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iMac + external Monitor

W

wshld

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
26
0
I just received an external monitor( Dell 2007 wfp) i bought from ebay. I want to use it as a 2nd monitor with my iMac. I have the Power cable and the DVI cable. I know i have to buy the miniDVI to DVI adapter, but then what ?

I heard that i had to buy an extension cuz the adapter is only 6" long(if yes, which one do I have to buy ?).

I plug the adapter to both monitor, then i plug the power cable and that's all?

Thanks for the info.
 
i believe all you have to do is purchase the miniDVI cable. attach the miniDVI to your imac and from there attach the DVI cable that came with the Dell monitor.
 
all you do is purchase a mini-DVI to DVI adapter, plug the adapter into the iMac then plug the DVI cable that came with the monitor into the end of the adapter and into the dell monitor
 
Thanks guys. But will the adapter be long enough to go to both end of the monitors ? I really doubt it.
 
wshld said:
Thanks guys. But will the adapter be long enough to go to both end of the monitors ? I really doubt it.
Click to expand...

The adapter itself is very short (as you mentioned). The idea is that most monitors come with their own DVI and VGA cables. So, there is usually no need for the adapter to be any longer.

If your monitor did not come with it's own DVI cable, then you will need to obtain one.

You could probably find one at your local Mac store or perhaps Apple directly.

As for which to get, there is generally only one that is common. But, I don't know the proper terminology there.

But, the cable that came with my monitor is a DVI-D cable. It seems that there is another kind of DVI cable, but I cannot remember what the other one is. But, if you get a DVI-D cable, then you should be fine. I've used that monitor and cable with both my Mac Mini and the Mac Pro.

The connector on the Mini and Pro should be just like the connector on the Apple adapter you are getting.
 
Wanted to piggy back on this thread rather than starting a new one....hope you don't mind. :)

Similar question. (And probably stupid, but these connectors confuse me). I'll be picking up a new 24" iMac as soon as Leopard hits to replace my aging G5 Powermac. (giving it to my 5 year old daughter for uh, kindergarten duties, LOL).

Anywho, I'm going to want to connect my 20" Cinema Display as a 2nd monitor to the iMac. Do I need the same connector? Mini-DVI to DVI? It's a 2 year old 20" CD.

Thanks!
 
rotlex said:
Wanted to piggy back on this thread rather than starting a new one....hope you don't mind. :)

Similar question. (And probably stupid, but these connectors confuse me). I'll be picking up a new 24" iMac as soon as Leopard hits to replace my aging G5 Powermac. (giving it to my 5 year old daughter for uh, kindergarten duties, LOL).

Anywho, I'm going to want to connect my 20" Cinema Display as a 2nd monitor to the iMac. Do I need the same connector? Mini-DVI to DVI? It's a 2 year old 20" CD.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Depends on which 20-inch Cinema Display you have.

If you have the older one with an ADC connector, then you'll need a mini-DVI to ADC adapter.

If you have the one released late in 2005 with a DVI connector, then yes, you should get the Mini-DVI to DVI adapter.

I tried to get a clue from your information about the G5 you've been using it with. But, it looks like the Power Mac G5 came with both an ADC and DVI port until the newer models introduced in 2005.

So, I guess you'll need to determine which connector your monitor has, and then go from there.
 
flyinmac said:
Depends on which 20-inch Cinema Display you have.

If you have the older one with an ADC connector, then you'll need a mini-DVI to ADC adapter.

If you have the one released late in 2005 with a DVI connector, then yes, you should get the Mini-DVI to DVI adapter.

I tried to get a clue from your information about the G5 you've been using it with. But, it looks like the Power Mac G5 came with both an ADC and DVI port until the newer models introduced in 2005.

So, I guess you'll need to determine which connector your monitor has, and then go from there.
Click to expand...

Thanks....I hate getting confused over cable types, LOL. My Cinema Display is from somewhere in 2005. I don't remember buying any special adapters in order to connect to my Radeon x800xt Mac edition.

In looking at the thing, I believe it's a DVI port\plug, but I'll have to try and find the manual on the thing. It's the ADC vs DVI thing that confuses me regarding what the ports and connectors actually look like. :confused:
 
Leon Kowalski said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Display_Connector

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini-DVI


...same thing, only different.

LK
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links! (Actually just found them before checking here) :)

Helpful - now, to get home, and actually determine if my CD has the DVI or ADC. They look so darn similar other than the more "rounded" looking edges on the ADC connector. I THINK I have the DVI type on my display. (roughly 2005 model, aluminum Cinema).

Thanks again.
 
rotlex said:
Thanks for the links! (Actually just found them before checking here) :)

Helpful - now, to get home, and actually determine if my CD has the DVI or ADC. They look so darn similar other than the more "rounded" looking edges on the ADC connector. I THINK I have the DVI type on my display. (roughly 2005 model, aluminum Cinema).

Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Let us know what you find.

They are similar if you look at the pins. But, if you compare both the pins and the shield on the plug and the plastic surround on the monitor's connector, it should become obvious which one you are looking at.
 
wow

that sounds like a waste of time an effort buy something more useful like a mac monitor.:mad:
 
andy721 said:
that sounds like a waste of time an effort buy something more useful like a mac monitor.:mad:
Click to expand...

If you are referring to the guy with the Cinema Display, then that is a Mac monitor. That is the problem.

Apple likes to make proprietary things (like ADC). And, sometimes you have to use an adapter to make an Apple product work with a later Apple product.

If he had a generic monitor, then it would likely plug straight into a DVI connector.

But, either way, if he has a monitor he likes, then by all means keep using it. Once he has it connected, it will be as good as any other monitor he might use.

Given the odds of getting a new screen with some defective / dead / stuck pixels, and other concerns, I'd say stick with the monitor you already have if you are happy with it.

Now, if you are talking about the guy with the Dell monitor, then it is not an issue of it being a non-Apple monitor. His monitor has a DVI connector just like any other monitor currently made by Apple.

There are no monitors that I have seen shipping with a Mini-DVI connector. At least not from Apple. So, any monitor he uses is going to require an adapter to make it work (the mini-DVI connector is only used on the computer side. The monitor side uses a full-sized connector). Might as well use whatever screen he likes.
 
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