You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
Dear community,
I would like to connect an Apple Cinema Display (with DVI output) to a Mac Studio M2. An adapter DVI to Thunderbolt 4 doesn't seem to exist. Will any DVI to USB-C adapter work?
Thanks!
BEFORE those simpler and cheaper direct Mini-DisplayPort devices were created, this was about the only way to run that 30-in Cinema Display from a Mac that did not have a Dual-Link DVI output. This was such a major breakthrough at the time, I saved the picture user Scottcycle posted:
(drag and drop on Preview to see larger.
There are NINE Apple displays that carry the name Cinema Display:
Cinema Display Original (22-Inch)
22-Inch (1600x1024)
22-Inch (1600x1024)
23-Inch (1920x1200)
20-Inch (1680x1050)
Cinema Display 20-Inch (Aluminum)
20-Inch (1680x1050)
Cinema Display 23-Inch (Aluminum)
23-Inch (1920x1200)
Cinema Display 30-Inch (Aluminum)
30-Inch (2560x1600)
24-Inch (1920x1200)
27-Inch (2560x1440)
when discussing DVI, the big difference is whether your display is up to 1920 wide, or WIDER than 1920 wide, which can not be handled by regular DVI, but requires special "Dual-Link DVI" adapters and cables.
if single-link DVI is all that is required, an adapter from HDMI is a "just wires" (cheap) adapter.
Since the data rates are more modest, there is no need for full-blown Thunderbolt interfaces, and USB-C will generally suffice.
sorry, yes
https://www.startech.com/en-gb/display-video-adapters/cdp2dvidp
Theirs was around US$50 through resellers last time I looked. Others were more.
The OLD way was to buy a USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter, then add a Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter (such as Apple brand, now long discontinued) to get the protocol required for that display.
I do not have a 30" Cinema Display handy to test.
The following USB-C to Dual-Link DVI adapter, say's that it supports the 30" Cinema Display.
https://www.cablecreation.com/products/usb-c-to-dual-link-dvi-active-adapter-conveter?
Others adapters that look somewhat promising,
https://www.startech.com/en-eu/display-video-adapters/cdp2dvidp
https://ezq.com/usb-c-to-dual-link-dvi-adapter.html
Whichever you decide to test, make sure that you can return for a refund if it does not work.
The Apple Mini DIsplayPort to dual-link DVI adapter cost $100 back in the days when Apple still carried it. Third-party alternatives cost anywhere from $50 to $200.
So $50 for an active adapter that goes straight from USB-C (DisplayPort) to dual-link DVI is not all that bad, if the adapter in question works.
There are only a very few that actually support Dual-Link DVI. StarLink knows what they are doing.
Many sellers have no Idea what they are selling, so shop with care.
the one you linked is very nice. However, it is NOT Dual-Link, so does not support resolutions over 1920 wide.
This is great, thanks Grant, I had no idea that would matter. So, mine is Cinema Display 30-Inch (Aluminum) and hence requires a Dual-Link DVI adapter. However it appears that not all Dual-Link DVI to USB-C adapters support 2560x1600 dpi. In fact I find but one, by startech. Very likely I am missing something here, or is it really that only one product for this probably no that uncommon requirement should exist?
Ok, interesting. I do have access to a DVI to Mini Display Port adapter, Model A1305. I found nothing on whether that supports 2560x1600 dpi, but even if it does—from what I read (in Amazon user reviews), not every USB-C to Mini Display Port adapter supports that kind of resolution. The product pages that I find give no indication on resolution. (I'm still looking into this as the Mini Display Port to USB-C adapter are far cheaper than the DVI to USB-C adapter.)
The Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-link DVI adapter A1305 has a chunky body resembling a MacBook Pro Power adapter, and a two-headed lead-in cord. One brings in the data over Mini DisplayPort, the other is a USB-A port, which MUST be powered, or the device can not to operate. You can power it with a USB-A port, or something else like an iPad charger.
It appears so. I even asked at apple store. They are clueless. Is there any you would recommend other than and over StarTech (or do you actually mean StarLink?)
Mine looks like this. Is that the one you mean?
Ok, this is really very helpful, thanks guys. After reading comments on Amazon, StarTech seems the best option. Thanks again!!
Connect ACD to Mac Studio M2 – DVI to USB-C Adapter?
