Q: Hello ~ I bought a G4 Hello ~ I bought a G4 Power Mac & had used it with a standard monitor. Somebody gave me a M8536 23" Cinema Display. I think they should be compatible. My G4 seems to be missing what I think is called an ADC connection.

That might be cheaper than a DVI->ADC converter...

Power Mac G4: Display Compatibility...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1825

Should I just buy a video card with an ADC connection?

Only if your G4 is any other than the Yikes (PCI) or the AGP Sawtooth.

Neither the Yikes nor the Sawtooth are ADC capable.

The graphite color (blue-gray) case towers are the confusing ones.

The light gray (silver) Quicksilver and the Mirror Drive Door (MDD) are easy due to their distinctive cases.

The System Profiler can tell you what G4 it is.

CPU and bus speed are a couple of clues.

Use this article to ID the machine:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3082

If your machine is a Gigabit Ethernet or later, it can use an ADC equipped card.

The Mac Radeon 9000 Pro is the best, commonly available  choice for any ADC G4.

Mark,

I think you're confused. If your Mac has a CPU speed or config. that is either a dual 500 MHz Mac or has a CPU speed greater than 500 MHz, your Mac should be able to take an AGP graphics card that uses Apple's ADC connector.

AGP refers to the type of Graphics processor card needed in a Mac. The term stands for Accelerated Graphics Processor.

The ADC connector that was extremely prevalent in later model PowerMac G4's and G5's refers to a connector type developed and used by Apple called Apple Display Connector. AGP cards for PowerMac G4's and G5's were of the 2x, 4X or 8X accelerated variety. Many of these Macs had connectors to graphics cards that had ADC connections or both ADC and DVI connections. Upgrade video cards from ATI or NVidia had both ADC and DVI connection ports.

Any PowerMac that had CPU speeds greater than 500 MHz, used AGP graphic slots and cards with ADC ports.

It would help us if we all knew what your G4 Mac type is. If you click on About this Mac, in the top Apple menu, this should tell you the CPU speed and memory in your Mac. If you click on the More Info button in the pop-up window, this should also tell you the type and speed of your graphics engine in the Mac.

The DVI to ADC adapter will allow use of the monitor via DVI, BUT, not with the Rage 128 that shipped in a Sawtooth.

That graphics card doesn't support the 23" displays resolution.

To use the 23" monitor with the Sawtooth will require a different graphics card.

A Radeon 9700 or 9800 Pro the best graphics card upgrades for the Sawtooth.

Now, there are two possible 400 MHz machines. One, the Sawtooth, doesn't have ADC capability.

Another 400 MHz machine was the Gigabit Ethernet.

These machines DO support ADC and typically shipped with a Rage 128 Pro with ADC.

Mark,

Simply, if your OEM Mac graphics card doesn't have an ADC connection and only DVI, then you have the model that came with card that has both VGA and DVI connections. NO ADC connection.

You will need to follow JapanMac's sage advice and locate one of the cards he recommended as well as purchase an ADC to DVI adapter.

The Adapter can be found at most Apple stores or Apple resellers.

The adapter is not that expensive.

The newer video upgrade card maybe harder and more expensive to find due to the age of your "new" Mac.

Good Luck!

Here's a link with images to help you.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3082

Hi Mark,

I didn't check your link on your original post. Sorry.

There is one other model that is a 400 MHz model that will accept cards with an ADC connection port.

That's the Gigabit Ethernet model.

You do not have this model Mac.

The table in the link we both have show you what video connections the and locations for those on the back panel.

Clearly, your PowerMac doesn't have an ADC connector for the card that is already installed.

So, you can conclude that you have the AGP sawtooth model that only uses VGA or DVI connection.

You can give me your PowerMac's model number to be sure.

It's located on the back panel somewhere near all of the connections.

That'll clinch, for sure, which model you do have.

You will have to purchase an ADC to DVI adapter when you decide which card to update to per JapanMac's suggestion.

The adapter doesn't affect video performance.

Just allows for a connection change at the computer.

This is about as straightforward as this gets.

The absence of an ADC connection port means you have a Mac with a VGA and/or DVI connection instead.

An adapter will be needed to use the 23 inch monitor you have with the card you have installed now or any future video card upgrade.

You need to use video cards that have both ADC and DVI connections (some Mac cards come with VGA, ADC and DVI connections) and you'll need to use the DVI connection using an ADC to DVI adapter.