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Can I use older Apple monitor with MacBook Pro?

I have a 27" Apple Monitor that I purchased in 2010 that I would like to use with my new MacBook Pro.


What adaptors do I need to make this work?


See photos below.



Posted on Jul 8, 2021 4:28 PM

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Jul 9, 2021 8:17 AM in response to kaz-k

The way in which the monitor was originally plugged in to the PowerMac Tower was using 2 of the 3 plugs from the bundled cord coming out of the back of the monitor. I think one is audio and the other, video.


I used adapters to plug into the laptop (see photo) but the monitor is not firing up. (Yes, the power cord is plugged in!)


I thought perhaps I might be doing something wrong ... ?


Jul 13, 2021 9:19 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Well, after much trial and tribulation, I got a Tobenone hub to connect my 27" Apple monitor with my new Mac

Book Pro.


The only glitch (at least, I think it must be a glitch), is that the monitor shows my background image, but not mounted disks or file folders on the desktop. It doesn't have a dock or a menu! It's basically just a huge frame for an digital photo!


NOW - when I move my bluetooth mouse, suddenly the cursor jumps from the laptop to the 27" monitor!


When I open system prefs, the window shows up on the 27" monitor rather than the laptop display!


This seems very whacky to me ... I'm sure that this is not how it's supposed to work. Thoughts?



Jul 13, 2021 9:34 AM in response to KatieOConnell

That is working as designed.


This "arrangement" pane from Displays preferences shows how it is working. The external display is concatenated along an edge (which you can change top bottom left right) for a huge "Extended Desktop". The cursor moves freely across the boundary between displays, and can drag a window partway or all the way to the other display.



The large blue rectangles are Icons, proportional to display resolutions, that can be dragged to to allow repositioning. The menubar is also an icon that can be dragged to a different display.


--------

The 'other way' of using displaysis called "Displays have separate spaces". It is an offshoot and generalization of the concept of having separate spaces you can use in Mission Control. It just pushes the separate spaces one more level to assign a space to a display, and each can be separate.

Jul 9, 2021 9:13 AM in response to kaz-k

The Apple ThunderBolt-3 <-> ThunderBolt-2 adapter works ONLY for genuine ThunderBolt displays, and NO others are possible.


Lacking a ThunderBolt symbol on the input cable, that appears to be a Mini DisplayPort input. Apple does not make the correct adapter for it, but third parties do.


It would be sold as a USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter.


You need not connect the USB-A input unless you want a brightness slider on the Mac (you can use the brightness buttons on the display) or if you want to use the USB-A Hub on the display.


The MagSafe is not required, and can not charge a newer USB-C MacBook Pro.


what Model-year MacBook Pro?



Jul 9, 2021 9:40 AM in response to KatieOConnell

The original picture you posted shows symbols on each of the display input cables (except the MagSafe, whose distinctive shape tells you what kind it is).


A Thunderbolt Display features a ThunderBolt symbol on the input.

Your shows a Mini DisplayPort input symbol, sort of like this:

|[_]|


The Apple ThunderBolt-3 <-> ThunderBolt-2 adapter (which you appear to be using in a later picture) has a ThunderBolt on it. That adapter supports ONLY Genuine ThunderBolt displays. No other types of displays can possibly work through that adapter.

Can I use older Apple monitor with MacBook Pro?

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