Trouble using a late 2009 iMac as a display

[CaueCanem]

Hi, I own a late 2009 iMac (model 1312), running OS X El Capitan version 10.11.6, and i was trying to use it as a display for my late 2013 Mac Pro, running Monterey version 12.7.3, using a HDMI to minidisplay port to connect the 2. Now i was hoping that the baked-in target display mode would work, but nothing happens when i press Cmd-F2, and some short research only lead to 2 solutions, neither of which worked (namely using a windows keyboard, and using a minidisplay port to minidisplay port cable, which i cannot do since my Mac Pro doesn't have a diplay port output). Of course tried restarting them both, to no effect.

Am I missing something obvious here ?

Thanks to you all in advance.

 

[Bigwaff]

Am I missing something obvious here ?

The support page indicate your iMac needs to be High Sierra or older and your 2013 Mac Pro needs to be Catalina or older. The page published in 2024.

Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support

Target display mode is a feature available with certain older Mac models.

support.apple.com

 

[CaueCanem]

The support page indicate your iMac needs to be High Sierra or older and your 2013 Mac Pro needs to be Catalina or older. The page published in 2024.

Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support

Target display mode is a feature available with certain older Mac models.

support.apple.com

So my only option would be to downgrade my mac pro? Unfortunately that's really unpractical for me, is there a workaround?

 

[DeltaMac]

Have you tried a mini DisplayPort to mini Displayport cable? (HDMI not directly supported by target display mode.)
Good to look for a mini Displayport cable that mentions compatibility with Thunderbolt, but often is not a real issue if the ports are right. (Look at the article linked above, there's no mention of HDMI.

 

[Juicy Box]

The support page indicate your iMac needs to be High Sierra or older and your 2013 Mac Pro needs to be Catalina or older. The page published in 2024.

Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support

Target display mode is a feature available with certain older Mac models.

support.apple.com

With this being a non-TB iMac that is capable of TDM, it should still work even with the source Mac’s OS being beyond what Apple says would work.

I have used TDM on a Mid 2010 with an AS Mac on Ventura.

 

[Juicy Box]

using a HDMI to minidisplay port to connect the 2.

This is probably your issue. Try using a USBC Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort, but it will just be plug and play if you do.

If not, use the keyboard presses to activate TDM.

 

[Juicy Box]

This is a cable that I use:

Monoprice Active USBC to MiniDP

Here is a Mini DisplayPort Cable that should work.

The description says it isn't for Target Display Mode, but it looks like that was due to a lot of returns from people trying to use it with a TB iMac as the target Mac. The Late 2009 iMac doesn't have TB, but it does have Mini DisplayPort.

 

[DeltaMac]

hmmm.... OP has a 2009 iMac (no USB-C there, but has a mini displayport (mDP)), and a 2013 Mac Pro (also no USB-C, but has 6 mini displayports.)
A simple mDP to mDP cable should work.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

hmmm.... OP has a 2009 iMac (no USB-C there, but has a mini displayport (mDP)), and a 2013 Mac Pro (also no USB-C, but has 6 mini displayports.)
A simple mDP to mDP cable should work.

Probably he was confused about the names of various Mac computer models, and calling his Macbook Pro 2013 "Mac Pro 2013".
It's a common mistake a Vietnamese like me usually makes.
And the ports on those Macbook pro and MacPro are named Thunderbolt....

 

[Significant1]

Hi, I own a late 2009 iMac (model 1312), running OS X El Capitan version 10.11.6, and i was trying to use it as a display for my late 2013 Mac Pro, running Monterey version 12.7.3, using a HDMI to minidisplay port to connect the 2. Now i was hoping that the baked-in target display mode would work, but nothing happens when i press Cmd-F2, and some short research only lead to 2 solutions, neither of which worked (namely using a windows keyboard, and using a minidisplay port to minidisplay port cable, which i cannot do since my Mac Pro doesn't have a diplay port output). Of course tried restarting them both, to no effect.

Am I missing something obvious here ?

Thanks to you all in advance.

Try fn+cmd+f2

 

[Juicy Box]

hmmm.... OP has a 2009 iMac (no USB-C there, but has a mini displayport (mDP)), and a 2013 Mac Pro (also no USB-C, but has 6 mini displayports.)
A simple mDP to mDP cable should work.

Probably he was confused about the names of various Mac computer models, and calling his Macbook Pro 2013 "Mac Pro 2013".

Yikes, I did get confused, but it was my fault, not the OP's. I initially read the post while waiting to get a haircut, and responded after getting my haircut, but falsely remembered as a a 2017 iMac Pro for the source Mac.

I should have reread prior to posting, and would have caught it as the 2013 Mac Pro.

I just hope the OP didn't get the USBC cable I recommended. I will change my post.

A simple mDP to mDP cable should work.

@CaueCanem This is correct. Sorry for the mix up.

 

[CaueCanem]

Thanks to you all for the replies !

I think my main confusion came from the TB 2 ports being also mDP ports. I thought they used different protocols and a straight connexion wouldn't work, but apparently it should. I will buy the cable recommended by @Juicy Box , and I will come back with the results !

Oh and btw it really is a mac pro 2013, the infamous trashcan desing

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Thanks to you all for the replies !

I think my main confusion came from the TB 2 ports being also mDP ports. I thought they used different protocols and a straight connexion wouldn't work, but apparently it should. I will buy the cable recommended by @Juicy Box , and I will come back with the results !

Oh and btw it really is a mac pro 2013, the infamous trashcan desing

Now after you have confirmed that you have the notorious trash-can Mac Pro 2013, my curiosity is derived to the HDMI. You used a HDMI to miniDisplayPort to connect to iMac 2009. But where does you plug the HDMI end of the cable/adapter to?

 

[CaueCanem]

Now after you have confirmed that you have the notorious trash-can Mac Pro 2013, my curiosity is derived to the HDMI. You used a HDMI to miniDisplayPort to connect to iMac 2009. But where does you plug the HDMI end of the cable/adapter to?

To the HDMI port on the trashcan itself, why?

 

[DeltaMac]

Juicy Box incorrectly recommended that cable for use with a 2017 iMac Pro, so won't be something that will help you.
Check post #11 before you waste your time ordering a USB-C cable

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

To the HDMI port on the trashcan itself, why?

My mistake. I didn't know that the is a HDMI port on the trashcan.

For HDMI to Displayport (normal size) connection, you need to use a cable that clearly specify that it would transmit signal from HDMI end to DP end. Such cables are not very common and more expensive than the common DP to HDMI cable.
This type of cable usually has an extra USB-A end to supply more current to the conversion circuitry inside, as the HDMI port doesn't provide enough current for that task.

For HDMI to mDP, I haven't found one on sales....

 

[CaueCanem]

Juicy Box incorrectly recommended that cable for use with a 2017 iMac Pro, so won't be something that will help you.
Check post #11 before you waste your time ordering a USB-C cable

Yes i saw all that, and by "the cable recommended by @Juicy Box" i meant the mdP to mdP they posted after they realised they were wrong.

For HDMI to mDP, I haven't found one on sales....

I don't know how common these cables are, but i found this one in a box of various cable left behind by my father. Here is a picture, in case you were curious

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Yes i saw all that, and by "the cable recommended by @Juicy Box" i meant the mdP to mdP they posted after they realised they were wrong.

I don't know how common these cables are, but i found this one in a box of various cable left behind by my father. Here is a picture, in case you were curious

I can pretty sure that the cable in your photo is just a miniDisplayPort to HDMI.
Those cables are unidirectional.
I have 2 of those.

As you can have a much simpler mDP to mDP cable to connect between the 2 Mac, we don't need to discuss further on this item.
But for your reference, there should be a combination of 2 things
HDMI to DP (female) active adapter
DP to mDP cable.

Something like this:

BENFEI HDMI to DisplayPort, Uni-Directional HDMI (Source) to DisplayPort (Display) Adapter 4K@60Hz/2K@144Hz/1080P@165Hz Compatible with Laptop, Xbox 360 One, PS4 PS3 Device

BENFEI HDMI to DisplayPort, Uni-Directional HDMI (Source) to DisplayPort (Display) Adapter 4K@60Hz/2K@144Hz/1080P@165Hz Compatible with Laptop, Xbox 360 One, PS4 PS3 Device

www.amazon.com

More information can be found in the below article:

6 Pitfalls When Buying an HDMI to DisplayPort Adapter

It should be simple, but it's not.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[EugW]

The support page indicate your iMac needs to be High Sierra or older and your 2013 Mac Pro needs to be Catalina or older. The page published in 2024.

Use your iMac as a display with target display mode - Apple Support

Target display mode is a feature available with certain older Mac models.

support.apple.com

Apple's page on this is incorrect. You can run newer machines with newer OSes as the video source with these 2009/2010 27" iMacs in Target Display Mode. You can even use Windows machines or iPads as the video source. Here is my iPad Pro M4 (iPadOS 17) with 2010 Core i7 iMac.

Also, AFAIK, the 24" iMacs from that era don't support this despite the claim that they do on that Apple support page.

 

[Amethyst1]

Also, AFAIK, the 24" iMacs from that era don't support this despite the claim that they do on that Apple support page.

That claim is totally incorrect as there are no 24" iMacs from that era, just 21.5" ones (no TDM) and 27" ones (TDM).

 

[EugW]

That claim is totally incorrect as there are no 24" iMacs from that era, just 21.5" ones (no TDM) and 27" ones (TDM).

Well, there is an early 2009 24" iMac. I guess that is what they were referring to. No TDM though.

 

[Amethyst1]

Well, there is an early 2009 24" iMac. I guess that is what they were referring to.

Now that you mention it… yup. The 21.5in replaced it in October 2009.