Older Cinema Display to New MacBook

Question

Older Cinema Display to New MacBook

I bought a 20 inch LCD Cinema Display (A1081) from a friend. I have a brand new MacBook Pro (15" screen) that I want to connect it to. However, the cords from the monitor do not match up to the ports I have on the MacBook. The monitor comes with a DVI cable, a USB cable and firewire cable. Only the USB cable actually fits my MacBook.

What adpaters do I need for the DVI cable and the firewire cable? Do I need the firewire cable?

I'm a total Mac Noob so go easy on me. Thanks!

MacBook Pro, OS X Lion plus iLife

Posted on Oct 7, 2011 1:20 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 7, 2011 1:28 PM in response to wendifromgainesville

If you have a brand new MacBook Pro, then you have FireWire. It's just a FireWire-800 port, and that older monitor has a FireWire-400 cable. Adapters are available and inexpensive:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/FIR1369AD/

Your new MacBook Pro has a Thunderbolt Port which will function as a Mini DisplayPort. So you need a Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter. Also not terribly expensive:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/CBLMDPDVI/

Those are just examples from one of my favorite Mac retailers. You can find many other similar items at other shops if you care to search.

edit: You don't need to connect the FireWire cable. It's just so that you can use the FireWire ports on the monitor. If you have no FireWire-400 devices, you can ignore it.

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Answer 2

Niel

Community+ 2026

Level 10

743,891 points

Oct 7, 2011 1:26 PM in response to wendifromgainesville

You need a Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter.

(60845)

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Answer 3

Oct 7, 2011 1:28 PM in response to John Hammer1

Excellent! Thank you!

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Answer 4

macnapa

Level 1

0 points

Jun 22, 2012 11:17 AM in response to John Hammer1

Just bought a Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter from the Apple store for around $25. Works perfectly to connect the DVI cable on an older 20" Apple Cinema display to the most recent model of MacBook Pro (not the new retina version). Thanks so much for the suggestion.

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