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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

Rhyot

Level 1

4 points

Sep 9, 2011 12:44 PM in response to nwipfli

it happened again. I'll call the support on Monday and I'll ask for a new mac. Now I'm really worried to ask for a new mini since it looks it's a "common" issue.

Good luck to everyone else with the same problem.

Sep 9, 2011 2:10 PM in response to Mike95

I apologize its taken me so long to come back with my reply on my screen, I have been out of town......

I did eventually get my screen back form Apple, and they replaced the logic board, but to make a long story short, its not any better if even a little worse now. I need to take it back in and complain again. I finish my year of applecare in October with this......

Let me know if I can help with any other questions...

chad168

Level 1

0 points

Sep 9, 2011 2:15 PM in response to Rhyot

I blasted away the whole directory. No effect.

15 iMac + acd

Sep 9, 2011 2:20 PM in response to Chris Diaz

One other point to note....I am not experiencing this same flicker problem on my 2010 MBA 13", 2011 MBA 13", or 2011 MBA 11". Annoying!

Mike95

Level 1

55 points

Sep 9, 2011 2:27 PM in response to Chris Diaz

Chris Diaz wrote:

One other point to note....I am not experiencing this same flicker problem on my 2010 MBA 13", 2011 MBA 13", or 2011 MBA 11". Annoying!

Just so you know, the MBA 11" 2011 allegedly has a different thunderbolt part/supplier than the MacBookPro. Web pages claim it is half of what MBP has, but this, in my opinion may be poor interpreation for a single channel vs dual channel -- each of which operate at 10gb. Regardless, the MBA 11" 2011 I am using seems to work fine with all external monitors I have used via: Thunderbolt->DVI, ->HDMI, -> Thunderbolt->Thunderbolt with iMac27" in target display mode and even TB->DisplayPort with the cinema displays at the Apple store.

I have not encountered a 24" CinemaDisplay so I can't speak for that monitor.

Rhyot

Level 1

4 points

Sep 9, 2011 4:39 PM in response to nwipfli

I'm starting to think that maybe it's something about new macs and Lion. I have seen discussions of people complaining about flickering issue with the new MBA. Hope this will be fixed soon.

Sep 10, 2011 12:48 AM in response to nwipfli

See below my start screen this morning. No flickering but it took me three restarts to get it to work right. This has happened before too. What a week. Just thinking of returning the mini. Happy with it in all other respects but I am a bit tired now.

Sep 10, 2011 1:06 AM in response to javier155

In the following post they suggest a solution related to the drivers. Maybe it works. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3144052?answerId=16125762022#16125762022

I have also just run the disk utility to check permissions and some were wrong (which is funny in a new computer unless they have been inherited from my old MBO through time machine).

Sep 10, 2011 1:16 AM in response to javier155

I am starting to think seeing the various reports that it may be related to the AMD component. Does anyone with Intel Graphics (eg New Mac Mini Server) have the issue?

Rhyot

Level 1

4 points

Sep 12, 2011 3:38 AM in response to nwipfli

This morning I had the opportunity to use my mini for at least 4 consecutive hours and the issue is really bad. It happened around 15 times that my screen got no signal for 2-3 seconds and then it went back as nothing happened.I called apple and asked for a new mini same specs.I'll let you know when I'll get the new one if the problem persists even if I've got a bad feeling about this.

george.g

Level 1

0 points

Sep 13, 2011 11:44 AM in response to nwipfli

I have been having the same issue with my new macbook air for the past month since I got it with my 24" cinema display as well. Yesterday a new EFI was released, addressing some thunderbolt issues on the MBA. I applied the issue and have not experienced any flickering at all today. I'm hoping this resolves this issue and that a firmware update comes out for other devices that people have experienced issues with.

george.g

Level 1

0 points

Sep 13, 2011 12:01 PM in response to george.g

I spoke too soon, went through most of the day only for flickering to just start. Seems a bit better though...

Sep 13, 2011 2:59 PM in response to george.g

Just changed to a Mac Mini Server 2011. So far so good. Still thinking the AMD card may be the issue. Knocking on good.

Rhyot

Level 1

4 points

Sep 14, 2011 7:39 AM in response to nwipfli

I got my new mac mini same specs as before. It's exactly 1 hour from the set up and I already had the 1st flickering. I'm so angry right now...

tbromine

Level 1

0 points

Sep 14, 2011 11:51 PM in response to nwipfli

Here's what I did with a Mac Mini and it seemed to help. (I did replace the Mac first -- what a pain. When I saw the flicker again, my heart sunk and almost forked out a grand for the 27" display.)

I suspected some kind of voltage incompatibility, with the Thunderbolt output on the Mac being too high for the 24" ACD. So, I added an MDP/USB extension line to knock it down some. (The length on the ACD is rediculously short anyway). Well, it reduced significantly, but did not eliminate, the flicker. I added another extension on just the MDP line and appears to (almost 100%) eliminated it. I have seen one blanking in about a week.

Apple display and Thunderbolt compatibility