Connecting a LED Cinema Display (2012) to a MacBook Air M2 (2022)

What is the model number on that "LED Cinema Display"?

According to MacTracker,

• The LED Cinema Display (27-inch) is model A1316. It requires Mini DisplayPort input.
• The Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch) is model A1407. It requires Thunderbolt 1/2 input.

For the LED Cinema Display, you would need a USB-C (DisplayPort) to Mini DisplayPort adapter. Using the Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter would result in "No signal."

For the Thunderbolt Display, you would need a Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter. Using a USB-C (DisplayPort) to Mini DisplayPort adapter would result in "No signal."

smnbin wrote:

I'm using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter, but I guess I need an extra adapter?

Your top photo shows a video connector of some sort (top), a USB-A plug (middle), and a MagSafe connector of some sort (MagSafe 1 or 2) (bottom).

To the best of my knowledge, there aren't any adapters from MagSafe 1 or 2 to MagSafe 3, so you would not use the bottom connector. You'd just wrap it in a plastic bag or something to keep the pins from touching any metal object that might short them.

The USB connection is presumably to connect downstream ports on the monitor, and/or to let the Mac talk with the monitor to control things like brightness. A Thunderbolt Display (A1407) would presumably make its data connections through the same Thunderbolt cable that carried the video, so this seems to be visual evidence that you do indeed have a 27-inch LED Cinema Display.

If the top plug is a Mini DisplayPort plug, it should physically fit into the Thunderbolt 2 socket on the Apple TB3-to-2 adapter, but since the adapter only translates Thunderbolt protocol, there won't be any video signal.

I'm guessing that you want something like one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=usb-c+to+mini+displayport+adapter

Usually, I'd suggest a one-piece adapter cable, but if your Mini DisplayPort cable is permanently attached to your monitor, then you'll want one of the adapters that goes from USB-C to a Mini DisplayPort socket.

kbzon007 wrote:

Have an apple cinema display with this connection trying to connect it to my 2017 imac 27 Intel Core i7 running latest ventura. My 2017 imac has USB-C port, my cinema display has thunderbolt.

This cable is coming from my cinema

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/84a2ac2f-4777-4132-8ab6-91cdb014195d

Can't connect my display monitor, please help!

The cable you showed me has two connectors on the end. One appears to be a Mini DisplayPort connector with a lightning bolt symbol (indicating Thunderbolt) on it. The other appears to be a MagSafe 1 connector that can't be connected to a modern Mac, and wouldn't be of interest to an iMac in any case.

This is consistent with the Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch). If this is a Thunderbolt Display, it will have model A1407, and will have FireWire and Ethernet hub ports. A LED Cinema Display (27-inch) will have a third upstream connector (a USB one), model number A1316, and no downstream FireWire 800 or Ethernet hub ports.

• For an Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch), you need the Apple Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter.
• For a LED Cinema Display (27-inch), you need a third-party USB-C to Mini DisplayPort (female) adapter.

Both of these types of adapters have a USB-C plug on one side, and a Mini DisplayPort socket on the other – but they are completely different in terms of the types of signals they support. You must match the adapter with the monitor, and to do that, you need to make a positive, correct identification of the monitor.

WheelieNick wrote:

I used a DVI to thunderbolt 2, and into that a thunderbolt 2 to thunderbolt 3 to make this work on my M1 iMac

Are you sure about that?

The Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter only translates Thunderbolt. It will not present an unwrapped DisplayPort signal on its Thunderbolt 2 side. So unless there is a Thunderbolt 1/2 dock, or other Thunderbolt device, between that adapter and your DVI-to-Thunderbolt 2 adapter, I'd expect the configuration you describe to fail.

Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter - Apple

"Note: This adapter does not support DisplayPort displays like the Apple LED Cinema Display or third-party DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort displays. For more information, visit the Apple Support page for the Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter."

smnbin wrote:

The model number is A1316 so I guess I need a USB-C (DisplayPort) to Mini DisplayPort adapter?

Yes.

Dont share serial numbers on a public forums like this! Are you using an usb C to DVI adapter? I used a DVI to thunderbolt 2, and into that a thunderbolt 2 to thunderbolt 3 to make this work on my M1 iMac

Have an apple cinema display with this connection trying to connect it to my 2017 imac 27 Intel Core i7 running latest ventura. My 2017 imac has USB-C port, my cinema display has thunderbolt.

This cable is coming from my cinema

Can't connect my display monitor, please help!