Apple Cinema Display 30 inch won't stay on/connected to MacBook Air 2020 M1

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Apple Cinema Display 30 inch won't stay on/connected to MacBook Air 2020 M1

Hello, I've got a 30" Cinema Display connected to a 2020 M1 MacBook Air via mini display port to thunderbolt. It seems the display wants to turn on/connect to the Mac only when it wants to. I cannot get it to turn on consistently. I've done all the usual tips and tricks, restarting, unplugging, resetting, trying to detect display, etc. Nothing is working consistently. Is the display faulty? Is the cable adapter faulty?

Also tried to connect the Cinema Display to a MacBook Pro with no real luck.

I also plugged the MacBook Air into a Samsung display and it connected right away.

Am I missing something?

OS on MacBook Air is Ventura 13.6.1.

Cinema Display

Posted on Dec 11, 2023 7:34 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 14, 2023 10:51 AM in response to gr8fl4295

You've definitely misidentified something.

The 30-inch Apple Cinema Display has dual-link DVI inputs. The connector for dual-link DVI is completely different than the one for { Mini DisplayPort / Thunderbolt 1 & 2 }.

Can you find a model number on that display? From MacTracker:

A1083 is a Cinema Display (30-inch DVI) or a (30-inch DVI Late 2005), which requires dual-link DVI input
A1316 is the LED Cinema Display (27-inch), which requires Mini DisplayPort input
A1407 is the Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch), which requires Thunderbolt 1/2 input

You would use a USB-C to Mini DisplayPort adapter for the LED Cinema Display, but not for the Apple Thunderbolt Display.

You would use an Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter for the Apple Thunderbolt Display, but not for the LED Cinema Display.

The protocol needs to be right, not just the shapes of the connectors.

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