Using A PowerBook G4 With External Monitor

[marcbkk]

Hello All - My friend has a PowerBook G4 and he wants to connect it with an external 20" Apple Cinema display. His friend told him it was not possible to connect it, but I am not certain if this information is correct. He asked me to help advise him on this, but unfortunately I don't know enough about Apple hardware to give him the information he is looking for. I am wondering if anyone happens to know the answer on this. Many thanks... Marc...

 

[swiftaw]

It depends on which Powerbook G4 it is, but the later revisions had a DVI out, for which to connect to external monitors.

 

[Wotan31]

What is the model of the Cinema Display? What is the model of Powerbook G4?

I have a late Powerbook G4 which has a DVI video output so it will work with nearly every recent monitor out there.

 

[marcbkk]

Thank you both for your quick replies. Following are the specs he sent me:

Machine Name: PowerBook G4 12"
Machine Model: PowerBook6,4
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (1.1)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.33 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 768 MB
Bus Speed: 167 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.8.3f1
Serial Number: UV423056PLX

I think he said the machine is abotu 3 years old.

The monitor is a standard 20" cinema display with a DVI connection, purchased about 3 years ago as well.

I belive though the monitor can also be run via a VGA port using the DVI to VGA adapter plug which comes with the monitor.

 

[benthewraith]

Thank you both for your quick replies. Following are the specs he sent me:

Machine Name: PowerBook G4 12"
Machine Model: PowerBook6,4
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (1.1)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.33 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 768 MB
Bus Speed: 167 MHz
Boot ROM Version: 4.8.3f1
Serial Number: UV423056PLX

I think he said the machine is abotu 3 years old.

The monitor is a standard 20" cinema display with a DVI connection, purchased about 3 years ago as well.

I belive though the monitor can also be run via a VGA port using the DVI to VGA adapter plug which comes with the monitor.

Pretty sure it would.

 

[Cameront9]

Wait, this is a G4 12". I may be wrong, but I believe they require a mini DVI-->DVI adaptor. One should have been in the Powerbook's box when he got the machine. If you don't have one you can get one from Apple.

 

[notjustjay]

Yup, I used to have a 12" and used it on a Dell 20" LCD all the time. You do need to have an adaptor dongle to convert from the mini-DVI to DVI (or VGA, or s-video... there's an adaptor for each).

The very first revision 12" used a mini-VGA and not DVI, but the concept is the same.

Mini-DVI adaptors can be bought at the Apple stores or Best Buy, etc.

 

[lastshadow]

Powerbook G4 and external monitor issue

I have a 27" Samsung monitor that I use with my PC. I use the HDMI cable for that, and there is a VGA port. So I got a male-male vga cable and plugged that into the Powerbook G4, using the dvi-vga dongle that came with the unit. Nothing comes up on the screen. The mnitor's remote control allows you to switch between TV, hdmi (other PC) and PC (vga). I tested the cable with a UMPC and another laptop I have and it works fine. Since that is the only external monitor port on the mac, I'm not sure if it is the dongle or the powerbook. Also, I can't get the F7 key with the multiple monitor icon on it to do anything, nor does detecting displays show the external monitor.

Added: I tried the dvi-hdmi adapter, and that works fine, so it isn't the powerbook - the detect displays shows up, with all the resolutions, etc. I am assuming it is the div-vga dongle. let me know if this sounds right.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.