Use iMac as external monitor for PC?

Question

Level 1

4 points

Use iMac as external monitor for PC?

Hi Community, my first ever question to you..

I'd like to use my beloved first 20" iMac (I keep for good old times sake) as a monitor to a PC. It appears it could work, but perhaps someone could confirm?

Some data on the iMac:

Model: iMac 7.1

Build: 10K549

Running: MacOS X 10.6.8

Serial number: W8***X86

It features a

with the symbol as per this screen shot.

I understand that a feature called Target Display Mode will have to be supported in this iMac for it to work.

(I think?) I will be looking to connect the HDMI port on the PC to the Mini Display Port on the iMac.

Great if someone wants to answer, but totally understand if this is a bit too much of old wine in new bottles....

On a personal note: I like to re-use this iMac for sustainability reasons.

Many thanks,

Hoge_Boom, Amsterdam Area, Netherlands

[Personal Information Edited by Moderator]

Posted on Feb 22, 2022 9:48 AM

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Answer 1

Allan Jones

Level 9

72,704 points

Feb 22, 2022 10:49 AM in response to Hoge_Boom

To add to Viking's excellent advice:

Users, not Apple, accidentally discovered that a limited number of 2009 and 2010 27-inch iMacs would work with some non-Apple products. Never a "sure thing."
Apple never intended, documented, nor supported this "happenstance."
That quirk of video hardware stopped when the 2011 models appeared. NOTHING newer even accidentally supported non-Apple devices through Target Display Mode.

The amount of misinformation on the web about Target Display Mode is mind-boggling. This Apple article has the true hardware and macOS requirements of the now-deprecated Target Display Mode:

Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Feb 22, 2022 10:35 AM in response to Hoge_Boom

Target display mode began with 2009 iMacs and ended with mid-2014 iMacs. Only the 2010/2011 iMacs supported as a display for that PC, and so your 20-inch iMac is excluded. Just buy a separate display suitable with your available PC ports.

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Answer 3

Hoge_Boom Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 24, 2022 8:47 AM in response to Allan Jones

Thank you VikingOSX, rkaufman87 and Allan Jones for your time and effort to write this valuable advice. I will completely follow with out further ado.

As an aside: contributions encourage me to make best use of Mac; even further I should say.

I started with Mac in 1989 and then co-founded a company, later winning a local Dutch Apple Gold Award for our software. Happy days and fond memories. Hope this is not too personal for you and the moderator :-)

Best regards and thank you.

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