Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
Upgrading my 2010 Mac Pro by adding this GPU and would like to use both of my 30” Apple cinema displays. Is anyone doing the same, and may I ask how you made it work?
 

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,817
12,238
The RX 580 has only one dual-link DVI port. You need two dual-link DVI ports for two 30" ACDs, so you need an active DisplayPort to dual-link DVI adapter for the second ACD.
 
Last edited:

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
The RX 580 has only one dual-link DVI port. You need two dual-link DVI ports for two 30" ACDs, so you need an active DisplayPort to dual-link DVI adapter for the second ACD.
Can you make a recommendation for such an adapter? Thank you very much for your reply.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Amethyst1

Canubis

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2008
439
556
Vienna, Austria
Had a similar challenge to get my 30" Cinema Display work with the AMD 5700XT (which only has DisplayPort output).

For me this 2 adapter setup works:
- Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI (unfortunately this is a vintage product, no longer sold by Apple but one can probably find one on ebay)
- DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort adapter by Startech (to connect GPU with the Apple adapter)

You may find other adapters handling it all in one (from DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI directly), but for me above solution is what ultimately worked.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Amethyst1

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
Had a similar challenge to get my 30" Cinema Display work with the AMD 5700XT (which only has DisplayPort output).

For me this 2 adapter setup works:
- Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI (unfortunately this is a vintage product, no longer sold by Apple but one can probably find one on ebay)
- DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort adapter by Startech (to connect GPU with the Apple adapter)

You may find other adapters handling it all in one (from DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI directly), but for me above solution is what ultimately worked.
Thank you very much. And this allows you max resolution on the ACD?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Amethyst1

joevt

macrumors 604
Jun 21, 2012
6,967
4,262
Thank you very much. And this allows you max resolution on the ACD?
Yes, DisplayPort to Dual Link DVI adapters support up to 2560x1600. If the mode doesn't appear in the Displays preferences panel, then you might need to hold the option key and click "Scaled". Or you might try SwitchResX or similar app to show a menu of all the display modes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Amethyst1

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
Yes, DisplayPort to Dual Link DVI adapters support up to 2560x1600. If the mode doesn't appear in the Displays preferences panel, then you might need to hold the option key and click "Scaled". Or you might try SwitchResX or similar app to show a menu of all the display modes.
Thank you. How about dual link DVI to HDMI? Is that just as good?
 

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,817
12,238
Thank you. How about dual link DVI to HDMI? Is that just as good?
That doesn’t exist unfortunately.
All DVI to HDMI adapters are single-link and won’t work at full resolution with the 30” ACD.
DisplayPort [or USB-C] to dual-link DVI is the only way.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: joevt

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
Something like tjos
That doesn’t exist unfortunately.
All DVI to HDMI adapters are single-link and won’t work at full resolution with the 30” ACD.
DisplayPort [or USB-C] to dual-link DVI is the only way.
something like this?

1661095629661.png
 

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
This might be a really dumb question, but will I notice a big difference between my existing GTX 660 2gb (2dvi ports) and a Pulse Radeon 580 8gb? I use this system for a music production exclusively – w/ Logic X pro. I don’t use it for anything else.
 

Canubis

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2008
439
556
Vienna, Austria
Something like tjos

something like this?

View attachment 2045478
Personally I had mixed results with a different Club 3D adapter (USB-C to Dual-Link DVI), where they said it should work. For me it didn't work to output anything at full resolution to the 30" Cinema Display from my 2020 MBP, though other users seem to have had more positive results with older MBP models…
More details, incase you're interested (although it may not be directly helpful to your issue): https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/connect-cinema-display-30-to-modern-usb-c-macs.2250212/

So just see this as a word of caution when you give the Club 3D adapter a try and make sure you could easily & cheaply return it incase it won't work.
 
Last edited:

Canubis

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2008
439
556
Vienna, Austria
@Diggi - note there seem to be 2 different versions of the Club 3D adapter. They mention the one with HDCP OFF being specifically for Cinema Displays… so if one them works, it's most likely the version with HDCP off (because Cinema Displays don't support it and can act weirdly if the signal isn't "clean")


61r9x5OR5CL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
 

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
Personally I had mixed results with a different Club 3D adapter (USB-C to Dual-Link DVI), where they said it should work. For me it didn't work to output anything at full resolution to the 30" Cinema Display from my 2020 MBP, though other users seem to have had more positive results with older MBP models…
More details, incase you're interested (although it may not be directly helpful to your issue): https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/connect-cinema-display-30-to-modern-usb-c-macs.2250212/

So just see this as a word of caution when you give the Club 3D adapter a try and make sure you could easily & cheaply return it incase it won't work.
Super big thanks!
 

joevt

macrumors 604
Jun 21, 2012
6,967
4,262
@Diggi - note there seem to be 2 different versions of the Club 3D adapter. They mention the one with HDCP OFF being specifically for Cinema Displays… so if one them works, it's most likely the version with HDCP off (because Cinema Displays don't support it and can act weirdly if the signal isn't "clean")
Newer Apple 30" Cinema displays support HDCP so they'll work fine with the HDCP ON version.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/surprise-my-30-cinema-display-supports-hdcp.539155/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/do-i-have-the-refreshed-2007-30-cinema-display.2330633/
 

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
As far as I can see at least on Amazon Germany, the model CAC-1010 is with HDCP while CAC-1010-A is the model without HDCP made for Cinema Displays.
I found one on Amazon USA. It is not listed as CAC–1010–A rather it is listed as “CAC–1010”… however in the description it says “especially made for Apple cinema displays “, and it also lists the cable type as “A“.

It’s $51.

Here is the link (below)… Does this sound right?

Club 3D CAC-1010 - Videokonverter https://www.amazon.com/Club-3D-Adaptor-DisplayPort-Active/dp/B07TNJFKSR
 

paronga

macrumors regular
Nov 9, 2011
111
6
Australia, Melbourne
This might be a really dumb question, but will I notice a big difference between my existing GTX 660 2gb (2dvi ports) and a Pulse Radeon 580 8gb? I use this system for a music production exclusively – w/ Logic X pro. I don’t use it for anything else.
As a fellow music producer I’d say no.
If you’re looking to update to 10.14+ and the GTX660 doesn’t support metal 2 than it would help in terms of OS support.

Otherwise you will not get better performance from your daw.
 

flyproductions

macrumors 65816
Jan 17, 2014
1,086
461
Upgrading my 2010 Mac Pro by adding this GPU and would like to use both of my 30” Apple cinema displays. Is anyone doing the same, and may I ask how you made it work?
Best card, if you like to use up to modern OS versions like Monterey, should be the ASUS/AREZ RX 570. It’s the only "nearly modern" AMD GPU still having two dual link DVI ports and i can confirm, it runs two of the 30" Cinemas on an 4,1/5,1 out of the box.

Of course no bootscreen. But that's obsolete if you use OpenCore anyway.
 

Canubis

macrumors 6502
Oct 22, 2008
439
556
Vienna, Austria
I found one on Amazon USA. It is not listed as CAC–1010–A rather it is listed as “CAC–1010”… however in the description it says “especially made for Apple cinema displays “, and it also lists the cable type as “A“.

It’s $51.

Here is the link (below)… Does this sound right?

Club 3D CAC-1010 - Videokonverter https://www.amazon.com/Club-3D-Adaptor-DisplayPort-Active/dp/B07TNJFKSR
Difficult to say tbh, but if they say this model works with Cinema Displays it seems to be the right model.

How about this model? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T16LLB8?psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_7GTX88VEPZPPJ0ENFMPC

At least from my location (Austria) I can see a little option to switch between the models with/without HDCP and the one without again mentions in the product titles it's made for Cinema Displays. Also it seems cheaper by a few bucks than the one you found.
 

Diggi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
80
8
Minneapolis
Difficult to say tbh, but if they say this model works with Cinema Displays it seems to be the right model.

How about this model? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T16LLB8?psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_7GTX88VEPZPPJ0ENFMPC

At least from my location (Austria) I can see a little option to switch between the models with/without HDCP and the one without again mentions in the product titles it's made for Cinema Displays. Also it seems cheaper by a few bucks than the one you found.
Thank you. All of this has been very helpful. Now I have to figure out why the 2 NVME drives I bought for my card don’t fit ha ha ha (JC I’m old) - I did not realize there was a left version, and a right version…
 

Attachments

  • 3EB688FE-5C59-422E-8B2B-A51F0E7C6CE2.jpeg
    3EB688FE-5C59-422E-8B2B-A51F0E7C6CE2.jpeg
    600.1 KB · Views: 79
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.