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ilex1

Q: Female Mini Display Port Adapter - Connect Monitor to Non Mini Display Port

Anyone know of a Female Mini Display Port Adapter, so I can connect the 24 LED Cinema Display to a computer that has DVI connector? Or hook the monitor up to a KVM, so I can use the monitor with multiple computers?
I know Apple doesn't make these, but does a third party?
Monoline appears to be coming out with adapters to hook a mini display port computer to DVI and HDMI, but not a mini display port monitor to DVI or HDMI.

15" Unibody Intel MacBook Pro, iPhone 3G 16 gb, iPod Classic 160 gb, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Mar 24, 2009 4:33 PM

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Q: Female Mini Display Port Adapter - Connect Monitor to Non Mini Display Port

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  • by BSteely,

    BSteely BSteely Mar 24, 2009 10:48 PM in response to ilex1
    Level 5 (7,635 points)
    Mar 24, 2009 10:48 PM in response to ilex1
    A DVI port can't output DisplayPort protocol, so there is no reason for a DVI to female mDP connector to exist.
  • by Victor Savastano,

    Victor Savastano Victor Savastano Mar 29, 2009 9:47 PM in response to BSteely
    Level 1 (140 points)
    Mar 29, 2009 9:47 PM in response to BSteely
    BSteely wrote:
    A DVI port can't output DisplayPort protocol, so there is no reason for a DVI to female mDP connector to exist.



    That just simply is not true. 'mini display port' is just a smaller version of display port, which is a slightly different version of HMDI. HDMI, display port, mini display port AND DVI are all capable of being 'converted' from one to another. The ONLY thing that you would LOSE in a DVI to display port conversion is an audio signal. I'm pretty sure the new cinema display passes the audio through USB anyway (I could be wrong).

    The point is they are all interchangeable, signal wise. But why should Apple make a cheap DVI to female display port when they can make more money on overpriced graphics card upgrades?
  • by Malcolm Rayfield,

    Malcolm Rayfield Malcolm Rayfield Mar 30, 2009 1:31 AM in response to Victor Savastano
    Level 7 (28,085 points)
    Mar 30, 2009 1:31 AM in response to Victor Savastano
    'Mini Display port' is just a smaller version of display port, which is a slightly different version of HMDI.

    No. You may be thinking of Mini DVI. Mini DisplayPort is a smaller verion of DisplayPort, which is different from DVI and HDMI.
    <http://www.displayport.org/white-papers/whitepapers/DPTech_OverviewEnglish.pdf>
    HDMI, display port, mini display port AND DVI are all capable of being 'converted' from one to another.

    It is easy to make a Mini DisplayPort (card) to DVI (display) adapter because a DisplayPort card can be set to generate DVI signals. (Dual-link DVI is a bit more complicated since the adapter must sepatate the clock and data.). A DVI card cannot generate DisplayPort signals, so an adapter for a DisplayPort display with a DVI card would be a lot more complicated.
    The ONLY thing that you would LOSE in a DVI to display port conversion is an audio signal.

    HDMI is DVI video plus digital audio. DisplayPort does not use DVI video.
    The point is they are all interchangeable, signal wise.

    No. A DisplayPort card can generate DVI signals when a DuisplayPort to DVI adapter is detected, but a DVI cards cannot generate DiusolayPort signals.
    But why should Apple make a cheap DVI to female display port when they can make more money on overpriced graphics card upgrades?

    They can't make a cheap adapter, but they could have added a DVI port to the display.
  • by Yes It Is,

    Yes It Is Yes It Is Mar 30, 2009 7:51 AM in response to ilex1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 30, 2009 7:51 AM in response to ilex1
    Hi at all, is it simple to plug an play a monitor to my laptop.

    Until yesterday: I think yes, no problem. Today: What did Apple do ?

    I have:

    Macbook with Mini-DVI port

    Cinema Display with Micro-DVI cable

    Can anybody explain me what can I do ?

    Thank´s a lot.
  • by BSteely,

    BSteely BSteely Mar 31, 2009 6:34 PM in response to Yes It Is
    Level 5 (7,635 points)
    Mar 31, 2009 6:34 PM in response to Yes It Is
    If you have an older MacBook with the Mini DVI port and the new Apple 24" Cinema Display with the Mini DisplayPort input, there is no solution except to return the monitor for your money back from Apple. They are not compatible products and there is currently no way to make them work together, not even from a third-party adapter of any kind.
  • by gomezjul,

    gomezjul gomezjul Apr 6, 2009 3:53 PM in response to BSteely
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 6, 2009 3:53 PM in response to BSteely
    And what about a mini display port female to hdmi?
    As my girlfriend has a pc laptop with hdmi output, i would like to buy a the apple monitor to use it with my macbook but also with the pc laptop...is there any chance to have this kind of adaptator?
  • by Malcolm Rayfield,

    Malcolm Rayfield Malcolm Rayfield Apr 6, 2009 6:49 PM in response to gomezjul
    Level 7 (28,085 points)
    Apr 6, 2009 6:49 PM in response to gomezjul
    And what about a mini display port female to hdmi?
    As my girlfriend has a pc laptop with hdmi output, i would like to buy a the apple monitor to use it with my macbook but also with the pc laptop...is there any chance to have this kind of adaptator?

    HDMI uses the save video signals as DVI, so there is currently no adapter.
  • by BSteely,

    BSteely BSteely Apr 7, 2009 7:31 AM in response to gomezjul
    Level 5 (7,635 points)
    Apr 7, 2009 7:31 AM in response to gomezjul
    There is a way to go from DisplayPort to DVI/HDMI because it is a part of the DisplayPort standard. However, there is no way to go from DVI to DisplayPort natively because doing so has never been part of the DVI standard so all the graphics chipsets in existence cannot perform such a translation.

    There may someday be an external box that does a translation like that. But figure on it being large and expensive, sort of like the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-link DVI Adapter. Something large and expensive like that. But currently nobody makes one. And I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to happen.
  • by aurawindsurfing,

    aurawindsurfing aurawindsurfing May 1, 2009 8:34 AM in response to BSteely
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 1, 2009 8:34 AM in response to BSteely
    I found the same problem, and similar no solution. Have to wait for the box or buy 30' that has DVI connection.
  • by Gene on MAC,

    Gene on MAC Gene on MAC May 26, 2009 9:50 AM in response to ilex1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 26, 2009 9:50 AM in response to ilex1
    Greetings!
    There is a chance (not confirmed as yet) that Circuit Assembly (http://estore.circuitassembly.com) is working on building a cable adaptor for the mini DisplayPort (female). Possible for it to be available late June? Still waiting for confirmation, but they acknowledged that one is "in the works".
    Suggest everyone contact them with interest - might spur them on to get it more quickly.
  • by BSteely,

    BSteely BSteely May 26, 2009 10:08 PM in response to Gene on MAC
    Level 5 (7,635 points)
    May 26, 2009 10:08 PM in response to Gene on MAC
    +here is a chance (not confirmed as yet) that Circuit Assembly (http://estore.circuitassembly.com) is working on building a cable adaptor for the mini DisplayPort (female).+

    And adapting it to what? Full-sized DisplayPort? I guess that would make the 24" ACD useable by some WIndows PC users.
  • by ninepoundjammer,

    ninepoundjammer ninepoundjammer May 29, 2009 10:23 AM in response to ilex1
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 29, 2009 10:23 AM in response to ilex1
    Another dissatisfied customer. I'm in the same boat. My wife would've dropped $899 on the new 24" cinema display if her mini-DVI equipped macbook would drive it. It's absolutely insane that Apple still sells that macbook yet doesn't offer any displays that it can drive other than the 30". Why not continue to carry the old DVI-equipped 20"/23" cinema displays or put a DVI port on the new display?

    On top of that, why isn't every Apple store employee clearly knowledgeable about the situation? We actually bought the thing figuring we could find an adapter, went out to the parking lot and used google on our phone to discover the folly in our reasoning and had to go right back in to return it.

    We actually found a 20" display on close-out at a Best Buy in the area which will work for us, but this whole ordeal was just ridiculous. Every other customer-screwing Apple move I've encontered to date was vaguely justifiable. This one just isn't.
  • by Gene on MAC,

    Gene on MAC Gene on MAC May 29, 2009 10:35 AM in response to BSteely
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 29, 2009 10:35 AM in response to BSteely
    Can't speak to full sized display port. I know they're working on DVI, and as long as they have the molds, etc. for the mini-Display port I can't imagine they wouldn't attempt to (eventually) cover the waterfront of options. Suggest you check their web site and get in touch. They've been very open and responsive.
  • by Gene on MAC,

    Gene on MAC Gene on MAC May 29, 2009 10:40 AM in response to ninepoundjammer
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 29, 2009 10:40 AM in response to ninepoundjammer
    It's a shame you can't hold out for Circuit Assembly to get it done. Spoke to them again this AM and their representative is already on the way to China to work on fabrication. Their molds for a female mini-display port are due in late June with cables hoped for by mid-July. Sounds good - again, as long as you can hold out. This is the first time I've run into an Apple Attitude issue. Only switched over to the MAC side about 27 months ago - but I'll never go back.
    Good luck!
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