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Q: What Adapter do I need to connect a Mac Mini to a 23 inch HD Cinema Display Model 8536

What Adapter do I need to connect a Mac Mini to a 23 inh HD Cinema Display Model M8536

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Feb 27, 2012 3:46 PM

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Q: What Adapter do I need to connect a Mac Mini to a 23 inch HD Cinema Display Model 8536

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  • by donsparks@mac.com,

    donsparks@mac.com donsparks@mac.com Feb 27, 2012 3:58 PM in response to donsparks@mac.com
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 27, 2012 3:58 PM in response to donsparks@mac.com

    I bought a Mac Mini from the local apple store with the understanding that my HD Cinema Display

    Model 8536 would work with it.  They sold me the wrong pig tail 25 pin to HDMI connector. My

    cable on the Monitor has a 35 pin DVI connector on it ???  I'm not sure if the 2 DVI connectors

    are compatible and if there is a adapter between the 2 that will work.

  • by X423424X,

    X423424X X423424X Feb 27, 2012 9:54 PM in response to donsparks@mac.com
    Level 6 (14,237 points)
    Feb 27, 2012 9:54 PM in response to donsparks@mac.com

    So I don't have to search for the info please supply the kind of video port on tne mac mini (mini displayport, thunderbolt, dvi, whatever). 

     

    Assuming the mini has thunderbolt or mini displayport you would need a mini displayport to (single link) dvi adapter (since you say the 23" monitor uses dvi).

     

    Mini DisplayPort | Thunderbolt to DVI Adapter

     

    Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

     

    If the mini uses a standard DVI connector then just plug the monitor directly in.

  • by donsparks@mac.com,

    donsparks@mac.com donsparks@mac.com Feb 27, 2012 10:58 PM in response to X423424X
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 27, 2012 10:58 PM in response to X423424X

    I have two display ports I can use on the mac mini,  thunderbolt or HDMI.  The attached cable on the

    HD cinema display model M8536  is a ADC male connector. I went back to the Apple Store to find if

    thy had a adapter cable or pig tail cable to sove my problem,  they did not have a solution, they suggested

    I give Frys Electronics a try..  that failed , no adapter there .. then I tried Radio Shack.. it was a busy day

    driving around the country side lookng for a adapter pig tail to fix my problem. I guess my Cinema Display

    has reached its end of life  along with my Power Mac G4 mirrored face computer. I would guess its time to

    go for a new display to go with my new Mini.

  • by X423424X,

    X423424X X423424X Feb 27, 2012 11:15 PM in response to donsparks@mac.com
    Level 6 (14,237 points)
    Feb 27, 2012 11:15 PM in response to donsparks@mac.com

    I have two display ports I can use on the mac mini,  thunderbolt or HDMI.  The attached cable on the

    HD cinema display model M8536  is a ADC male connector.

     

    Ugh, ADC.  This topic has come up before and it is problematic whether you can get it working.

     

    The only adapter you have a chance of using is the,

     

    Apple M8661LL/B DVI to ADC Display Adapter

     

    Using this thing means you still need to convert the DVI to your thunderbolt connection (forget HDMI, no way).  So you need to convert the TB (basically mini-displayport) to DVI with an adapter (the ones I linked to in my previous post) and then connect that DVI to the ADC adapter.

     

    Assuming the gender of the connections are all correct (if not you need gender changers, i.e., couplers) then you essentially have the following:

     

    mac mini --> mDP-to-DVI adapter --> DVI-to-ADC adapter --> ADC monitor

     

    Sounds fine on paper.  But what makes this a crap shoot is chained adapters.  As I said someone had a thread somewhere on the apple discussions with basically this configurations and it didn't work.  My theory is that chaining adapters is the problem.

  • by donsparks@mac.com,Solvedanswer

    donsparks@mac.com donsparks@mac.com Feb 28, 2012 8:28 AM in response to X423424X
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 28, 2012 8:28 AM in response to X423424X

    Thank You for the insight   I had thought about using the M8661LLB adapter but I thought there must

    be an easier way to acomplish this..  Then I thought about the years I have had my Cinema Display and

    that it was already obsolete, pretty yes, expensive yes, but I would guess the best thing to do would be to

    let it go and buy a new thunderbolt cinema display instead of a bunch of cables and adapters tied to a new

    fast Mac Mini . I have a 3 year old Grand Daughter who walks aound carrying and using an iPad who

    showed me some things on my iPhone that I didn't know was on there. Maybe its time for me to get out of

    the past and embrace the future a little more.  Thank You fo your help.

  • by 60wpm,

    60wpm 60wpm Feb 29, 2012 3:38 PM in response to donsparks@mac.com
    Level 1 (135 points)
    Apple Music
    Feb 29, 2012 3:38 PM in response to donsparks@mac.com

    Since I have a Mac mini and and Apple Cinema Display --- which is still WONDERFULLY CRISP, after all these years --- I'd thought I give a quick answer.

     

    The Apple site says: "DVI output using HDMI to DVI Adapter (included)" -- so I was surprise why you needed anything extra.

     

    But X423424X indicated other adapters that might be useful -- and perhaps give a better signal.

     

    Um...but it seems you posted a piece of whistful sentiment and then indicated that as the SOLUTION; you solved your own question !?

     

    Well...keep that up grandpa and you'll be an Apple Expert in no time.

     

    P.S. - Kids (and others) who grow up with a technology will always be more intuitive with it, but it can be learned -- and it's okay, now very 'normal normal,' to learn from either old or young, imo.