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Connect Macbook Pro to Old Apple Monitor

A

Armymacuser

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 28, 2004
6
0
Hello,

My old apple monitor (grey plastic one - pre cinema) will not connect to my macbook pro 17in. I know that the mac has a DVI connector - i thought the monitor did too. The plugs don't quite fit!

Anyone have any help on an adapter that I can buy?

Thanks a lot!
 
Armymacuser said:
Hello,

My old apple monitor (grey plastic one - pre cinema) will not connect to my macbook pro 17in. I know that the mac has a DVI connector - i thought the monitor did too. The plugs don't quite fit!

Anyone have any help on an adapter that I can buy?

Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...

Is it one of the translucent LCD displays?
CDA4229Cinema_Display1.jpg

Looks like this?

You'll need a fairly expensive DVI -> ADC converter.
Apple DVI -> ADC adapter.
 
Armymacuser said:
Hello,

My old apple monitor (grey plastic one - pre cinema) will not connect to my macbook pro 17in. I know that the mac has a DVI connector - i thought the monitor did too. The plugs don't quite fit!

Anyone have any help on an adapter that I can buy?

Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...

OR do you mean the CRT based Apple displays? If so, you need a DVI to VGA adapter (I think). :)
 
dmw007 said:
OR do you mean the CRT based Apple displays? If so, you need a DVI to VGA adapter (I think). :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, what he said.

If it's the LCD, do what I say. If it's the CRT, do what dmw007 says.
 
Armymacuser said:
Hello,

My old apple monitor (grey plastic one - pre cinema) will not connect to my macbook pro 17in. I know that the mac has a DVI connector - i thought the monitor did too. The plugs don't quite fit!

Anyone have any help on an adapter that I can buy?

Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...
I connect my trusty old Apple Studio Display 17" LCD to my MacBook's mini DVI connector via first an Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter and then an Apple DVI to ADC Display Adapter. Works without any issues, apart from it being a tangly mess of wires...
 
He siad it was pre-cinema, so it must have been a CRT monitor. In your MBP box was a DVI to VGA adapter, use that one.
 
Yeah, unfortunately if you need to use the monitor with the machine you have to shell out another $99 bucks for an adapter, you'd think because apple was the one to create and then get rid of the standard it would be less expensive but....
 
Josias said:
He siad it was pre-cinema, so it must have been a CRT monitor. In your MBP box was a DVI to VGA adapter, use that one.
Click to expand...
According to Wikipedia, the first Studio LCD was introduced a year and a half before the first Cinema model, so doesn't have to be a CRT.
Still, it should be easy enough for the original poster to tell whether it's a flat-panel display or not. Armymacuser, could you give us a little more details on your monitor?
 
Yes, remember that all of the non-widescreen LCDs were all called Studio Displays.

And on top of that, don't forget that there were actually one CRT that used the ADC connector--the graphite Studio Display. The Blue one used VGA.

Regardless, since the poster said it didn't "quite" fit, I'll bet it's an ADC connector. Which needs the expensive adapter that supplies power.

It's unfortunate that they're so expensive, but you're basically buying a moderately expensive DC power supply for the monitor on top of the adapter, so the price isn't that surprising.
 
Don't forget that the clear grey CRT monitor with the ADC cannot take the ADC to DVI adaptor!
 
Well. you all answered my question very quickly and accuratley! Thanks a lot.

It seems as though I need the $99 adapter. :(

Oh well.....

Thanks a lot again!

p.s. Yes, it is the LCD version.
 
Makosuke said:
Yes, remember that all of the non-widescreen LCDs were all called Studio Displays.
Click to expand...

yup, my old 15" studio display was the newest LCD from apple when i got my 733 digital audio.... wasnt it intro'd with the cube?

they later released the 17" version, then came the fatty 22"
 
Armymacuser said:
Well. you all answered my question very quickly and accuratley! Thanks a lot.

It seems as though I need the $99 adapter. :(

Oh well.....

Thanks a lot again!

p.s. Yes, it is the LCD version.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that you need the more expensive adapter. :( At that price ($99) I think that I would consider buying a new LCD that uses a DVI or even a VGA port. :eek: :)
 
AGoglanian said:
I was at compusa the other day, and they had a belkin ADC to DVI adapter.
It was $60 which is a bit cheaper than $99 :)

I would presume it would work the same?
Click to expand...
No, that one seems to be for connecting DVI monitors to ADC computers. USD 60 seems a bit steep for a connector going that way (it has no pricey power supply in it, for instance). ISTR paying a lot less for mine, I think it was about USD 15 or so.
 
dmw007 said:
Sorry to hear that you need the more expensive adapter. :( At that price ($99) I think that I would consider buying a new LCD that uses a DVI or even a VGA port. :eek: :)
Click to expand...
I wouldn't really. The problem with LCD monitors is that there are a lot of crappy models out there. Some of the LCDs I've had to use at work have been bad enough that I wised I had kept the aging CRTs they replaced.
The Studio Display LCD OTOH is not one of those. My 17" is the best display I've every used. I never really considered the option of not paying the USD 100 it cost me to be able to keep using it. Yes, it's expensive - but it's worth it.
 
AGoglanian said:
I was at compusa the other day, and they had a belkin ADC to DVI adapter.
It was $60 which is a bit cheaper than $99 :)

I would presume it would work the same?
Click to expand...
No. ADC to DVI means plugging a DVI monitor (as in newer Apple displays or most non-Apple LCDs) into an older Apple video card with ADC output. All it really does is change the shape of the connector.

A DVI to ADC adapter (note the order) is a whole different beast, since it needs to supply power to the monitor. It is for connecting older ADC apple montiors (the ones with no power supply--they need to get juice from the computer) to non-ADC video cards (meaning anything new Apple sells or any Apple laptop). They're expensive.

And that price at CompUSA is a TOTAL ripoff; OWC sells the exact same item for $35:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/BELKIN/F2E9142WHT/

...and Newegg has it for $30:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16812116204

Or you can buy one that does the same thing (they don't say if it's Belkin or not, but I think it is) for $30 from the Apple Store itself (no link, because they expire, but a search for ADC DVI will show it near the top of the results).

I bought one from Apple, and it works perfectly for (initially) connecting my DVI Apple display to the ADC output on my G5, and then later for connecting a ViewSonic panel to my dad's old G4 tower.
 
Conecting my old monitor

i have an old apple studio display 17" (not lcd) and i want to connect it to my macbook, im going to order a Mini dvi to dvi adapter and an Apple dvi to adc is this the right thing to do and will my graphics card cope with it?
 
Magnus Reftel said:
I wouldn't really. The problem with LCD monitors is that there are a lot of crappy models out there. Some of the LCDs I've had to use at work have been bad enough that I wised I had kept the aging CRTs they replaced.
Click to expand...

New $100 LCDs are indeed pretty shoddy, but there are some used displays that are inexpensive and good.

At one point (2006-2007) Dell was selling monitors made with the same panels as the cinema displays. I bought a 20" for $200 off Craigslist a year ago, and after proper calibration and cranking up the gamma it matches my 20" ACD perfectly. (Plus it has 4 USB ports and an S-Video input that allows it to be used as a TV.)

By now the price should have dropped further, and I'm sure you could get a 17" for under $100. The trick is to track down one that uses an S-IPS panel (they used three different panel types for the same models at different times, so you have to ask the seller to check the firmware), then you're golden.
 
Si mac man said:
i have an old apple studio display 17" (not lcd) and i want to connect it to my macbook, im going to order a Mini dvi to dvi adapter and an Apple dvi to adc is this the right thing to do and will my graphics card cope with it?
Click to expand...

It would work, but why would you spend $150 on a bunch of adapters?
 
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