Mac Pro and use a Thunderbolt 3 to 2 adapter (you already have one), it should work.

zephyrsmarket.com

Gigabyte Alpine Ridge Thunderbolt 3 Flashed For Mac Pro

Gigabyte Alpine Ridge Connectivity: 1 x Header port, 2 x Thunderbolt 3, 1 x HDMI, 2 x Mini DisplayPort Power Delivery: Up to 36w , Cold Boot Supported (without windows), Hot Swap/unplug re-plug (supported), Systems this is known to work with: Mac Pro 3,1 4,1 5,1 7,1. Get Boot screen on your Mac...
zephyrsmarket.com zephyrsmarket.com
Click to expand...
An interesting idea. I take it that the cable connects the GPU to the Alpine Ridge card to feed the signal to the TB port on the Alpine Ridge? i.e. it just loops around outside the case from one PCIe card to the other?

Does this require Open Core, or can I use DosDude's Catalina Patcher with this card?
 
hamishb2 said:
I take it that the cable connects the GPU to the Alpine Ridge card to feed the signal to the TB port on the Alpine Ridge? i.e. it just loops around outside t
Click to expand...
If you are referring to the short DisplayPort cable, then yes. The TB 3 to 2 adapter connects the TB Display to the Alpine Ridge.

hamishb2 said:
Does this require Open Core, or can I use DosDude's Catalina Patcher with this card?
Click to expand...
No idea I'm afraid.
 
Last edited:
hamishb2 said:
I am upgrading my 5,1 with a new GPU - it has HDMI and DisplayPort.

I am hoping to connect it to my 27” Apple Thunderbolt Cinema Display (currently connected to my MacBook Pro’s USB-C port via an Apple TB2 - USB-C adpater).

However it appears TB2 -> DP cannot be done. There are no dongles, adapters, cables or hubs which allow this.

Is this correct, or has someone found a way to solve this.

Plan B is to swap the 27” display for an older 24” display which has mini-display port.
Click to expand...
The Apple Thunderbolt Display cannot be connected to a normal DisplayPort port -- no amount of adapters will fix this. It requires a Thunderbolt signal.
I've seen the Alpine Ridge TB cards used on PCs. Didn't know they could be flashed/modified to work on a Mac.
 
I have bought a Titan Ridge card which has been flashed to use with a Mac. Will report back how I go.

Had to borrow an old Nvida GT-120 to get my Mac Pro up and running using Dosdude's Catalina patcher.

Will then install Opencore and see how I go.
 
Thanks for the heads up - I am currently using my Apple 27” Cinema Display (which has a TB2 connector - MiniDisplayPort size plug) with my MacBook Pro 16” via an Apple TB2 <—>TB3 (USB-C connector) adaptor.

Hoping that does the trick.

But reading this thread - it looks unlikely.
github.com

Titan Ridge JHL7540 + Apple Thunderbolt Display problem · Issue #66 · intel/thunderbolt-software-user-space

Hello everyone! Sorry if I'm posting this in a wrong place but I'm really don't know where else I should look for a help. Dear Intel Thunderbolt team engineers, please take a look at my words below...
github.com github.com

Possibly a solution in here - https://github.com/intel/thunderbolt-software-user-space/issues/66
 
Last edited:
Pleased to advise I have OC 0.71 (Martin Lo package) running on my 5,1 with BootRom 9144.0.7.1.0 booted using Big Sur 11.2.3.

Radeon 580X in the 2nd slot (having trouble booting from the 1st slot which is double width and where it should really go) and a flashed Titan Ridge card in slot 4.

Best of all, my Thunderbolt display is active, using an Apple TB2 - TB3 convertor!!

Next, to get a larger NVME drive and make it bootable.
 
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