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Help using iMac 27" as PS3 monitor

F

felixen

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 13, 2009
884
113
I have the iMac 27" model that came out just before they implemented Thunderbold. I also have a Thunderbold-HDMI cable that fits perfectly fine into the display port on the back of the iMac, so I have connected the PS3 this way.

Right now I am having no luck, but I hope I just need to switch display or something on the Mac settings.. Or do I HAVE TO buy Apple's own cable for this to work (which does not sound unlikely at all..!).

Hope you can help.


Thanks
 
The port on the iMac is not MiniDisplay-In, it is MiniDisplay-Out. (Thunderbolt and MiniDisplay use identical cables/connectors).

To use your iMac as a PS3 display you will need to find a Tuner and capture card. They can be cheap but if you want HD be prepared to pay top dollar.

I'd recommend the Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle. It costs 200$ but it very well worth it. It has both HDMI, Component, S-Video, and Analog A/V In and Out so you can use your iMac as a TV for almost anything, as well as record your videos.
 
chrf097 said:
The port on the iMac is not MiniDisplay-In, it is MiniDisplay-Out. (Thunderbolt and MiniDisplay use identical cables/connectors).

To use your iMac as a PS3 display you will need to find a Tuner and capture card. They can be cheap but if you want HD be prepared to pay top dollar.

I'd recommend the Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle. It costs 200$ but it very well worth it. It has both HDMI, Component, S-Video, and Analog A/V In and Out so you can use your iMac as a TV for almost anything, as well as record your videos.
Click to expand...

Does this work for 2011 thunderbolt iMacs?
 
Also make sure that whatever you get is HDCP compliment, or you'll be wasting your money if you want to hook up the PS3.
 
Swift Sketcher said:
Does this work for 2011 thunderbolt iMacs?
Click to expand...

Yes, it is compatible with the new 2011 Thunderbolt iMacs.

If your computer has a Thunderbolt port, i'd reccomend getting the Intensity Extreme, simply because it connects via Thunderbolt so it transfers a lot faster. Otherwise get the Shuttle
 
With Target Display mode, you can use your iMac (27-inch, Mid 2010) or iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) with Mac OS X as an external display. Connect any computer or other device with a Mini DisplayPort to your 27-inch iMac using a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable or using a converter that converts other electrical, video, and audio protocols from another source device to Mini DisplayPort compliant signals. (Cables and converters available separately.)
Click to expand...


http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3924
 
This is horrible. So in order to play in HD I need to buy a $200 thing?
 
Honestly, you'd be better off just spending the money on a cheap 1920x1080 24" or 27" monitor and enjoying it, without being tethered to the iMac.
 
I use the kanex xd to connect my ps3 with my 2010 27inch imac, it only allows 720p but that doesn't bother me much.
 
If you have a Late 2009 27" iMac, you can use ANY DisplayPort compliant device (Blu-ray, GPU, etc) to drive the monitor.

I have a Digital Storm Enix with a GTX 590 connected to my iMac. Works perfectly. The iMac functions normally when the PC is powered off and works as my PC Monitor when I turn the Enix on.

The only card I have heard having issues with this is the AMD 5XXX series.

EVERY device that uses DisplayPort is HDCP compliant. It's part of the spec.
 
chrf097 said:
Yes, it is compatible with the new 2011 Thunderbolt iMacs.

If your computer has a Thunderbolt port, i'd reccomend getting the Intensity Extreme, simply because it connects via Thunderbolt so it transfers a lot faster. Otherwise get the Shuttle
Click to expand...

The Intensity Extreme is still not on the market (preordered one online at BHphotovideo for a job and it is still backorder and can't find any other place that sells it yet). As for the Intensity Shuttle, it will mostly not work on an iMac because there's no usb3 port. It might work with a Mac Pro with a usb3 card but I'm not sure, and in that case it is out of what we want to use it for.
 
Isotom said:
The Intensity Extreme is still not on the market (preordered one online at BHphotovideo for a job and it is still backorder and can't find any other place that sells it yet). As for the Intensity Shuttle, it will mostly not work on an iMac because there's no usb3 port. It might work with a Mac Pro with a usb3 card but I'm not sure, and in that case it is out of what we want to use it for.
Click to expand...

You don't need a USB 3.0 port. It downgrades to USB 2.0 when in a USB 2.0 port.
 
You need a Kanex XD - I used to have my Xbox 360 hooked up to my 27"er.

Here's a video demo of how it worked.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
chrf097 said:
You don't need a USB 3.0 port. It downgrades to USB 2.0 when in a USB 2.0 port.
Click to expand...

http://www.blackmagic-design.com/ca/products/intensity/techspecs/

It doesn't even state that it is compatible with mac...

and here some more links about the subject... read more before saying that things works when they are not supposed to.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1204552/

http://www.kenstone.net/discussions/read.php?3,37075,37130

http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/327725-Blackmagic-Intensity-Shuttle-use-with-Laptop

Basically, usb2 does not have enough bandwidth for it to work. Even usb3 adapters does not all works.

And about the Kanex XD it should work for the iMac 27" the OP have since it pre-thunderbolt, but what about the thunderbolt > HDMI cable the OP is talking about? Does it even exist? It is probably just a MDP > HDMI adapter?

Kanex company has nothing yet on the market that is Thunderbolt compatible for video input.

http://www.kanexlive.com/forums/sho...rking-with-late-2011-27-quot-imac?thunderbolt

http://www.kanexlive.com/forums/showthread.php/215-kanex-xd-and-new-imac-thunderbolt?thunderbolt

you can search for thunderbolt on Kanex forum if you want to have a day of rant reading ;P
 
Last edited:
Isotom said:
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/ca/products/intensity/techspecs/

It doesn't even state that it is compatible with mac...

and here some more links about the subject... read more before saying that things works when they are not supposed to.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1204552/

http://www.kenstone.net/discussions/read.php?3,37075,37130

http://forum.videohelp.com/threads/327725-Blackmagic-Intensity-Shuttle-use-with-Laptop

Basically, usb2 does not have enough bandwidth for it to work. Even usb3 adapters does not all works.
Click to expand...

Uncle has it running on a USB 2.0 machine, so I don't know why it didn't work?

EDIT: Contacted him just now. He was on USB 3.0. Nevermind.
 
chrf097 said:
Uncle has it running on a USB 2.0 machine, so I don't know why it didn't work?

EDIT: Contacted him just now. He was on USB 3.0. Nevermind.
Click to expand...

I was about to ask if he was using it for SD or HD... SD capture options are available in usb2, so it could have worked only for standard resolution input.

By any chance do you have your uncle's computer specs? Is it a mac?
 
Isotom said:
I was about to ask if he was using it for SD or HD... SD capture options are available in usb2, so it could have worked only for standard resolution input.

By any chance do you have your uncle's computer specs? Is it a mac?
Click to expand...

Some Dell or HP? It's a Windows 7 machine, but since you can run Windows 7 on Mac via boot camp or even run Windows apps via VMware, I didn't see the issue if it worked with 2.0 in HD, but I forgot not everyone has Windows 7 access.
 
chrf097 said:
Yes, it is compatible with the new 2011 Thunderbolt iMacs.

If your computer has a Thunderbolt port, i'd reccomend getting the Intensity Extreme, simply because it connects via Thunderbolt so it transfers a lot faster. Otherwise get the Shuttle
Click to expand...

The Kanex XD compatibility chart does not show 2011 imac as compatible.
 
MatthewAMEL said:
If you have a Late 2009 27" iMac, you can use ANY DisplayPort compliant device (Blu-ray, GPU, etc) to drive the monitor.

I have a Digital Storm Enix with a GTX 590 connected to my iMac. Works perfectly. The iMac functions normally when the PC is powered off and works as my PC Monitor when I turn the Enix on.

The only card I have heard having issues with this is the AMD 5XXX series.

EVERY device that uses DisplayPort is HDCP compliant. It's part of the spec.
Click to expand...

Hey Matthew,
Thanks for this insight! Planning on ordering the iMac on Jan 1. Were you using the Moshi Mini DP to HDMI to connect it? Love to know which adapter you were using.
 
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