Macbook-Mini-DVI to DVI Question

[MajereXYU]

Hello!

I will be buying a Macbook soon and I plan on using an external monitor when at home.

I will buy the Apple Mini-DVI to DVI adaptor to be able to plug the Macbook in a LCD monitor or HFTV.

For a couple weeks though, I will use the Macbook on a VGA CRT monitor.

My question is :

Can I go from mini-DVI --> DVI --> VGA with a DVI to VGA adaptor??

If not, I guess I'll have to buy both Apple adaptors...

thanks!

 

[lordj4000]

Unfortunately no, you can't . I had a friend who wanted to do exactly that only to find out that the dvi -> vga adapter had extra pins and would not fit into anything other than a powerbook or macbookpro.

 

[Fleetwood Mac]

I don't think you can. Apple has done some tricky things involving extra pins to ensure users don't do just that. Or maybe its just to try and make the connection tighter...Either way it won't fit. I know someone that filed down the pins, but he had to tape his adapters together. It isn't all that pretty.

 

[MajereXYU]

I see...

I'll buy the mini-DVI to VGA then and when I get the LCD, I'll use the VGA or buy another adaptor and sell the other one...

 

[yippy]

Won't work, you will have to get a mini-DVI->VGA adapter.

One quick technicality on the pins bit. A normal DVI connection actually has two "sets" of pins, one for the DVI signal and one for the older VGA signal. Apple's mini-DVI -> DVI adapter only caries through the DVI signal and so the pin holes for the VGA signal are not there to be used by the DVI->VGA adapter. In other words, those extra pins are what collect the VGA signal, so removing them will make the adapter useless to ANY DVI port.

 

[MajereXYU]

Clever Apple....

So I need to buy both.