Can I connect a Thunderbolt display to a non Thunderbolt display using the Thunderbolt port in the display?

Yes. You can also connect to thunderbolt display which then connects to a regular displayport display or even DVI with displayport adapter. The regular display needs to be at the end of the daisy chain.

I have a similar question. I have a brand new MBP with Thunderbolt. Work just bout me a 27' Thunderbolt display. Great so far. I also have a high-end Dell laptop. I want to connect the DVI out on the Dell base station to my Thunderbolt display. I have a mini-display port to DVI adapted. Plugged that into my MBP Thunderbolt display and got the second monitor up on from my MBP. Now when the new Thunderbolt monitor gets here, I am really hoping that I will be able to reverse the flow and connect from the DVI out of my Dell base station, to the DVI-mini-diplayport and into the back Thunderbolt port and then display the image on the Thunderbolt display.

Can anyone confirm??

Best,

Kevin

You need a dual link DVI to mini displayport converter like http://www.atlona.com/Atlona-Dual-Link-DVI-to-Mini-DisplayPort-Converter-USB-Pow ered.html

This should take DVI output from your laptop/docking station and convert that to 2550x1440 resolution of thunderbolt display. I ordered one, but have not used yet (waiting for thunderbolt display to arrive in apple stores here)

Steffensen wrote:

Seems that this is not correct - waiting for my display to get delivered and now it seems that I have to order one more to be able to use two external displays... disapointing

New info from Apple:

Mini DisplayPort displays will not light up if connected to the Thunderbolt port on an Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch)

That is NOT entirely true!!!!! Thanks to marketing "lingo" and LITERAL use of wording...

You just can't plug an older mDP display "DIRECTLY" into the newer TB displays. You CAN use your mDP display 'downstream' on the Thunderbolt chain. Unfortunately this means you would have to have another TB device connected in between the two displays (with 2-ports).

cpu ---> TB display ---> (any 2-port TB device) ---> older mDP display

Macworld just put out a real-world verification... JUST ToDAY!!!!

"... We connected the Thunderbolt Display to a 2011 17-inch MacBook Pro and were able to mount the two RAIDs, connect to the LAN through the display’s ethernet port, and connect an LED Cinema Display’s Mini DisplayPort connector to the second Thunderbolt port on the Promise Pegasus R6. The display was instantly recognized and we were able to drive two 27-inch displays along with the MacBook Pro’s built in display—that, my friends, is a lot of screen real estate.... "

http://www.macworld.com/article/162365/2011/09/first_look_apple_thunderbolt_disp lay.html#lsrc.rss_main

from their Macworld review.... (Left) old mDP LED Cinema Display.... (right) new TB display

Be sure to read that article carefully. They only got it to work that way because the Promise RAID has a more advanced, and more expensive, ThunderBolt controller chip in it. The Apple products don't have that chip which is why the Cinema Display doesn't work when directly attached to the ThunderBolt Display.

Hopefully someone makes a ThunderBolt hub with this advanced chip.

Here's an 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/