Can you connect an ACD 30" to a Mac Studio?

[sparkie7]

No, you did the right thing. I totally forgot that Mac Studio has USB-A ports on the back. Forget I mentioned USB-C.

Anyhow, the point is I’ve noticed problems with brightness control when using some USB hubs (on my Intel systems), which didn’t occur when the ACD30’s USB was plugged directly into the Mac.

Not sure why it’s not working then?

I might try restarting and see if it makes a difference

 

[sparkie7]

I tried re-starting and no luck.

Also, I tried plugging in the USB cables into a 3x USB dongle and plugged into one of the 4x Thunderbolt 4 ports at the back. No luck either on controlling brightness.

The other issues I'm running up against is that when I put the displays to "sleep", they will not wake again afterwards. Unless I restart the machine, or if I pull out the USB cables connected to it from the 30 ACD's do they wake up again, very annoying, any way to fix this?

 

[EugW]

The other issues I'm running up against is that when I put the displays to "sleep", they will not wake again afterwards. Unless I restart the machine, or if I pull out the USB cables connected to it from the 30 ACD's do they wake up again, very annoying, any way to fix this?

Until you figure this out, a workaround may be to use the power button on the side of the ACD. Does that work?

 

[sparkie7]

Until you figure this out, a workaround may be to use the power button on the side of the ACD. Does that work?

Just tried it. Doesn't work. But thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to try a USB > USB-C adapter tomorrow

 

[Sharky II]

This is a known issue - it does not work and will not work with Monterey.

You have to use the 'Monitor Control' third party app to get access to the software controls: https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl

It doesn't work well with 2x Cinema Displays however (I don't think the developers have taken that into account/tested multiple monitors much), and the app doesn't launch sometimes when you boot.

The reality is that the ACD 30 does not play nice with the Studio, and is worse with 2 of them. I sold one of mine, and now am running with just a single ACD 30 and getting on just fine until I can afford to replace it.

 

[EugW]

This is a known issue - it does not work and will not work with Monterey.

You have to use the 'Monitor Control' third party app to get access to the software controls: https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl

It doesn't work well with 2x Cinema Displays however (I don't think the developers have taken that into account/tested multiple monitors much), and the app doesn't launch sometimes when you boot.

The reality is that the ACD 30 does not play nice with the Studio, and is worse with 2 of them. I sold one of mine, and now am running with just a single ACD 30 and getting on just fine until I can afford to replace it.

I have full 30” ACD monitor controls on Monterey, but on an Intel machine. Or are you talking specifically about Mac Studio?

 

[sparkie7]

This is a known issue - it does not work and will not work with Monterey.

You have to use the 'Monitor Control' third party app to get access to the software controls: https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl

It doesn't work well with 2x Cinema Displays however (I don't think the developers have taken that into account/tested multiple monitors much), and the app doesn't launch sometimes when you boot.

The reality is that the ACD 30 does not play nice with the Studio, and is worse with 2 of them. I sold one of mine, and now am running with just a single ACD 30 and getting on just fine until I can afford to replace it.

Thanks. I have downloaded MonitorControl and it works fine. I now have control of my primary 30" ACD (Cinema HD (1) via my wireless keyboard. Before that the brightness keys (F1 & F2 locations) did not work. To control my second display I use the Menu Bar app widget, which seems to work ok so far, controlling brightness via sliders.

Update: Just found I can control my 2nd display brightness via the keyboard when I have my mouse position over it. Very handy!

 

[sparkie7]

I have full 30” ACD monitor controls on Monterey, but on an Intel machine. Or are you talking specifically about Mac Studio?

I can second this. When I plug my 30" ACD into my MBP 15" Touch Bar Intel, everything works flawlessness, ie. the native brightness controls come up and wakes from sleep. No issues whatsoever (though have not hooked up a second 30" ACD to it)

I tried the USB > USB-C adapter on the Mac Studio and no luck. So what I am doing now as a work around to wake up the two displays from sleep is I have plugged both USB cables into a 3x USB hub and connected it to one of the front USB-C ports. So now I just have to pull out one cable, instead of two USB cables from the back on the machine. When I eventually plug in all three 30" ACD's I'll plug the third USB display cable into the USB hub as well, so I only have to pull one cable instead of three. It's not perfect, but to save multi-thousands $$$ on getting 2-3 new Apple displays I'm more than happy with this minor inconvenience if it means I get another 1-3 years use of these (still very good) cinema displays.

If anyone figures out how to get these to wake from sleep (eg, via a new display adapter or software) let me know. Thank you all for your help! It's much appreciated

 

[sparkie7]

This is a known issue - it does not work and will not work with Monterey.

You have to use the 'Monitor Control' third party app to get access to the software controls: https://github.com/MonitorControl/MonitorControl

It doesn't work well with 2x Cinema Displays however (I don't think the developers have taken that into account/tested multiple monitors much), and the app doesn't launch sometimes when you boot.

The reality is that the ACD 30 does not play nice with the Studio, and is worse with 2 of them. I sold one of mine, and now am running with just a single ACD 30 and getting on just fine until I can afford to replace it.

Which adapter are you using by the way?

 

[sparkie7]

To stop the screens going to sleep I put on Screensaver after 1 minute, and Turn display off after 15 mins under Energy Saver. That should mitigate the number of times I have to pull out the USB connections via the 3x USB hub I have connected

 

[Sharky II]

I tried a variety of adaptors, the only ones that worked were an old BENFEI mini DP to USB-C one that you can't seem to buy anymore (pictured - used with the Apple DVI to mDP adaptor) and in the UK there's this one which worked but I sent it back as I only use one monitor now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B085HH1LQW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It looks like a UK version of the Club3D one and isn't available any more...

I don't have any problems with the monitor going to sleep! I never sleep my computer, however.

 

[sparkie7]

I tried a variety of adaptors, the only ones that worked were an old BENFEI mini DP to USB-C one that you can't seem to buy anymore (pictured - used with the Apple DVI to mDP adaptor) and in the UK there's this one which worked but I sent it back as I only use one monitor now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B085HH1LQW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It looks like a UK version of the Club3D one and isn't available any more...

I don't have any problems with the monitor going to sleep! I never sleep my computer, however.

Do you leave your computer and display on all the time?

This is the adapter I'm using, 3 of them.....

USB 3.1 Type C to Mini DisplayPort Adapte

This adapter allows you to mirror your MacBook display to your Mini DisplayPort DP-enabled TV or display Portable Design: does not require a power adapter

www.allsmartlife.com

with three Apple "Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapters..

It must be software limitation, that the Mac Studio is not responding to mouse or keyboard clicks to wake up the screen as the USB cables are plugged directly into the Mac Studio

 

[macpro2000]

Connecting to the 30” was such a PITA. I had 5x30” setup with my trash can and it was so easy and just worked. With the Mac Studio it’s not so nice. Threw them all away and got 1 XDR and 3 ASD. I recommend this.

 

[sparkie7]

Connecting to the 30” was such a PITA. I had 5x30” setup with my trash can and it was so easy and just worked. With the Mac Studio it’s not so nice. Threw them all away and got 1 XDR and 3 ASD. I recommend this.

The question is why so difficult with the Mac Studio? This seems to be a USB connection limitation, and software, but not one that cannot be rectified by say a third party

Nice. You got a pic of your new setup?

 

[Sharky II]

Do you leave your computer and display on all the time?

This is the adapter I'm using, 3 of them.....

USB 3.1 Type C to Mini DisplayPort Adapte

This adapter allows you to mirror your MacBook display to your Mini DisplayPort DP-enabled TV or display Portable Design: does not require a power adapter

www.allsmartlife.com

with three Apple "Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapters..

It must be software limitation, that the Mac Studio is not responding to mouse or keyboard clicks to wake up the screen as the USB cables are plugged directly into the Mac Studio

I don't leave my computer on all the time - I just turn it on when I need to use it, and turn it off when I'm done.

If I go to make a cup of coffee, I sleep the screen by using a hot corner. I have no problems sleeping the screen, and the (old) screen uses way more power than the computer even when it's processing audio/video. At idle the Mac Studio is only using 10-20w of power, so as long as I can sleep the screen for a few minutes, that's fine.

It boots so fast that I don't worry about start up times, and sleep/waking from sleep with lots of USB devices (and previously PCIe cards) has caused me so many issues, I just avoid it. For me, sleeping is for laptops and casual use computers, but my Mac Studio is more of a 'workstation'.

 

[sparkie7]

I don't leave my computer on all the time - I just turn it on when I need to use it, and turn it off when I'm done.

If I go to make a cup of coffee, I sleep the screen by using a hot corner. I have no problems sleeping the screen, and the (old) screen uses way more power than the computer even when it's processing audio/video. At idle the Mac Studio is only using 10-20w of power, so as long as I can sleep the screen for a few minutes, that's fine.

It boots so fast that I don't worry about start up times, and sleep/waking from sleep with lots of USB devices (and previously PCIe cards) has caused me so many issues, I just avoid it. For me, sleeping is for laptops and casual use computers, but my Mac Studio is more of a 'workstation'.

Makes sense. In which case just leave your Mac Studio on all the time?

Under Energy Saver – I have selected "Prevent your Mac from Automatically sleeping when the display is off", so when my Display turns off after 10 minutes, the Mac Studio is still on. I think this solves, in a way, the issue of having to pull out the USB cable connections to turn the machine and displays back on from a full machine sleep/waking from sleep.

Essentially as the Mac Studio uses so little power you could just have them "on" all the time, like on an idle mode of sorts. Having the displays off or on sleep mode is the big one, as these old 30" displays do use a fair bit of power

 

[macpro2000]

The question is why so difficult with the Mac Studio? This seems to be a USB connection limitation, and software, but not one that cannot be rectified by say a third party

Nice. You got a pic of your new setup?

 

[MattA]

The brightness control was removed for the old ACDs. Someone wrote a small application that restores the functionality. It requires a little tweaking to get it working all the way, but it works.

GitHub - MonitorControl/MonitorControl: 🖥 Control your display's brightness & volume on your Mac as if it was a native Apple Display. Use Apple Keyboard keys or custom shortcuts. Shows the native macOS OSDs.

🖥 Control your display's brightness & volume on your Mac as if it was a native Apple Display. Use Apple Keyboard keys or custom shortcuts. Shows the native macOS OSDs. - MonitorControl/Moni...

github.com

I've installed this and use my 30" ACD daily - works perfectly.

 

[EugW]

The brightness control was removed for the old ACDs.

I have full native brightness control in Monterey using my Intel Mac mini with my 30" ACD. Other people have it working on other Apple Silicon Macs too.

 

[sparkie7]

Great setup. I work with a three display setup. Is a 4 display setup functional? I find anymore than three and it starts to become hard to keep track of windows etc are…

 

[sparkie7]

I have full native brightness control in Monterey using my Intel Mac mini with my 30" ACD. Other people have it working on other Apple Silicon Macs too.

I’m finding it’s dialled down to around half of the maximum brightness with my 30” ACDs on my Mac Studio on Monterey. Only way I can get max native brightness is if I increase via side buttons, but as soon as you change the brightness via software it snaps back to 50% max brightness

 

[Sharky II]

Let us not go around in circles - you have to use the Monitor Control app on an Apple Silicon computer!

 

[sparkie7]

Let us not go around in circles - you have to use the Monitor Control app on an Apple Silicon computer!

Um, yeah, I AM using the Monitor Control app, scroll up and see. It still reduces the brightness to about half

 

[Sharky II]

Set a custom Max Brightness value of 255 (under "Advanced" on the Display Tab, under preferences).

 

[MattA]

I have full native brightness control in Monterey using my Intel Mac mini with my 30" ACD. Other people have it working on other Apple Silicon Macs too.

Care to share how this was done?