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I have a new MacBook Pro M1 Max. I'm trying to connect to my older 30" cinema display. I'm using the HDMI out via a HDMI to DVI adapter and a USB-C to USB adapter. The MacBook sees the display but the image is just yellow/green vertical bands that are sort of strobing. Do I need to get a USB-C to Display port adapter and use the AV adapter I used on my old MacBook pro?
MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 12.1
Dual Link DVI is required for displays wider than 1920 wide, such as the Apple Cinema 30-in display.
That third-party HDMI to DVI adapter is limited to Single-Link DVI output. [Dual-Link DVI require such a complex conversion that Apple had to invent the beast of an adapter you were using before, and it is not trivial.]
You could have a smaller picture for now if you dropped the resolution to 1920 wide or lower.
Yes, you need a Mini DisplayPort out from your computer, into the adapter you were using. The USB-A pigtail requires POWER to make it all go, but some users has used an iPad charger instead of a "live" USB-A cord from the computer.
There are also now several "do-everything" adapters available: USB-C to Dual-Link DVI in one adapter -- from the usual suspects: StarTech, CableCreations, Club-3D.
Dual Link DVI is required for displays wider than 1920 wide, such as the Apple Cinema 30-in display.
That third-party HDMI to DVI adapter is limited to Single-Link DVI output. [Dual-Link DVI require such a complex conversion that Apple had to invent the beast of an adapter you were using before, and it is not trivial.]
You could have a smaller picture for now if you dropped the resolution to 1920 wide or lower.
Yes, you need a Mini DisplayPort out from your computer, into the adapter you were using. The USB-A pigtail requires POWER to make it all go, but some users has used an iPad charger instead of a "live" USB-A cord from the computer.
There are also now several "do-everything" adapters available: USB-C to Dual-Link DVI in one adapter -- from the usual suspects: StarTech, CableCreations, Club-3D.
Hello bhorowitz,
We understand you are experiencing some display problems while connecting an external display to your M1 Max MacBook Pro. We're happy to offer some information that may prove helpful.
You can connect up to 4 displays to your Mac using the HDMI and Thunderbolt-4 ports per Connect a display to your Mac. To help identify the proper adapters that may be necessary, use our guide Adapters for the Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, or USB-C port on your Mac to accurately identify which connections both the Mac and the display use to search for an appropriate adapter. Please note that 30" Cinema displays are considered obsolete per Obtaining service for your Apple product after an expired warranty so hardware support or adapters may only be available via third parties or Authorized Service Providers.
Cheers!
Thank you. I got a USB-C to mini display port adapter. Using my old Dual-link DVI adapter from the 30" display, I plugged into the mini-display port and a USB-C to USB-A adapter. Nothing but a black screen. The computer sees the monitor, but nothing displays. Unfortunately, during one of my attempts to get the monitor working via HDMI, I changed the main screen display to the external monitor. Now, whenever I plug the 30" display in, I have no access to Display options because they are on the screen that is non working.
I have ordered a USB-C to Dual-Link DVI adapter, We will see if that works when it arrives.
to get back your display, disconnect the external At the Computer end, and Restart your Mac.
OR use Command-BrightnessDown to toggle [√} Mirror Displays
Or use Safe mode. Safe Mode does a number of different things. Hold shift at startup, but have your userid and password at the ready.
A parade of unusual things happens.
• Your Mac loads just enough of the kernel to do a disk check. Then it proceeds to do a disk check. This can take an extra about five minutes.
• your userid and password are required, even if you normally auto-login. So have them handy.
• Your Mac adds ONLY a minimal set of Apple-Only extensions, Not including graphics acceleration extensions. Screen updates will therefore be wonky and slow, and the screen may re-draw multiple times, but it ultimately should be accurate.
• Your Mac assumes defaults for as many settings as possible. This is the key for re-setting the screen, but there is a little more to it: Resolution is likely to be lower and settings ordinary. Use this as a starting point to customize settings to your liking.
Any changes you make in Safe Mode will "stick" in regular mode after you restart.
• after restart in normal mode, your Mac will take slightly longer to start up [once] because it rebuilds some system caches.
"Works in Safe mode, fails in regular mode" implies "It's something you added".
Well, sure, if I disconnect the external monitor, I get my MacBook monitor back. When the monitor is connected, the MacBook sees the monitor. If I move my cursor over there and click on a dock item, then disconnect the monitor, the opened app is visible on my laptop screen. I have tried the USB-A connector plugged into the MacBook via an adaptor as well as plugged into AC. If I could change the main screen back to my laptop, at least I could play with resolutions etc. on the external.
How do I do Command-BrightnessDown to toggle mirror displays. I can't access the Display preferences for the external when it is plugged in.
OK. Toggled the mirror function and can see my laptop screen with the external plugged in. Even though it shows my laptop screen as the main, if I turn off mirroring the external, that I have no picture on, becomes the main. I plugged the mini display connector into my 2015 MacBook pro and the external displays with no problem.
Do you think I will have better luck with the USB-C to Dual-Link DVI?
Use the Arrangement pane to drag the menubar icon to the built-in. then you can change resolutions and fiddle with the external display resolution and details without distraction.
resolutions 1920 wide and below are a simpler conversion than resolutions above 1920 wide.
But 'nothing at all on the display' sounds like a power to the adapter problem. That USB connection for data is not a requirement, but it MUST supply default 5 Volt power.
The experiment is made more difficult by the Mac sending a query to the display, and requiring a response back from the display BEFORE it will light up the display. if no response, it does NOT send data anyway.
This query is only sent at certain times:
• at startup
• at wake from sleep — so momentarily sleeping and waking your Mac may work
• at insertion of the Mac-end of the display-cable, provided everything on that cable is ready-to-go
• on invoking Option-(Detect Display) button in Displays preferences (from another display)
FYI. I finally got my external display working correctly. The problem was a funky USB-C to Mini Display Port adapter. I now have it working using either aUSB-C Mini-Display Port with my existing Cinema Display dual-DVI cable or a recently purchased USB-C Dual-DVI adapter. Both work equally well.
One thing I discovered...either will work correctly when plugged directly to the USB-C port on my computer, but neither will work if plugged to the USB-C port on a USB-C hub. Guess it only likes one adapter in line.
Also, please note that the procedure for starting in Safe mode is different for the new M1 Max Macs. You need to hold down the start button until the choose startup screen, then option to get the prompt to start in safe mode.
One other thing I noticed is that the detect display button does nothing, as it used to show screen numbers on the displays.
Thanks for all your help in resolving my display issues.
If you do not adequately provide POWER on the USB-A port on the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter, you get no picture.
It does not matter what display is active. the first time you press Command-BrightnessDown it will change the settings so that the two displays become the SAME picture.
Well, I've tried using a USB-C to USB-A adapter from my MacBook as well as plugging the USB-A directly to AC using an iPhone or iPad AC charger. I'll play around with it again.
I am glad your hard work finally got it working!
Macbook Pro M1Max to 30" cinema display
