can you chain a non thunderbolt display off a thunderbo0lt display?

[Acorn]

I thought I read somewhere that chaining non thunderbolt displays off a thunderbolt display is not possible without a device like a thunderbolt hard drive in between.. Is this still true or an i mixed up.

 

[waw74]

thunderbolt displays have a thunderbolt out port.
they do not have a Mini DisplayPort out.

even though they look the same, they are not.
Macs have a combination port.

if you look at the adapters in the apple store, they say "Mini DisplayPort to whatever" not thunderbolt.

 

[stiligFox]

Well, it looks like it depends on your set up:
MacRumors on Daisy Chaining

 

[Acorn]

it looks like i wont be able to use a 11 inch air the way i wanted. looks like im going to have to have a mac mini and run the 1600x1200 off the hdmi and the thunderbolt display off the thunderbolt port. would have been cooler with the 11 inch air but oh well.

 

[SDAVE]

it looks like i wont be able to use a 11 inch air the way i wanted. looks like im going to have to have a mac mini and run the 1600x1200 off the hdmi and the thunderbolt display off the thunderbolt port. would have been cooler with the 11 inch air but oh well.

Or get an rMBP with dual TB ports and run 3 monitors + RMB
(2x TB, 1x HDMI)

 

[ray648]

You can do this, but you need some other thunderbolt device in-between the two displays. so macbook air -> thunderbolt display -> other thunderbolt device (external drive etc) -> non thunderbolt display.

 

[theSeb]

I thought I read somewhere that chaining non thunderbolt displays off a thunderbolt display is not possible without a device like a thunderbolt hard drive in between.. Is this still true or an i mixed up.

This is true. The cheapest way is to use to Lacie Thunderbolt eSATA hub in between.

 

[harrisonw1998]

It depends. If the non-thunderbolt device is at the end, yes. For example, this could be a setup. (--- is a cable)


Computer--Thunderbolt Display---(cinema's mini-display port in thunderbolt out)----Cinema Display

 

[theSeb]

It depends. If the non-thunderbolt device is at the end, yes. For example, this could be a setup. (--- is a cable)


Computer--Thunderbolt Display---(cinema's mini-display port in thunderbolt out)----Cinema Display

You cannot connect a display directly to a thunderbolt display.

 

[eron]

I thought I read somewhere that chaining non thunderbolt displays off a thunderbolt display is not possible without a device like a thunderbolt hard drive in between.. Is this still true or an i mixed up.

You are right.

 

[harrisonw1998]

You cannot connect a display directly to a thunderbolt display.

Yes, you can. There is a Thunderbolt out in the rear of the thunderbolt display, you can attach another display there, like a Cinema Display, but you can't daisy chain beyond the Cinema Display.

 

[theSeb]

Yes, you can. There is a Thunderbolt out in the rear of the thunderbolt display, you can attach another display there, like a Cinema Display, but you can't daisy chain beyond the Cinema Display.

Unfortunately that does not work. You can read Anandtech's review of the thunderbolt display for the details why. You have to put in another thunderbolt device into the chain after the ATD.

 

[Outrigger]

Yes, you can. There is a Thunderbolt out in the rear of the thunderbolt display, you can attach another display there, like a Cinema Display, but you can't daisy chain beyond the Cinema Display.

This does not work. You CANNOT hook the cinema display or any other non thunderbolt displays to a thunderbolt display. Like others have said, you have to place a compatible thunderbolt peripheral in between the thunderbolt display and a non thunderbolt monitor.