Possible to connect 2011 Air to 2009 iMac?

[RealEvil]

Hi,

My 11" MB Air Ultimate -)) is winging its way to me on a slow boat from China. In the meantime I have just realised that I probably cannot connect it to my 2009 iMac that has the MDP input.

Do I have any options? Can I get a Thunderbolt MDP to Dual DVI cable and then connect that to a Dual DVI -> MDP cable (if they exist)? I want the full native iMac resolution and not 1080 resolution (I actually have a HDMI to MDP converter box for my XBOX 360 but that liimts to 720p).

Thanks

 

[luvTN]

These would work if your iMac has MDP input. Plug in, turn on your iMac and press Command + F2 on your iMac to put it in display mode.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10246&cs_id=1024602

 

[RealEvil]

Hi,

Are you sure about this? I *think* I read that the new Thunderbolt machines can only plug into a Thunderbolt enabled MDP port. I mightbe wrong, and I hope you are right.

 

[szolr]

I believe you can use a mini display port to dvi adapter. http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MB570Z/A If you look through the questions and answers section there's a pretty clear post stating that "Thunderbolt is fully backwards compatible with Mini Display products". So this cable will work with Thunderbolt Macs.

But I don't think a Thunderbolt cable will work with a non Thunderbolt Mac.

 

[mutsaers-vr.nl]

I got the last 4:3 imac version in 2009 and unfortunately you can not use them as monitor for your MBA (there is just no input). This is only possible with the 16:9 iMAC's.

Hi,

My 11" MB Air Ultimate -)) is winging its way to me on a slow boat from China. In the meantime I have just realised that I probably cannot connect it to my 2009 iMac that has the MDP input.

Do I have any options? Can I get a Thunderbolt MDP to Dual DVI cable and then connect that to a Dual DVI -> MDP cable (if they exist)? I want the full native iMac resolution and not 1080 resolution (I actually have a HDMI to MDP converter box for my XBOX 360 but that liimts to 720p).

Thanks

 

[luvTN]

Hi,

Are you sure about this? I *think* I read that the new Thunderbolt machines can only plug into a Thunderbolt enabled MDP port. I mightbe wrong, and I hope you are right.

Honestly I lost my cable so I can't try it out right now but it's very likely to work. I think only when you have the new iMac (which is thunderbolt-ready), you need a thunderbolt cable (think output vs input).

It's only a few bucks anw.

 

[DrDoug]

Hi,

My 11" MB Air Ultimate -)) is winging its way to me on a slow boat from China. In the meantime I have just realised that I probably cannot connect it to my 2009 iMac that has the MDP input.

Do I have any options? Can I get a Thunderbolt MDP to Dual DVI cable and then connect that to a Dual DVI -> MDP cable (if they exist)? I want the full native iMac resolution and not 1080 resolution (I actually have a HDMI to MDP converter box for my XBOX 360 but that liimts to 720p).

Thanks

What did you do in the end. Did you get the two working together?

thanks

 

[gentlefury]

Why do people call it ultimate? I've never seen that on the apple website as an option, but I constantly see people referring to their MBA as ultimate....it sounds so Microsoft and I don't like it.

 

[fyrefly]

This post at Apple forums seems to indicate that it's possible:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3206261?start=0&tstart=0

Going from Thunderbolt 2011 MBA to Mini-Displayport 2010 (2009 should work too) 27" iMac.