connect 2016 macbook pro to LED Cinema Display

On a closer look at Plugable's website, it appears the adapter I found above will NOT work, because it doesn't support dual-link DVI for the LED Cinema Display's higher resolution. :-( (It only supports single DVI/HD resolution.)

Right now the cheap Chinese adapter linked above in the thread (the one that comes over on a slow boat from China) seems to be the only possibility...

Scott

I bought

Goliton® USB 3.1 Type-C to Mini DP Displayport Adapter Cable for Apple Macbook

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B014LW9QQQ/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0 from Amazon UK - it works perfectly on my MacBook Pro 13" with Touch Bar for my 24" and 27" Apple LED Cinema Displays.

Out of interest I tried it on a 12" MacBook 2016 and it works - the only problem is that you also need to plug in USB and power which is a challenge with only one port

Hi, I recently received my new late 2016 MBP15" macOS Sierra (10.12.2). I couldn't get it connected to my A1267 Apple Cinema Display even after I have bought the same adapter (USB-C to Mini Display Port) from China (ChenYang brand) and done the "power cycle". The Cinema Display is NOT "toggled" and switched on via my MBP. Is there anything else I can do to try? Let me know. I need help! Thanks.

SWriverstone, thanks for your very helpful post. I am one of those for whom the "chinese adaptor" on Amazon works perfectly fine.

Your post was incorrect in one important aspect. There are two versions of the Apple Cinema Display which look identical to the photo you posted, i.e. without a metal frame. The older version, which I have, has a cable which is shaped like a Thunderbolt cable, but has a MiniDisplay icon at the end of the cable. That one works with the Chinese adaptor. The newer version, which was sold at the Apple Stores until a few months ago, has a cable shaped identically to the older version, but it has a Thunderbolt icon at the end. This newer display requires Apple's Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adaptor. The Chinese adaptor will not work.

Thanks. Yes, my display at home is the one without metal frame (but came with Mini display port cable/logo). I had bought the Thunderbolt 3-2 adapter before getting the Chinese CY adapter. That's why I found out my display has MDP cable output, not T2!! Anyway, both don't adapters work. I have the old metal frame 32" ACD in office. I plugged the home display into my new Mac many times using the CY adapter (same as Amazon), nothing happened. That's why I put out my first message. Not sure if it's the adapter that's faulty or something incompatible. I could see the display when I plugged it into my older MBP and Mac Airs!! So it's definitely not the display problem. May be the adapter. Let me try when I take it to office.

Thanks. I did try the right USB3 ports too. Didn't work either. My MBP15" has the highest specs:

2.9GHz Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz

16GB 2133MHz memory

2TB PCIe-based SSD

Radeon Pro 460 with 4GB memory!!

So I am pretty frustrated that I can't yet connect my Cinematic Display to get more screen play... Anyway, I might just order a new 27-inch LG UltraFine 5K Display for my new MBP to save the hassle. Not entirely happy with this new MBP experience though - too many adapters to buy and even the display needs to be changed.

I bought this adaptor based on your recommendation and alas, nothing, I get video to my Cinema display fine from my old laptop display port to a display port to DVI converter. When I plug this into this new adaptor - nothing.

How many cables come out of your Apple Cinema Display? Three? That means it uses MiniDisllayPort technology not Thunderbolt, you need a different adapter and if you read the rest of this tread you see get the details.

If only two cables come out, then the Apple thunderbolt 2 to thunderbolt 3 adapter ought to have worked

UPDATE: I bought one of these adapters after hearing it worked for some folks here. Took forever (like a month) to arrive, and when it arrived, it didn't work at all. Got nothing on my LED Cinema Display (the older one with the big metal bezel). In fact, I couldn't even plug the mini-display cable from my monitor into this adapter—it would only go halfway in (***!?) which might be why it didn't work.

So in the end, I've basically given up on using my old LED Cinema Display with my late-2016 Macbook Pro 15" with Touchbar. Instead, I bought this Acer monitor, the XF270HU. It's working fine—I'm getting 2560x1440 resolution at 70hz. I'm connecting to my MacBook with this HDMI 2.0 cable and this HDMI-to-USB-C adapter. (I'm *supposed* to be able to get 144hz on this monitor with the HDMI 2.0 cable; I did indeed get 144hz for about a week—then mysteriously, 144hz disappeared from my display preference options. Oh well, 70hz is fine.)

Bottom line? This thread is NOT solved!

Scott

This does work. you will need three adapters to do it, but it does work. If you follow the link below from another Apple community discussion, it will tell you which adapters you will need and how to connect them. Not the easiest, most straightforward method, but HEY, in the end it works. the cost of the three adapters is ~$120, vs. ~$900+ for a new LG monitor. Have fun.

We're still talking about 2 *completely* different monitors. See my post earlier in the thread about the difference between the two.

Philliprodo, your solution isn't 100% reliable for the older Apple Cinema Display with the wide metal bezel around the screen. In the photo of your solution, you clearly have the newer Apple Thunderbolt Display.

Scott

I bought this identical adapter too. It did NOT work on my older Apple Cinema Display with the wide metal bezel around the screen. In fact, I could even plug the male mini-display port plug into the female port on the adapter—it would only go in halfway.

The bottom line is that for the older Apple Cinema Displays with the wide metal bezel around the screen, all solutions suggested so far in this entire thread are hit or miss. Nothing is guaranteed to work. (This appears to be partly because some of the adapter bought via Amazon have lousy QA/QC—some work, some don't.)

For my part, I gave up on using my older Apple Cinema Display with the wide metal bezel around the screen with my late-2016 Touchbar Macbook Pro 15". I'm still using the older display with my late-2013 model MacBook Pro...and I bought a new Acer monitor for my new MacBook (and connect it with an HDMI-to-USB-C adapter, which works fine).

Scott

Scott

No, this is NOT a Thunderbolt Display. Before the Thunderbolt Displays, these LED Cinema displays came with a Mini-DVI connector. i bought this display around 2010; MacBooks back then came with USB 2.0 and FireWire ports. The Thunderbolt Displays didn't come out until two or three years later after the MacBooks came with Thunderbolt ports. The older LED Cinema Displays with Mini-DVI continued to work just fine with the newer MacBooks with Thunderbolt 1 or 2 ports, as the Mini-DVI connector fit the Thunderbolt ports, which could be used for video out signal.

Obviously, I don't know about the older LED Display with the metal bezel you describe. But the two adapters I daisy-chained, work fine with the LED Cinema Displays with Mini-DVI connectors.

Scott, I bought mine in Nov. 2010. Actually, Apple had just discontinued the 24" displays and replaced them with the 27". But the 24" also came with a mini-DVI connector, as my son got one of those. i dont know what model year is the one you got. You could try the adapters and if they don't work for you should be able to return them. But there may be other adapters that will work with your display as well. Good luck.

Ok, I am updating information. I have a new MacBook Pro 13 2016, and two apple displays 27 inches. One is the Led Cinema, with three USB in the back and three cables coming out: one usb, one mini display and one power supply for old Macbook pros. The other one is the same display but Thunderbolt Display, but it has an additional mini display port in the back , a fire wire and an ethernet connection , and only two cables coming out. One with mini display and the other one with power supply. I tried all combinations possible, and so far only one Chinese adapter works ( about $15.00) for the Led Cinema but not for the Thunderbolt Display. I am waiting for new samples of other connectors to find one that will work with the Thunderbolt Display. I have tried all alternate connection with dvi vga HD video, nothing works. I was assured by the Apple salesperson about the compatibility of the adapter from Apple but no. I have three displays and two of them are thunderbolt and so far only one working, very big disappointment. I decided to buy cheaper display where needed and use HDMI adapter, problem is that colors and sharpness are absent. Also big disapointment of not having a mag sage usb c adapter for the power supplies. I guess Apple did not want us to use our previous expensive equipment.