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Nvidia GT120 and Apple Cinema Display

nanohits

nanohits

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 13, 2009
174
33
Adelaide, Australia
Hey all,

I just replaced my 2010 Mac PRo when I had a dead Radeon card with an Nvidia GT120. After install I connected the Display cable of the Cinema display to the Mac Pro using the mini display port. I got no video at all. Its not the display as when I connect it back to my 2013 Mac Pro it fires right up.
The 2010 Mac Pro I can hear the startup sound but just dont get any display.

Any ideas?

Thanks
 
nanohits said:
Its an Apple GT120 card
[doublepost=1479113482][/doublepost]I have also ordered just a DVI to Mini port cable just in case.
Click to expand...

Then, is it the Thunderbolt Display? Or Cinema Display? They look alike, however, Thunderbolt Diaplay only works with the 2013 Mac Pro, but not the 2010 Mac Pro regardless which graphic card you have.
 
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h9826790 said:
Then, is it the Thunderbolt Display? Or Cinema Display? They looks alike, however, Thunderbolt Diaplay only works with the 2013 Mac Pro, but not the 2010 Mac Pro regardless which graphic card you have.
Click to expand...

Maybe you are right it is the thunderbolt display. Does it mean it wont work even I have ordered the DVI to mini display cable? Worse choice I will connect it to my Macbook Pro
 
nanohits said:
Maybe you are right it is the thunderbolt display. Does it mean it wont work even I have ordered the DVI to mini display cable? Worse choice I will connect it to my Macbook Pro
Click to expand...

Connect it to a MacBook Pro with a thunderbolt port, if it works then you can check what version it is in the display preferences.

Thunderbolt displays wont work with non-thunderbolt ports :(
 
AkuskaUK said:
Connect it to a MacBook Pro with a thunderbolt port, if it works then you can check what version it is in the display preferences.

Thunderbolt displays wont work with non-thunderbolt ports :(
Click to expand...

Ill just wait for the cables as I dont have a thunderbolt to MDP cable. Just have the cable that goes from the thunderbolt display.
 
nanohits said:
Maybe you are right it is the thunderbolt display. Does it mean it wont work even I have ordered the DVI to mini display cable? Worse choice I will connect it to my Macbook Pro
Click to expand...

gsmarena_003.jpg


If it's a Thunderbolt Display, it won't work with the GT120 no matter which adaptor you have.
 
nanohits said:
Mine is definitely a A1407 = 27" Thunderbolt Display

Its ok Ill try it with my macbook Pro when I get the cables
Click to expand...

There's no way a Thunderbolt display will work with the GT120, or any other graphics card for that matter in a Mac Pro. The GT120 uses a Mini Display port, no matter what cable you buy you won't get a signal on a Thunderbolt display.

The 2013 Mac Pro has Thunderbolt, which is why the display works on that model. The classic Mac Pro does not have Thunderbolt and therefor will never work with that display, no matter what cables your order.

Apple said:
Thunderbolt Display compatibility.
Thunderbolt-enabled Macs, including the current generations of MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac are fully compatible with the Apple Thunderbolt Display. Customers with Macs that only support Mini DisplayPort output, such as the Mac Pro and MacBook, as well as previous generations of MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, and iMac can use the 27-inch LED Cinema Display.
Click to expand...
 
BillyBobBongo said:
There's no way a Thunderbolt display will work with the GT120, or any other graphics card for that matter in a Mac Pro. The GT120 uses a Mini Display port, no matter what cable you buy you won't get a signal on a Thunderbolt display.
Click to expand...

Well the Macbook pro is not a thunderbolt display now is it?? I have given up hope on the thunderbolt display , now my only hope is the Macbook Pro laptop
 
nanohits said:
Well the Macbook pro is not a thunderbolt display now is it?? I have given up hope on the thunderbolt display , now my only hope is the Macbook Pro laptop
Click to expand...
Wait, are you trying to use you Macbook Pro as a display for your classic Mac Pro? My understanding is that only the iMac was ever able to be used in 'Target Display Mode'.
 
nanohits said:
Yes I should be able to use this as the 2nd display. I hope that works.
Click to expand...
That is not a feature of the MacBook Pro- you cannot use the MacBook Pro as a display for another computer. You can use your Thunderbolt display with the MacBook Pro without any extra cables but you cannot use it with a 2010 Mac Pro, regardless of what cables you have.
 
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I have used my Macpro for
BillyBobBongo said:
Indeed. You can access the Mac Pro via 'Screen Sharing' from your MacBook Pro, to ensure that it's all working.
Click to expand...

Thats great to hear. All I want to do with the Mac Pro is to reinstall the OS new install and need ot have some display for it. So how will this screenshare work?
 
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Thanks for the replies and as posted by your experts you are right, that cable didnt do jack **** for me.

Ok now IM thinking of buying a 2nd hand VGA monitor. If I use a VGA to DVI cable will that work on a Mac pro? Its an LG older monitor.

Update: Got this cheap $15 monitor and it works perfectly. I should have done this in the first place.
 
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