I bought a 27" LED Cinema Display (no Thunderbolt) but don't know how to connect it to my wife's older Mac Mini. I presume the Atlona adaptor is the solution, but I haven't bougt one yet.
robbert keegel
MacMini, Mac OS X (10.5.4)
If that mac mini has a dvi port then yes, you need a dual link DVI adapter to handle a 27"s max resolution of 2560 x 1440.
Atlona (Dual Link) DVI to Mini DisplayPort Converter for Apple 27-inch LED and 27-inch iMac
If you were thinking of the single link Atlona DP200 you won't be able to use the max resolution of the 27".
If that mac mini has a dvi port then yes, you need a dual link DVI adapter to handle a 27"s max resolution of 2560 x 1440.
Atlona (Dual Link) DVI to Mini DisplayPort Converter for Apple 27-inch LED and 27-inch iMac
If you were thinking of the single link Atlona DP200 you won't be able to use the max resolution of the 27".
Thank you, now I know what to buy. But does that Atlona also power the Display?
The display has its own power cord.
I fear it hasn't. Out comes a cable that splits into a USB connector, a (for me) unknown connector and a power feed voor an iBook of something like that.
The cord attached to the display splits into a Mini DisplayPort, USB, and a MagSafe connector (for powering a laptop).
There is a separate connector on the back of the display for the AC power cord.
<http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC007LL/A>
"What’s in the Box
Also, what year is the Mac Mini? Older versions (before 2009) won't run displays greater than 1920 x 1200, no matter what adapters you use.
Thanks, I bougt the thing second-hand, apparently without the power cord. No problem, I have enough of these. Any documentatio should have oprevented me bothering with those stupid questions. Your answer was most helpful.
We bought the Mini somewhere in 2010.
If the Mac Mini is new enough to handle the resolution it should have a Mini DisplayPort, so you won't need any adapter.
<http://support.apple.com/kb/SP505>
Make sure you push the Mini DisplayPlug in all the way on the Mac Mini. It can take a lot of force.
It hasn't got that Mini Display Port. Does that mean I can't have the full resolution, or that I can't use the Cinema Display at all with this Mini?
According to Apple
<http://support.apple.com/specs/#mac%20mini>
Mac Minis got the Mini DisplayPort starting in early 2009. They also have a Mini-DVI or HDMI port. Earlier models with only a DVI port were limited to 1920 x1200.
The 27" display can be used at 1280 x 720
<http://support.apple.com/kb/SP597>
(1920 x 1080 is also listed but that might not work throuh an adapter and the pixels would be uneven.)
Thanks Malcolm, you where most helpful.
robbert
How to connect a new 27" LED Cinema Display to an older Mac Mini?
