Older Cinema HD display hook up to new MacPro?

Question

Older Cinema HD display hook up to new MacPro?

One of my current older MacPro's I have the following display & graphics card:

ATI Radeon HD 4870:

Chipset Model: ATI Radeon HD 4870

Type: GPU

Bus: PCIe

Slot: Slot-1

PCIe Lane Width: x16

VRAM (Total): 512 MB

Vendor: ATI (0x1002)

Device ID: 0x9440

Revision ID: 0x0000

ROM Revision: 113-B7710F-176

EFI Driver Version: 01.00.318

Displays:

Cinema HD:

Display Type: LCD

Resolution: 2560 x 1600

Pixel Depth: 32-Bit Color (ARGB8888)

Display Serial Number: CY94106LXMP

Main Display: Yes

Mirror: Off

Online: Yes

Rotation: Supported

I'm considering buying a new MacPro for some heavy duty 4K video work. BUT I don't have another 3 - 4K for a 4K monitor and I don't really want to buy a Apple Thunderbolt Display for anothe 1K if I don't have to. So for now I was wondering if I can use this older Cinema Display some how with the 2 new graphics cards that come on the new MP? A converter, adapter or something? I mean, I love the display I have, but maybe the whole idea of using this older display is a pipe dream and it won't even keep up using FCP X with a lot of video at 4K or even compressed ProRes.

How about using it as a 2nd monitor? Would that work if my first choice above doesn't work?

Any thoughts here?

thx in advance

MacPro, 2 x 2.93GHz Quad Core, 32GB ram, Cinema Display 30", 8TB eSATA Raid, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Mar 22, 2014 12:41 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 22, 2014 12:51 PM in response to martin Jordan

It needs a Dual Link DVI.

That can be provided with the Apple Mini DisplayPort (plugs into ThunderBolt) ACTIVE Dual-Link DVI adapter, US$100 from the Apple Store. You DO need to plug in the USB cord, FireWire 400 is completely optional.

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Answer 2

Mar 22, 2014 1:45 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant,

When you say "ACTIVE Dual-Link DVI adapter" key word ACTIVE, r u saying have the adapter already plugged in the new MP ThunderBolt terminal and then connect the monitor?

Also just to clarify, this monitor is USB 2 for sure. So, when you said, "You DO need to plug in the USB cord, FireWire 400 is completely optional". Since the new MP is USB 3 do you think plugging my USB 2 into that USB 3 port is better than the FireWire 400 or visa versa?

And lastly, with this older monitor using this adapter and the new Graphics cards in the new MP working in these big video files will this monitor will be able to keep up? I just don't know enough about these type of combinations. I would think that any monitor is driven and controlled by the graphics card. So if you have a fast card (like the dual ones in the new MP) this monitor should keep up just fine and will be fed ThunderBolt speed graphics.

Your thoughts?

thx so much.

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Answer 3

Mar 22, 2014 2:26 PM in response to martin Jordan

I have and enjoy using that monitor daily.

ACTIVE means Powered -- the adapter has non-trivial electronics in it to accept Mini DisplayPort and produce Dual-Link DVI at the proper timing and proper levels.

The USB cord needs to be connected to a power source to power the electronics in the adapter. This can be a USB-2 or USB-3 or a port on a powered Hub or an iPhone charger or equivalent.) But the brightness setting is accomplished via the Mac chatting with the display across USB.

FireWire 400 input is provided at the cable-end to run FireWire 400 convenience ports on the display. If you don't want to bother to connect them, that will not cause any problems.

You could probably run six of these display if you wanted to work at it hard enough. Nothing in this setup is near its limits.

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Answer 4

Mar 22, 2014 2:47 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you Grant so much for the detailed time you took.

May the Teraflops be with you.

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Answer 5

Mar 22, 2014 2:48 PM in response to martin Jordan

You are entirely welcome. I hope that all works out for you.

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