MacBook Pro with Cinema Display

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Level 1

16 points

MacBook Pro with Cinema Display

I've been using my old MacBook Pro with an Apple Cinema Display (through an adapter). It worked fine, giving the Cinema Display a default resolution of 2500x1600. This summer I bought a new MacBook Pro and adapters to connect to the Cinema Display. I works ok, but using any of the methods to adjust the resolution of the Cinema Display does not give me the option of a 2500x1600 resolution. Even the Option-Click method for setting resolution. The highest it will give is 1280x800, which looks awful. How can I get the 2500x1600 resolution for the Cinema Display with my new MacBook Pro?

Posted on Dec 13, 2020 3:51 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Grant Bennet-Alder

Level 10

127,117 points

Dec 14, 2020 3:44 PM in response to DurangoDave

Perfect.

The fundamental problem is that DVI is complex, and there are two types. DVI splits at '1920 and under' wide, and over 1920 wide. Wider REQUIRES Dual Link DVI, and the adapter you bought supports only Single-Link DVI.

The 30-in Cinema Display is a Dual-Link DVI device.

But the Old adapter you have can still work for you.

It needs a MiniDisplayPort input, which you can provide with a USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter.

It needs either a USB-A for power, or an iPad charger for power on its USB-A input (or the screen stays dark).

the display's Firewire can stay disconnected.

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Answer 2

Dec 13, 2020 4:19 PM in response to DurangoDave

Please specify in excruciating detail exactly which adapters and cables you used that worked, and the ones that did NOT work.

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Answer 3

Dec 14, 2020 3:46 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

the difference between Single-link DVI and Dual Link DVI is the activation of three more color signals (six more pins in the center of the connector) to provide enough bandwidth to run displays wider than 1920 wide (medium blue in this diagram from Wikipedia):

(drag and drop on Preview to see larger)

.

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Answer 4

DurangoDave Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 14, 2020 1:18 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Ok sure. On my old 2010 MacBook Pro I had an Apple branded adapter that connects to the fixed input cable on the Cinema Display via two USB ports and the video port. The CD cable has USB, Firewire 400 and a large video connector (sorry I don't know the designation). The Firewire connection is not used. That one has been working fine.

When I bough the new MBP this summer, I got a Kanex Thunderbolt 3 to video adapter. It plugs directly into the MBP Thunderbolt port and into the CD video jack. I have another adapter with multiple ports that I use to connect the USB port. New MBP is running OS 10.15.7. Is that enough detail?

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Answer 5

DurangoDave Author

Level 1

16 points

Dec 15, 2020 10:44 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks so much. That tells me what I need to know. I would have had no clue even where to start looking. Thanks.

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MacBook Pro with Cinema Display

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