27" Apple Cinema Display and M1 Mac Mini

[Coheebuzz]

I have successfully connected my M1 Mac Mini to my 27" Thunderbolt display, using the Apple TB3->TB2 adapter. Now I am wondering if I can connect a 27" Apple Cinema Display (non TB version) to the HDMI port with an HDMI to DisplayPort Adapter. I found one on Amazon:

FOINNEX HDMI to DisplayPort Adapter, Not Bidirectional HDMI to Display Port, only from HDMI Output to DP Input 4K@60Hz HDMI Male to Display Port Female Converter for Computer, Monitor, PS4, Xbox, NS

FOINNEX HDMI to DisplayPort Adapter, Not Bidirectional HDMI to Display Port, only from HDMI Output to DP Input 4K@60Hz HDMI Male to Display Port Female Converter for Computer, Monitor, PS4, Xbox, NS

www.amazon.com

I reckon I will also need a DisplayPort male to Mini DisplayPort female adapter to get the job done.

Anyone doing this?

That's my setup as well, i am using a CableMatters HDMI > DisplayPort and a C2G DisplayPort > Mini DisplayPort, works great.

 

[Amethyst1]

Because you can only have *one* display connected to the Thunderbolt ports on the M1s. Apple has limited this for some reason.

I wasn't aware of this; thanks for enlightening me.

 

[Paulus_2]

I bought this USB-C to mini Displayport adapter. The Led cinema display 27-inch worked quite well on my Mac mini M1 2020. Ventura is the macOS.
There is one failure. The brightness slider is gone. I don't know if it is a Ventura bug or a hardware problem. The thing is that a third party Lunar app does the job now. So it is not a hardware issue. But a software problem in Ventura. I hope Apple fix, this because with a new version of macOS this Lunar app must be updated too.

 

[MikeC2]

I bought this USB-C to mini Displayport adapter. The Led cinema display 27-inch worked quite well on my Mac mini M1 2020. Ventura is the macOS.
There is one failure. The brightness slider is gone. I don't know if it is a Ventura bug or a hardware problem. The thing is that a third party Lunar app does the job now. So it is not a hardware issue. But a software problem in Ventura. I hope Apple fix, this because with a new version of macOS this Lunar app must be updated too.

I have a similar setup - M1 Ventura Mac with 2012 vintage 27" Cinema Display - ended up paying for Lunar - looks great now. Seems like display is considered obsolete so unlikely to be a software fix

 

[Paulus_2]

Hi MikeC2
I contacted Apple Supoort. They suggested that 27” Led Cinema was probably recognised by macOS as absolute.
But they suggested a free tool in the AppStore for managing brightness

 

[Paulus_2]

That free tool is called MonitorControlLite. https://apps.apple.com/nl/app/monitorcontrol-lite/id1595464182?l=en-GB&mt=12

 

[Colleen R Kitchen]

Anyone successfully connect an old 27" Apple LED Cinema Display (Mini DisplayPort model) to the new M1 Mac mini via a USB-C to Mini DisplayPort Adapter?

There is a post on the Apple forums about a 24" model working fine when connected to a 2019 MacBook Pro, but doesn't work when connected to the M1 Mac mini. In theory it should work, but Apple may be removing support for such displays on the newer hardware.

Any feedback welcome.

I am COMPLETELY confused by all this, but I, too would like my old 2002 Cinema HD Display Model # M8536 to work with my M1 Macbook. I had to buy a very large very expensive adapter for this in the oughts so it would work with the (then) newer Macs of those days. It worked fine up until the M1. I bought yet another adapter to the adapter but it doesn't work. And there is some confusion about whether you have Thunderbolt 2 or Three or something else that looks just like it. and how do you know what you even have if there are interfaces that look the same. I don't know what I have. How would I know. Can I bypass the large old adapter and just hook something DIRECTLY? Has anyone provided a schematic? Because it sounds like we are talking about a family of devices here, that all have different needs.

 

[MikeC2]

I am COMPLETELY confused by all this, but I, too would like my old 2002 Cinema HD Display Model # M8536 to work with my M1 Macbook. I had to buy a very large very expensive adapter for this in the oughts so it would work with the (then) newer Macs of those days. It worked fine up until the M1. I bought yet another adapter to the adapter but it doesn't work. And there is some confusion about whether you have Thunderbolt 2 or Three or something else that looks just like it. and how do you know what you even have if there are interfaces that look the same. I don't know what I have. How would I know. Can I bypass the large old adapter and just hook something DIRECTLY? Has anyone provided a schematic? Because it sounds like we are talking about a family of devices here, that all have different needs.

I think my display is a bit newer (2012) works fine with a generic adaptor. Ended up buying some software to control monitor settings (Lunar) works great.

 

[jido]

I am COMPLETELY confused by all this, but I, too would like my old 2002 Cinema HD Display Model # M8536 to work with my M1 Macbook. I had to buy a very large very expensive adapter for this in the oughts so it would work with the (then) newer Macs of those days. It worked fine up until the M1. I bought yet another adapter to the adapter but it doesn't work. And there is some confusion about whether you have Thunderbolt 2 or Three or something else that looks just like it. and how do you know what you even have if there are interfaces that look the same. I don't know what I have. How would I know. Can I bypass the large old adapter and just hook something DIRECTLY? Has anyone provided a schematic? Because it sounds like we are talking about a family of devices here, that all have different needs.

Do you mean that model?

Wow, that's cool. It looks like it requires DVI (or ADC). Can you share a picture of your adaptors?

 

[RGB-Scart]

Some observations of mine regarding the connection of a 27" Cinema Display (MiniDP, USB & Magsafe 1 cable) to a Macbook Pro 14" M2 Pro:

1. If I connect the MiniDP (using this Adapter) and the USB Cable (using this USB-C dongle) the display sometimes connects, but more often than not it won't and stays black. The Display preferences will recognize the display for a moment but it disappears/appears and so on.

2. The display is recognized after many connections and disconnections, but loses connection after a sleep cycle.

3. The display always connects (and stays connected after sleep) if I connect my old Macbook Pro 13" 2015 to the Magsafe 1 cable (via a Magsafe 1 to 2 adapter).

My conclusion: the Cinema Display has to provide power to "know" that it needs to display an incoming signal. I then tried to use a Magsafe to USB-C adapter to force this behavior, but the adapter did not work. It is maybe a faulty one because the Magsafe LED did not turn on.

What are my options? I sold my old Macbook so I can't use this workaround now.

Thanks in advance!

 

[salamanderjuice]

I am COMPLETELY confused by all this, but I, too would like my old 2002 Cinema HD Display Model # M8536 to work with my M1 Macbook. I had to buy a very large very expensive adapter for this in the oughts so it would work with the (then) newer Macs of those days. It worked fine up until the M1. I bought yet another adapter to the adapter but it doesn't work. And there is some confusion about whether you have Thunderbolt 2 or Three or something else that looks just like it. and how do you know what you even have if there are interfaces that look the same. I don't know what I have. How would I know. Can I bypass the large old adapter and just hook something DIRECTLY? Has anyone provided a schematic? Because it sounds like we are talking about a family of devices here, that all have different needs.

You can't really bypass the ADC to DVI adapter, it's necessary to power the monitor. People have made their own adapters (e.g., https://lookanotherblog.com/diy-adc-adapter/) but they are basically unpicking the existing DVI bits from ADC. Converting to DisplayPort used by USB C would be an extra challenge. Did your previous Macs all have DVI? I did have my ADC Cinema Display working by USB C on a 2018 MBP through USB C with an adapter and it still works that way with my current PCs.

How are you trying to hook it up now? ADC to DVI to USB C?

 

[Mactalent]

I just bought an M2 Mac Mini. I have the

Apple Thunderbolt Display 27-Inch - MC914LL/A - A1407​

I contacted Uptab about their
https://www.amazon.com/UPTab-USB-C-...3765&sprefix=uptab+thunderbolt,aps,116&sr=8-3

UPTab USB C to Mini DisplayPort Adapter​

They responded in less than 24 hours, and told me it would NOT work with my display, and to buy the Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adaptor. I did so and the Apple adaptor worked! It's $49, a lot more than the others, but it lets me use my beautiful display, with its camera, microphone, and speakers. The $49 adaptor cost is a lot less than I'd pay for a camera, microphone, and speakers!