Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adaptor

[Thiol]

The adaptor required by the new laptops to drive a 30 inch monitor seems to be getting horrid reviews on the Apple Store site.

http://store.apple.com/us/reviews/MB571Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ

Also, a couple of support forum threads have popped up.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8680802
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=8674416

I'm opening this poll because I'm trying to figure out if this is a widespread problem or if the problems are just happening with a s small group of users. Could you guys with 30 inch monitors and a new laptop with Mini DisplayPort let me know how the hardware is working for you? Thanks!

 

[drichards]

The MDP is my least favorite part of my new MBP, but I didn't have much choice in the matter... and I gave up on external monitors for the moment anyway.

 

[Thiol]

Oops. I just realized that this may be better posted in the peripherals forum. Could a moderator please decide if this should stay here or go somewhere else?

 

[kastenbrust]

The adaptors work absolutely fine, with displays, projectors and other external display devices, the times they dont work and people complain is when people dont follow Apples guidance. You have to set the display of your computer to its maximum resolution when connecting it to external devices.

 

[azdude]

The adaptors work absolutely fine, with displays, projectors and other external display devices, the times they dont work and people complain is when people dont follow Apples guidance. You have to set the display of your computer to its maximum resolution when connecting it to external devices.

Wow... So completely untrue. Read around Apple Discussions --- many customers are having terrible video-corruption issues with the active Dual-Link adapter.

I have yet to receive mine -- ordered Nov 6th, and it's been showing "Shipping in 3-5 business days" for about 2 weeks now. Frankly, I hope it's delayed because they're making changes to the design. But I doubt it. They don't seem to be acknowledging the problem, at least publicly.

 

[kastenbrust]

Wow... So completely untrue. Read around Apple Discussions --- many customers are having terrible video-corruption issues with the active Dual-Link adapter.

i didnt say people wernt having that problem, i was reffering to the other more common problem of it not working with projectors.

 

[Thiol]

Wow... So completely untrue. Read around Apple Discussions --- many customers are having terrible video-corruption issues with the active Dual-Link adapter.

I have yet to receive mine -- ordered Nov 6th, and it's been showing "Shipping in 3-5 business days" for about 2 weeks now. Frankly, I hope it's delayed because they're making changes to the design. But I doubt it. They don't seem to be acknowledging the problem, at least publicly.

OK, here's the bottom line for me (and the purpose of this poll). I'm thinking of moving from a Mac Pro to a Macbook Pro because I now need some portability. But I use a 30 inch screen at work and would really like to keep that. Would you guys risk getting a new laptop with the reports of adaptor problems?

 

[hodgeheg]

OK, here's the bottom line for me (and the purpose of this poll). I'm thinking of moving from a Mac Pro to a Macbook Pro because I now need some portability. But I use a 30 inch screen at work and would really like to keep that. Would you guys risk getting a new laptop with the reports of adaptor problems?

What I'd personally do is go to an Apple Store, explain the issue and your doubts, buy a MacBook Pro having stated that you're not keeping it if it doesn't do a good job of driving the display, insist on trying it with one of the in store displays if possible (they're usually quite accommodating if you're polite) or if not try it back in your office. If it's no good, take it all back. 14(15?) day money back guarantee. Just don't drop it in the mean time! There doesn't have to be anything wrong with the laptop to return it, but basically it would not be fit for purpose if it can't drive the display you explicitly stated you were buying it to work with. Obviously this requires that you live somewhere with an Apple Store reasonably near by.

 

[fil3333]

hi,
can anyone explain me why the 'normal' mini displayport to dvi-d adapter (which is dual link) with a (standard) dvi-d (dual link) cable wont work with a 30" display? because what i know dvi-d is able to transport such high resolutions (appr. 2600x1600px).... whats the issue then?
thanks a lot

 

[JTPRO]

hi,
can anyone explain me why the 'normal' mini displayport to dvi-d adapter (which is dual link) with a (standard) dvi-d (dual link) cable wont work with a 30" display? because what i know dvi-d is able to transport such high resolutions (appr. 2600x1600px).... whats the issue then?
thanks a lot

"DVI-D" does not indicate "Dual Link DVI". DVI-D is used to reference DVI Digital. DVI-D comes in two different types, Single-Link, and Dual-Link. Single link can drive monitors up to 1920 x 1200 typical (24" monitor). Anything larger with a higher resolution such as the 30" Cinema Display requires a "Dual Link" DVI-D adapter allowing for a resolution of 2560 x 1600.

I recommend reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface for more information.

-JT

 

[fil3333]

"DVI-D" does not indicate "Dual Link DVI". DVI-D is used to reference DVI Digital. DVI-D comes in two different types, Single-Link, and Dual-Link. Single link can drive monitors up to 1920 x 1200 typical (24" monitor). Anything larger with a higher resolution such as the 30" Cinema Display requires a "Dual Link" DVI-D adapter allowing for a resolution of 2560 x 1600.

I recommend reading http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface for more information.

-JT

yeah but the standard mini displayport dvi adapter actually is dual link... what i know... at least i can see the pins

 

[fil3333]

ok now i know, another forum member 'thesvd' told me its the displayport that needs some extra energy to transport higher resolutions, a standard dvi-d to dvi-d (dual link) connection would do the job like i thought....

 

[Thiol]

I'm bumping as a way to check in with the new 17" MBP owners. Has anyone tried to connect a 30 inch monitor?

 

[TheSandman2236]

I'll put my 2 cents in...

Tried connecting my Unibody Macbook to my Dell 3007WFP-HC and in 2 mins. I get the video corruption. This is bullsht

 

[NickM]

My 2¢...

I have my brand new MacBook Pro hooked up via mini-display port to DVI adapter, then through a DVI to HDMI cable, into my Mitsubishi projector.
The image on my wall is about 110" diagonal and it looks absolutely stunning.

 

[Thiol]

My 2¢...

I have my brand new MacBook Pro hooked up via mini-display port to DVI adapter, then through a DVI to HDMI cable, into my Mitsubishi projector.
The image on my wall is about 110" diagonal and it looks absolutely stunning.

The problems are generally reported with a Dual-Link DVI adaptor, not a DVI adaptor.

 

[Adokimus]

My 2¢...

I have my brand new MacBook Pro hooked up via mini-display port to DVI adapter, then through a DVI to HDMI cable, into my Mitsubishi projector.
The image on my wall is about 110" diagonal and it looks absolutely stunning.

As noted above, the problems are with the Dual-Link DVI adapter, not a DVI adapter. Further, the size of the image on your wall is irrelevant. It's about the screen resolution, not the screen size, and most 30" computer monitors have a higher resolution than your 110" projection on a wall. The DVI adapter and HDMI cable have a max throughput of 1920x1200, no matter how big the "screen." People wanting/needing a higher resolution than that (a.k.a. 2560x1600) need the Dual-Link DVI adapter... and it's faulty.

 

[ThirteenXIII]

I'm bumping as a way to check in with the new 17" MBP owners. Has anyone tried to connect a 30 inch monitor?

have been using it on a 15" MBP and a 17" MBP both unibodies of course.

the 15" it intermittently flashes (the 30" ACD ) for a less than a second but doesnt cutout or lose signal, and thats the only problem ive really had with it yet.

the 17" seem sto be fine havent seen the intermittent flash/cutout etc but thats nto say there isnt a problem with it, but ill keep updated with it, since the cutout/intermittent flashes with the 15" didnt happen until a few days after using it for sometime.

 

[NickM]

As noted above, the problems are with the Dual-Link DVI adapter, not a DVI adapter. Further, the size of the image on your wall is irrelevant. It's about the screen resolution, not the screen size, and most 30" computer monitors have a higher resolution than your 110" projection on a wall. The DVI adapter and HDMI cable have a max throughput of 1920x1200, no matter how big the "screen." People wanting/needing a higher resolution than that (a.k.a. 2560x1600) need the Dual-Link DVI adapter... and it's faulty.

Thanks for the school lesson on resolutions and screen size... but it was totally unnecessary. I understand quite well what resolution is. I own a nice assortment of monitors, in all different sizes... and resolutions.
Furthermore, who the hell would actually do something on a projector that REQUIRES higher than 1900x1200 resolution? What do you think I do with my projector??
Just like resolution, size matters. I love my projector.

 

[spacepower7]

Thanks for the school lesson on resolutions and screen size... but it was totally unnecessary. I understand quite well what resolution is. I own a nice assortment of monitors, in all different sizes... and resolutions.
Furthermore, who the hell would actually do something on a projector that REQUIRES higher than 1900x1200 resolution? What do you think I do with my projector??
Just like resolution, size matters. I love my projector.

And who posts in threads without reading the subject and OP

This is about Dual-Link DVI, Mini-Display port and 30" Hi-res displays

NOT mini-display port, DVI, HDMI, and projectors.

 

[NickM]

And who posts in threads without reading the subject and OP

This is about Dual-Link DVI, Mini-Display port and 30" Hi-res displays

NOT mini-display port, DVI, HDMI, and projectors.

Ok, Chief.
Get off the high horse.
Don't worry, I wont respond again.

 

[Thylacine]

Video problem getting worse after 2 days...

I just bought a new 2.66Ghz 17" Unibody MBPro on Sunday and hooked it up to my 30" Apple Cinema Display with the Dual-Link DVI adapter. At first, it worked fine and I thought I got lucky, but after the first waking from sleep, I got the flickering green-red-blue pixel snow in the background. Now, after 2 days, it's gotten worse--and it's really distracting while I work. Here is a crappy picture:

I've tried unplugging/replugging the adapter, tried both graphics cards settings, detached all USB peripherals from the 30", but it doesn't solve the problem. I don't know if it's even worth exchanging the adapter or MBPro given how persistent these problems seem to be based on what I've read in various forums. I'm hoping there's a software fix in the works and it's not a hardware issue. I love Apple products and have been a customer for 15 years, but this is extremely frustrating.

 

[Thylacine]

Just spoke with Apple tech support...

They say the engineers are aware of the problem, and recommended that I wait for a software update to address this issue. He said I could try exchanging the adapter, but that it wouldn't necessarily solve the problem (I don't feel like it will, and they're in short supply here in NYC--maybe from a lot of exchanges?). Unfortch, he couldn't say how long we have to wait till that update comes out...

 

[azdude]

He said I could try exchanging the adapter, but that it wouldn't necessarily solve the problem.

It won't.

For me, the best temporary fix for the snow is to press CONTROL-SHIFT-EJECT to sleep the displays only (not the Mac itself!), then wake them back up. The whole process only takes a couple seconds (since the computer itself isn't going to sleep), and it's better than plugging/re-plugging the monitor since your windows stay in place.

 

[Thylacine]

It won't.
press CONTROL-SHIFT-EJECT to sleep the displays only (not the Mac itself!), then wake them back up.

Thanks azdude. I wish it worked for me though--I'm still getting the snow after trying this a couple of times...