You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

nwipfli Author

Level 1

4 points

Apple display and Thunderbolt compatibility

Hi,

Looking at the Intel spec for the Thunderbolt technology ( http://www.intel.com/technology/io/thunderbolt/index.htm), it is my understanding that they use a chip as controller to merge the internal PCIe and DisplayPort signals to two bi-directional 10GB/s channels to the target device which can be a display or drive or both. Therefore, if the target device is a drive, it needs to be Thunderbolt compatible, which means that it needs to include this same Intel controller. Now, if the target device is an Apple display, do they already have this controller ?
Based on what I understand from the Intel spec, the display has to be Thunderbolt compatible:

---start---

And Thunderbolt enabled products are compatible with existing DisplayPort devices so you don’t have to go buy a new display to take advantage of a Thunderbolt technology enabled computer
---end---

So, are the existing Apple displays already Thunderbold compatible or do we have to wait or buy an adapter ?
I do not understand how Apple displays already sold x months back can work while connected to this Thunderbolt port on the laptop, if this port uses this special controller which also needs to be on the target device.

I have not found any information for Thunderbold on the Apple spec page for their display and I have not found any Thunderbolt adapter for native Apple displays.

Any idea ?

Thanks

iMac 20"

Posted on Feb 26, 2011 12:11 PM

Top-ranking reply

DanRyb

Level 1

12 points

Posted on Feb 26, 2011 12:58 PM

I have a 24" LED Cinema Display with MiniDisplay port connection and it works on my new 2011 15" MBP with Thunderbolt port (using it right now!).

View in context

101 replies

Aug 16, 2011 8:26 PM in response to nwipfli

10.7.1 doesn't solve the flickering problem!

Aug 18, 2011 10:59 AM in response to nwipfli

just another one chiming in that 10.7.1 doesn't solve it for my 2011 MBA connected to an older 24inch cinema. resetting the monitor (close clamshell, reopen, pull minidisplay plug, or such) seems to solve it till you next sleep...

Aug 18, 2011 11:36 PM in response to MortgageGod

MortgageGod wrote:

Guys, Call tech support, there is a firmware patch for the 24" ACD, ask about it. You have to go thru some steps, but, it seems to be working. Mine would go black for about .5 second then reappear, now it seems fine.

24" ACD and 15" MBP 2.2 quad i7

If you could tell us how you talked them into this, it would be much appreciated 🙂

I've asked on several occasions and have been given the runaround.

chad118

Level 1

0 points

Aug 23, 2011 5:01 AM in response to nwipfli

10.7.1 does not solve this problem. Come ON apple.

Aug 23, 2011 5:11 AM in response to chad118

This is driving me insane!!

Mac Mini AMD I5 connected to 24' ACD 😟

camil.b

Level 1

0 points

Aug 27, 2011 7:30 AM in response to nwipfli

Possible fix after 10.7.2

About two days ago I attached my MacBook Pro, core i7 2.2GHz 256 SSD, 8 GB RAM, to my 24" Cinema Display and the screen started to flicker; 10-15 in a minute.I did a clean install with Lion 10.7.1 and the flickering persisted.

In my developer account it was a beta combo update to 10.7.2 (11C40) which address some graphic drivers improvements. After I did the update flickering was reduced considerable, to 2-3 blinks in an hour and increased when a movie was playing (10-20 blinks in an hour) or running flash in Safari.

Also a permanent blank screen occurred. In that situation, the system recognized the display, the resolution could be changed, arrangement of the screens could be switched but cinema display remains blank. After sleep/wake up, everything was back to normal.

In Console was no message at that time.

And I observed that cinema display fans are running very intensive during blinks, for about 1 second.

Today Apple pushed a new build for 10.7.2 (11C43). After I did the update and restarted the system blink frequency was increased with or without running programs.

I restarted again and boot on Recovery partition, where I ran Safari for about two hours without any blink.

Restarted again in Lion 10.7.2, running a HD movie and no blink for about two hours.

Now I'm running at the same time an intensive render test with Cinebench, 3 X 1080p youtube movies in Safari, 8 x 720p movies in live mix with Modul8 and output results in MadMapper thru syphon server. Also iTunes is running, Mail and iPhoto.

No more blinks and no crash at these intensive tasks.

I will shut down the display and the computer and do some tests after one hour, and repeat the steps.

I don't think is a permanent fix but I hope it will came in final release of 10.7.2

Rhyot

Level 1

4 points

Sep 7, 2011 1:12 AM in response to nwipfli

Same problem here.I just spoke with the support.They made me to reset 2 times in 2 different ways and then I emptied the caches.Now I'll have it under observation for the next 2 days and if the issue is still there they told me i can choose to change the machine or to claim back the money.I'll update in 2 days.

mac mini 2,5 i5 with AMD graphics connected through HDMI to a philips led monitor 224EL

P.S.Apple Italian support

Sep 7, 2011 3:44 AM in response to Rhyot

I have the same issue. Will call tech support and report here if useful.

Sep 7, 2011 9:02 AM in response to nwipfli

Just for your information:

I bought a MacBook Air 13" last week at the Apple Store Hamburg, Germany, and plugged it into my Apple LED Cinema Display with MiniDisplayPort. It worked perfectly from the very first minute, just like before. Not a single flickering whatsoever. Everything works exactly as before with my old MacBook (late 2009 edition). I am not using any cable either. Just plugged the cable (that comes with the screen) into the MacBook Air and voila it works just like before.

Mike95

Level 1

55 points

Sep 7, 2011 9:37 PM in response to Chris Diaz

Chris Diaz wrote:

I just took my 24" to the apple store, and while we were able to replicate the issue, he determined it was the logic board. they are replacing, it, it will be interesting to see if it still reproduces the issue or not after that...

Chris. You don't have to describe details, but simply let me know if Apple addressed your concern to your satisfaction. Thanks.

Mike95

Level 1

55 points

Sep 7, 2011 9:39 PM in response to javier155

javier155 wrote:

I have the same issue. Will call tech support and report here if useful.

Javier, any results?

Sep 8, 2011 12:25 AM in response to nwipfli

Not yet the problem seemed to disappear yesterdaybson I am holding a bit beforenI bother to call.

Rhyot

Level 1

4 points

Sep 8, 2011 2:07 PM in response to nwipfli

update : the issue is still there after the reset. I called again the support and this time I was told to try an hardware test and then install again Lion using the security option number 2 (the zero one). So now I'll wait one more day.

Also I got a call from the support and they told me there is a known issue with Philips monitors or TVs about a blank screen not flickering but in any case before to replace my mac they want to try everything (I agree 🙂),it was 19.45 so they'll call me again tomorrow at 13.00 (Rome time).
I'll let you know how this will end.

Rhyot

Level 1

4 points

Sep 9, 2011 5:35 AM in response to nwipfli

ok guys,

the new installation didn't solve anything so the last try is to open the terminal and digit :

cd /System/Library/Displays/Overrides/DysplayVendorID-410c

push enter. You'll get a warning but you can continue.

Then :

sudo mv DisplayProductID-0 DisplayProduct-0 old

push enter and restart the mac.

I remember you this solution is studied for a known issue with Philips screen, and exactly blank screen not flickering but I think it's worth a shot. I really hope this will work.

I'll wait till Monday and if the issue is still there I'll call to ask for a replacement or to claim back the money, haven't decided yet.

P.S. I'm within the 14 days of the purchase.

Sep 9, 2011 12:30 PM in response to Rhyot

The problem resurfaced yesterday, so I called tech support this morning. They took me through some semi-idiotic motions like taking all cords from the mini for some time since that may eliminate static etc. That seemed to work but since they were not sure they recommended I went to an apple store to check it. There I went with mini and ACD in hand (literally). I could not reproduce the problem in front of them but they agreed to keep the mini for a couple of hours and run stress tests to see if they found any hardware issues. They found none and so far it seems to have gone. They told me Apple knows there are some issues with the connection of ACD and newer macs but that was it. Hopefully it may have been gone now. Knocking on good.

It may be helpful to know if other people with the issue suffer it continously or merely intermitently as it is my case.

Apple display and Thunderbolt compatibility