Run 27" iMac screen from non-unibody MBP with DualLink DVI?

[shreddy]

Anyone know if the Mini DiplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter can be used to drive the new 27" iMac screen from an older non unibody MBP with a dual-link DVI?

The blurb on the adapter seems to imply its not bidirectional.. is that right?? But I don't see why that should be the case, no?

 

[rdowty]

I seriously doubt that would work.

 

[old-wiz]

Apple has not announced what adapter you need to get video input to the 27" iMac. Most likely it's a special cable that is not currently available.

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

Anyone know if the Mini DiplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter can be used to drive the new 27" iMac screen from an older non unibody MBP with a dual-link DVI?

The blurb on the adapter seems to imply its not bidirectional.. is that right?? But I don't see why that should be the case, no?

No, that is only for going from Mini DP out of a new Mac to a DVI monitor. It doesn't work the other way around. You need a powered converter to do that, but the only ones I know of don't support that resolution.

http://www.atlona.com/Atlona-DVI-to-Mini-DisplayPort-Converter-p-17859.html

http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=8913

http://estore.circuitassembly.com/products/DVI-to-Mini-Displayport-Adapter.html

 

[Techhie]

While the Dual-link DVI cable is capable of pushing the pixels to the display, it isn't designed as a video input source and thus won't work.We will likely have to wait for yet another proprietary (and expensive) adapter from the folks in Cupertino.

 

[dyn]

No this won't work. The mDP input can only speak DisplayPort so you need to have something that talks DisplayPort. Adapters like the dual link DVI one are meant to hook up dual link DVI displays to a Mac with mini DisplayPort port. The language they speak will be DVI (the mDP port is just a port, whatever is behind it can output VGA, DVI and DisplayPort). DVI is something different than DisplayPort and that's why it won't work. Currently there are no adapters that I know of that can convert things like VGA, DVI and HDMI to DisplayPort.

The mini DisplayPort is now part of the open DisplayPort standard. Apple currently uses the DisplayPort standard so there is no way there will be any proprietary adapter (when using an open standard something like that is quite impossible). Actually there are companies like Monoprice and Circuit Assembly that already have a lot of DisplayPort products with the normal DisplayPort connector and the mini DisplayPort connector. The only big advantage with Apple's mini DisplayPort is the loss of audio. This creates a bit of a problem for HDMI converters, they have to get the audio elsewhere (most adapters use usb for that).

 

[mpuck972]

Apple has not announced what adapter you need to get video input to the 27" iMac. Most likely it's a special cable that is not currently available.

Its the Mini Display Port to Mini Display Port cable from Belkin available on the Apple site. They are also available in the store. I picked one up along with the 27" iMac today and it works fine when connecting my 15" MBP to it. Only quirk is to make sure both computers are on before plugging the cable in. As soon as you plug one end of the cable into the iMac, the screen goes dark looking for signal. And yes the iMac has to be on for the display to work.

 

[shreddy]

Its the Mini Display Port to Mini Display Port cable from Belkin available on the Apple site. They are also available in the store. I picked one up along with the 27" iMac today and it works fine when connecting my 15" MBP to it.

Errr... nope! I'm asking about non-unibody MBPs - that means ones that don't have Mini Display Port, but do have Dual-Link DVI!


Anyways, it sounds like I can't do what I was thinking about anyways, least not for a while, which is probably good as it helps keep me from pulling the trigger! I use the MBP more than my Mini, so would be better to upgrade the MBP before getting an 27" screen with free Mac Don't suppose any ideas when the next MBP refresh will be? LOL