Use imac 2011 as external display?

Plugger wrote:

Can the new iMac 2011 be used as a external display for a 2009 MacBook Air (2009Intel Core 2 Duo)

with mini display port?

NO! You need a Mac with Thunderbolt connection to use the iMac as an external display. It only works with Thunderbolt Mac -> Thunderbolt iMac as Display. Have a look around in the discussion, there are many complains about that.

What if I have 27" iMac right before the thunderbolt update and I want to use my thunderbolt macbook air into my iMac and use the iMac as a display for the air. Is this possible?

No... For use in either of the examples, whether doing TDM (Target Disk Mode) or EDM (Extended Display Mode), the answer is the same... Both the iMac and the 2nd machine, would have to have Thunderbolt hardware built-in.

Here's a new article that basically covers and clears up all the new Thunderbolt display questions (same things I previously stated).

Enjoy!!

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/09/18/thunderbolt-display-daisy-chaining-spec-cleared-u p/

What is the easiest way of retrieving files from my macbook that has a smashed screen,and put them onto my imac? can i plug it into the imac and use as a external hard drive? if so how??

I would do:

By an FireWire cable which fits to your MacBook and your iMac (I guess both would have FireWire 800 so get an FireWire 800 to 800 cabel). Connect the cable to the iMac and the MacBook. Restart the MacBook and imidiatelly hold down the "T" key on the MacBook. Wait until the hard drive from the Mac Book apears on the Desktop of the iMac. You now can access the files easily like an external drive.

Thankyou for your advice, but my macbook has no firewire port,it has 2 USB ports 1network port and 1 external monitor port....i have tried connecting the macbook to my television using the monitor port adaptor and the Monitor cable from a pc but the television cannot find it? keeps saying check power cables etc, but the macbook is connected to the power and the monitor cable is connected correctly?

It is a MiniDisplay-Port to DVI oder VGA adapter? Have you tried starting up the MacBook in Safe mode by holding down the Shift key at startup?

If your Mac has no Thunderbolt port, and no Firweire port, just remove the hard drive from the Mac, and put it in a SATA external 2.5" hard drive case with Firewire and connect it to your new Mac. http://www.macsales.com/ makes such cases. If you wish to fix the screen, check these places:

http://www.dttservice.com/
http://www.powerbookresq.com/
http://www.microdocusa.com/
http://www.macspecialist.com/
http://www.techrestore.com/

OK, then...explain this

Bobby,

It is in theory possible. Though there is the added problem that not all DisplayPort cables are built the same. If you find one that carries both DisplayPort and Thunderbolt signals in the correct direction, then you can probably get it to work. With the 2011 iMac, you have the added complexity of Thunderbolt. It is in theory DisplayPort combined with a data interface. I've seen mixed results reported depending on cable used.

Um, NO on the NO. I'm using my pre Thunderbolt 27 inch iMac as an external monitor to my 17 inch 2011 MBP as I type this.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3924?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Proof: http://i.imgur.com/ytjkm.png

Use a male to male mini displayport cable. It looks just like a Tunderbolt cable, but isn't.

My iMac is a quad 2.66 GHz i5 27" from 2010 with a 2560 x 1440 display. It DOES NOT support Thunderbolt.

My MBP is a quad 2.3 GHz i7 (octo with hyper threading) form summer 2011 with a 1920 x 1200 display. IT DOES support Thunderbolt.

Thunderbolt cables DO NOT WORK to allow the iMac to serve as an external monitor.

The mini displayport cable I have DOES work to allow the iMac to serve as an external monitor.

Just plug it in while both Macs are on and it works, or plug in a keyboard and press Fn - F2 on the iMac.

Alex, is there a way to use a 27 imac 2011 as display for a dell laptop? I tried a mini displayport vga and dvi into the dell vga and could not do it? any help