Is it possible to connect a WiiU to an iMac?

[the8thark]

Is it possible to connect a WiiU to an iMac? And use the iMac's screen as the display for the WiiU? And use all the WiiU internals, ie same thing as via the TV, only difference is swap the screen from TV to iMac?

I was thinking a HDMI to another port, possibly TB (if that even exists) might do the job. But I just don't know. Would anyone have an idea of how to do this ? And if it is even possible?

And would there have to be special considerations for the audio?

 

[musicpenguy]

If I'm not mistaken the 27" iMac has an HDMI input so you can use it as an external display - that should work

 

[gkarris]

No, Target Display Mode requires the source to have MiniDisplay or ThunderBolt ports...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3924

 

[musicpenguy]

I believe Kanex and other companies have made Mini Display port to HDMI for this purpose.

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http://www.kanexlive.com/xd

This box will do the trick for you

 

[AcesHigh87]

I believe Kanex and other companies have made Mini Display port to HDMI for this purpose.

----------

http://www.kanexlive.com/xd

This box will do the trick for you

That only works for pre-thunderbolt macs. Any mac that has a thunderbolt port rather than simply a mini-display and you're wasting your money.

Therefore it really depends what iMac the OP has

 

[neoelectronaut]

I use the Kanex XD adapter on my iMac, though it's a pre-thunderbolt model.

Whenever it kicks the bucket or I decide to get a new Mac I'll probably get a standard monitor to use in conjunction with a Mac Mini or Macbook Air so I can keep running a similar setup.

 

[blesscheese]

Whenever it kicks the bucket or I decide to get a new Mac I'll probably get a standard monitor to use in conjunction with a Mac Mini or Macbook Air so I can keep running a similar setup.

That's my setup...I have a HDMI-to-DVI converter cable (cheap on Amazon) hooking up my Wii U to my Dell monitor, and have the Mac hooked up via the displayport cable.

The only problem I encountered was recently with Zelda...it's detailed in another post, but, for whatever reason, every other game played the sound out through the gamepad ok, so I could just wear headphones. Wind Waker has required me to hook up my old Wii composite cables to get sound out.

Of course, the solution would be to get a computer monitor with sound/built-in speakers, or something.

 

[neoelectronaut]

Speakers that are built-in to monitors are almost universally terrible though.

 

[sampson01]

wii u hooked up to mid 2010 27 inch iMac

Hey all, new to this forum so... I have no TV and want to use my iMac as the display for my wii u. I just bought a mini display port to hdmi converter for about 5 bucks on eBay. Hooked everything up and tried to go into target display mode by hitting cmd + f2 (well, fn + cmd + f2) This has no effect whatsoever. What the heck am I doing wrong? Very frustrating...

 

[pdjudd]

Hey all, new to this forum so... I have no TV and want to use my iMac as the display for my wii u. I just bought a mini display port to hdmi converter for about 5 bucks on eBay. Hooked everything up and tried to go into target display mode by hitting cmd + f2 (well, fn + cmd + f2) This has no effect whatsoever. What the heck am I doing wrong? Very frustrating...

As stated above:

No, Target Display Mode requires the source to have MiniDisplay or ThunderBolt ports...

The Wii & Wii U do not have this so it will not work.

 

[sampson01]

So what you're saying is that the picture by Neoelectronaut a couple posts above mine is a fake?

 

[pdjudd]

So what you're saying is that the picture by Neoelectronaut a couple posts above mine is a fake?

no. His mac is a pre thunderbolt mac which can work. That doesn't negate my statement.

He is using an adapter of some kind with mini display port. You need to hav a pre thunderbolt mac as mentoned above and the right adaptor to make it work. If yo don't - you are likley SOL.

 

[sampson01]

I do have a pre-thunderbolt Imac. I guess I can't get this thing to go into target display mode because I don't have the right adapter. Again, it's just a five dollar "premium mini display port to HDMI" adapter. I'm not sure if it matters or not but my mac is a single core i3

 

[pdjudd]

In that case, you are going to need something like that what was posted above:

http://www.kanexlive.com/xd

Whatever adapter you have isn’t going to be enough. It’s not doing the proper conversion. It’s likely just designed for video conversion and that’s it. It’s not a proper display source.

 

[lpolarityl]

The Avermedia ExtremeCap U3 should work for the later thunderbolt based iMacs. It is the only product that I know of that allows you to play games on current iMacs.

 

[cmChimera]

The Avermedia ExtremeCap U3 should work for the later thunderbolt based iMacs. It is the only product that I know of that allows you to play games on current iMacs.

Would this also work for MacBook Pro? I would imagine so, but I can't find anyone that's tried it.

edit: noticed its usb 3.0 so definitely should.

 

[the king1223]

I use the Kanex XD adapter on my iMac, though it's a pre-thunderbolt model.

Whenever it kicks the bucket or I decide to get a new Mac I'll probably get a standard monitor to use in conjunction with a Mac Mini or Macbook Air so I can keep running a similar setup.

[doublepost=1532101096][/doublepost]is that a 21 inch mac???????

 

[neoelectronaut]

[doublepost=1532101096][/doublepost]is that a 21 inch mac???????

It was a 27" 2010 model. Long since replaced with a 2016 Macbook Pro. I still have the Kanex XD adapter floating around if anyone would like to buy it off me, since I have no use for it anymore.

 

[the king1223]

does it work on a 24inch mid2007 model??? (your kanex xd adapter)

 

[neoelectronaut]

Unfortunately I'm fairly certain it only works on the late 2009 and mid 2010 27-inch iMacs.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204592

 

[Utanova]

I have a late 2015 21-inch iMac, is there any other way for me to connect my wii u to my iMac?

 

[ImaCowBRO]

I use the Kanex XD adapter on my iMac, though it's a pre-thunderbolt model.

Whenever it kicks the bucket or I decide to get a new Mac I'll probably get a standard monitor to use in conjunction with a Mac Mini or Macbook Air so I can keep running a similar setup.

I have everything hooked up, but how do I get to the wiiu home menu?

 

[neoelectronaut]

I have everything hooked up, but how do I get to the wiiu home menu?

Command + F2 invokes the Target Display Mode feature.

Also make sure the Wii U is outputting in 720p, as the Kanex XD doesn't support anything higher.