The HD3000 doesn't support it at all, you would need to use a USB -> DP/DVI/VGA "video card" of which some don't work with Lion :S
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Apple Thunderbolt Display with Multiple Monitors: No Daisy Chaining Mini DisplayPort Monitors
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The HD3000 doesn't support it at all, you would need to use a USB -> DP/DVI/VGA "video card" of which some don't work with Lion :S
Why not just buy a computer capable of doing what you want?
I want my iphone to have 9 27" displays, but I can't make it happen no matter what I try.
I am astounded how much people think an Air should be capable of doing giving the concessions it makes to offer its advantages.
LOL. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Seriously. You assumed stuff that was not true. Apparently you never bothered to ask any person in the entire world about it either and just went off your own ignorant assumption.
Why should anyone feel bad for you?
Late 2011?
The official Apple document doesn't mention "Late 2011" iMac. Is that an error or did Apple change the document?
The official Apple document doesn't mention "Late 2011" iMac. Is that an error or did Apple change the document?
There's two possibilities that I see from this. (My previous assertion was that a MDP Displays would WORK daisy chaining off a TB Display on a TB mac that can support more than 1 external display)
1. Apple have purposely limited the TB Display's MDP chain-link.
2. Intel have changed the spec of Thunderbolt.
The technical brief clearly states:
"Users can add high-performance features to their PC over a cable, daisy chaining one after another, up to a total of 7 devices, 1 or 2 of which can be high-resolution DisplayPort v1.1a displays (depending on the controller configuration in the host PC)." - (page 3 of 4 on Intel's 2011 document 325136-001US)
On the other hand, since this is FIRST display & computers to offer thunderbolt and the Intel disclaimer saying that they can change the specifications at any time without notification, it would appear that the 'vague' or 'limited' description of Apple's implementation of Thunderbolt was not without reason; Intel may have changed the spec.
If the spec has not changed, as per above, then this is a total failure to the adherence of the Thunderbolt specification. This would be poor form; coming from the company that is supposed to be pioneering this technology and adaption to the wider market.
1. Apple have purposely limited the TB Display's MDP chain-link.
2. Intel have changed the spec of Thunderbolt.
The technical brief clearly states:
"Users can add high-performance features to their PC over a cable, daisy chaining one after another, up to a total of 7 devices, 1 or 2 of which can be high-resolution DisplayPort v1.1a displays (depending on the controller configuration in the host PC)." - (page 3 of 4 on Intel's 2011 document 325136-001US)
On the other hand, since this is FIRST display & computers to offer thunderbolt and the Intel disclaimer saying that they can change the specifications at any time without notification, it would appear that the 'vague' or 'limited' description of Apple's implementation of Thunderbolt was not without reason; Intel may have changed the spec.
If the spec has not changed, as per above, then this is a total failure to the adherence of the Thunderbolt specification. This would be poor form; coming from the company that is supposed to be pioneering this technology and adaption to the wider market.
It seems if you put a thunderbolt device between your thunderbolt display and the 24" cinema display, it will work.
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Everyone calm down! Mac World found a solution. After paying $1,000 for the monitor they want you to be able to drop another $1000 on and external TB hard drive solution.
You mean three monitors. It can do two ( internal + external). And no that would be the vast majority of the other $1,000+ laptops with just one display connector on them can't run three.
Does anybody knows if you are able to use three thunderbolt monitor in chain?
Something like this setup: MBP 2011//TB Display//TB Display//TB Hard Drive//Cinema display...
Something like this setup: MBP 2011//TB Display//TB Display//TB Hard Drive//Cinema display...
Apple fixed the document (it was there yesterday). Likely, someone assumed the "edu" version had TB since it came out later, but it was trimmed to cut costs. Usually, Apple doesn't regress in features. I also think the previous version mixed up the issue of 1 versus 2 TB ports on the iMac. It doesn't matter which port the TB display is hooked to the max is 2. It is not the physical port that is the limiter. It is the internal controller and GPU that is the limiter. You can't tell from physical clues on the outside. You have to read the specs for the device.
There are at most only 2 DisplayPort data streams being fed into the controller. You can't run more monitors than there are data streams. The max is two. Some controllers just have one input and they are cheaper/smaller.
[ The name is changed to "mid 2011" iMac So I suspect there will be conspiracy folks who think another is coming. I doubt it. Too short a cycle. More likely just a very sloppy release process for the KB article. Really sloppy. Each one should be reviewed for accuracy before release. ]
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First, a technical brief is not a specification. Typically it is a distilled version of the spec so that most people can understand it.
There is a chance this is entirely in line with the specifications. It may be the case that putting a TB controller into a mode that takes DP and PCI-e data off the stream stops it from being able to operate in legacy mode. ( it is a peripheral based controller that is doing both but it is not a host. ) .
Or it could be a quirk of the current Intel controllers. They were only tested with displays at the end of the chain and with "displayless" peripherals between host and displays. Likewise Apple fixated on testing with just their new monitors and didn't think about legacy.
There is off chance too that Apple is trying to make the displays "idiot proof". By turning off the legacy DisplayPort ability in the controller they are stopping people from plugging in the TB Display into a DP computer and then calling Apple to complain that the USB/webcam/Firewire/Ethernet don't work. Same reason why the TB display doesn't work with the mDP Macs can also nuke any mDP device downstream too. In a toss up between specs and blowing money on support costs... I would suspect Apple will save their own money first. Note that being able to turn it off, may also be buried deep in the specs and not make some technical briefing.
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No they did not do exactly that.
The miniDisplayPort (mDP) display is plugged into the external TB drive; not the TB monitor.
I suspect it makes a significant difference. What they are probably trying to stop if people using the TB Display in legacy contexts ( to a display only computer). If the Promise Pegasus drive picks up the DisplayPort (DP) data traffic and routes it to the TB Display, then it will get routed along to the host computer. It is clear that it is not meant for the TB Display and the TB Display does not have to mess locally with DP legacy mode.
There are two huge user failure modes potentially with the TB Display.
1. The users treats it like a normal DP display and plug it into something not TB. The ports don't work but they call , complain, moan , whine about the ports not working.
Making it so that system doesn't work in that context solves that problem 100%. It won't turn on so at least some users should catch a clue they are doing something wrong.
2. Users tries to treat two DP connectors like they would on any other mainstream monitors. That means you can hook the monitor to TWO different computers. Normally that what that means. Millons of people have done this. Well that is not allowed for a TB network. It is like USB. There can only be ONE computer. Perhaps several smart peripherals but just one host computer with the highest level PCI-e switch and the GPU.
So the likely failure in the document is that it does not make clear the "work around" for the problem. You must buy another, non-display, TB device in order to hook up you DP monitor. It tries to do that by stating you should hook up the TB Display first and then add TB devices after the TB display. But it doesn't state what that "buys you".
When did I ask for people to feel bad for me? All I said was that Apple fanboys just stand by Apple for ANY decisions they make, this being one of them. I'll say it again... Apple could have made this more clear 3 months ago but they didn't. That's ultimately why I'm pissed off.
I was reading this too, now we know you can daisy chain another monitor as long as you put something in between, then certainly it must be Apple placing this limitation on the display. Hopefully someone will make an adapter that mimics a thunderbolt device so we can run two monitors without a RAID in between.
For the most part this has left me wondering why this limitation exists. It seems so moronic that I actually do not know what to say. And that does not happen often.
Right because it's apple decision that the Intel HD3000 only supports two display of which the internal is one, granted i wonder why the MBP13 wich also uses the HD3000 can do it by shutting down the internal display (maybe faster graphics...)
You coud still buy a USB video card from the likes of displaylink
Like I said previously. Just give us a damn Thunderbolt hub that we can do whatever with! Pleeeeaaase
i ordered a pegasus R4 which is in shipment at the moment. i plan to hook up a projector through a long VGA or DVI cable through an adapter after the R4, and had to do some digging to check how that would work out, prior to ordering. this is wht i found:
http://alexking.org/?p=6063
on a note to others, who don't have a TB hooked up in between, there are the doube- and triplehead2go:
http://is.gd/WQUBXm
http://alexking.org/?p=6063
on a note to others, who don't have a TB hooked up in between, there are the doube- and triplehead2go:
http://is.gd/WQUBXm
i'm also wondering what the reason for this would be. if it's done deliberately by apple, it's a big shame. if it's due to bugs in the TB or DP controllers or firmware, it's really scary. i'm actually hoping for the first, no wonder..
i'm anything but a fanboy/girl and it was my post that you responded quite vehemently to. My point was simply that you shouldn't assume something should work, particularly when the marketing material doesn't indicate that it does. At best, it wasn't clear if 2 external displays would work (though IMO it was quite clear that Apple advertised it only for the 15" and 17" Pro), so you should have asked. You came on this board accusing Apple of misleading advertising and saying how they sold you something useless and you had to cancel your order for 2 Thunderbolt displays because you couldn't hook up two of them at a time to your MacBook Air.
Well, I just ordered myself an ATD for my mid-2011 MacBook Air 13 for $899.94 from Apple.com; I love my family discount. 