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retlif

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Original poster
Feb 2, 2020
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I wanted to ask if anyone has connected the Apple Cinema Displays (23" and 30") to their Mac Studio and if so, how?

Do they work smoothly?

TIA
 
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EugW

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Jun 18, 2017
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These monitors work fine with the M1 Mac mini with the appropriate adapters according to several posters here, but I too would like to know how well they work with the Mac Studio. (I intend to use a 30" ACD with an M1 Pro or M2 Mac mini.)

Note though, it would preferable to know which years/versions of the displays you have. It's important since sometime in late 2006 or early 2007, Apple adopted HDCP support in these monitors, and that would affect which adapter versions you would need to get to make these work properly.
 
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retlif

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Original poster
Feb 2, 2020
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Yes, I've read those threads but I'd be happy to take the current findings in one place. I think the arrival of Mac Studio is a good opportunity because many of the existing cMP users will probably switch to Studio.

I have a set of 23" and 30" both without HDCP support.

I understand that in general there are two options:

1. buy a modern USB C to Dual Link DVI Active Adapter from CableCreation depending on your monitor version: HDCP OFF or HDCP ON.

2. use original Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter + regular and inexpensive Mini DisplayPort to USB C adapter from e.g. JSAUX

As I understand both methods you can connect ACD 30" without any problem to M1 (?) and monitor works with native resolution?

But it is not clear to me if in case of 23" only DVI to Mini DispalyPort + Mini DisplayPort to USB C duo is enough ?
 

AlteMac

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Jul 21, 2011
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The only adapter I have tried that worked consistently with M1 Mini and ACD 30" (2008) the Club CAC1510A with HDCP off. I got mine on Amazon. After you set resolution to the native 2560 x 1600 the first time it keeps it there. Other adapters I tried would drop the signal if the display was off and needed to be reconnected everytime the system wakes up, a real PITA. (I am assuming this will work from a Studio but have not tried it).


Adapter for TB4 to Apple CINEMA2.jpeg ADAPTER FOR TB4 to Apple Cinema.jpeg is
 

bsbeamer

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Sep 19, 2012
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^^^

Regardless of which brand adapter someone uses, make sure it is ACTIVE and not passive.
 

LonestarOne

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Sep 13, 2019
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But it is not clear to me if in case of 23" only DVI to Mini DispalyPort + Mini DisplayPort to USB C duo is enough ?

I used this one.

 

iSee

macrumors 68040
Oct 25, 2004
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I used this one.

I believe that's the exact adapter I'm using with my old 23" Cinema Display too.
Everything seems to work. It is at 1920 X 1200.
 

EugW

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Jun 18, 2017
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But it is not clear to me if in case of 23" only DVI to Mini DispalyPort + Mini DisplayPort to USB C duo is enough ?
For my 23" Cinema HD Display, I just used an old $10 no-name eBay USB-C to mini-DP adapter I had lying around, and connected that to a mini-DP to DVI cable. Worked fine.

YMMV, but let's just say it's heluvalot easier to get the 23" Cinema HD Display to work with modern USB-C Macs than it is to get the 30" Cinema HD Display working with the same Macs.
 
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retlif

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Original poster
Feb 2, 2020
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The 30" ACD without Dual-Link also has problems on Intels - although the monitor works without it but there is a characteristic flicker (green/blue or red snow) on the dark backgrounds. I have the original Dual-Link adapter from Apple and I'm curious if it will work with the Studio...
 

phrenologist

macrumors member
Aug 3, 2007
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The 30" ACD without Dual-Link also has problems on Intels - although the monitor works without it but there is a characteristic flicker (green/blue or red snow) on the dark backgrounds. I have the original Dual-Link adapter from Apple and I'm curious if it will work with the Studio...
I have used the Club3D adapter to connect a 30” Cinema HD display and a Mac Studio (and other modern Macs) and it is the only thing between the display and the Mac. It replaces the Apple dual link adapter.
 
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tevion5

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Jul 12, 2011
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I wanted to ask if anyone has connected the Apple Cinema Displays (23" and 30") to their Mac Studio and if so, how?

Do they work smoothly?

TIA
I haven't tried it on mine but I had great success with this solution on my Mac pro 2019.
Would be surprised if it wouldn't work on the Mac Studio too.

 

LonestarOne

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Sep 13, 2019
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I wanted to ask if anyone has connected the Apple Cinema Displays (23" and 30") to their Mac Studio and if so, how?

Do they work smoothly?

TIA

I hooked up my 23” using this DVI-to-USBC adapter. Easy peasy.

 
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retlif

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 2, 2020
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Cool! Thanks!

Maybe someone has already tried Studio with 30"?
 

retlif

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 2, 2020
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Thanks phrenologist! I understand you didn't try the Apple dual link adapter + USB C/DisplayPort connection or did you try it and it didn't work?
 

zoltm

macrumors member
May 9, 2017
85
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I wanted to ask if anyone has connected the Apple Cinema Displays (23" and 30") to their Mac Studio and if so, how?

Do they work smoothly?

TIA
Thanks for asking this question, I am personally interested too. As a contribution to the discussion, I am currently using an Apple Cinema Display 30" with HDCP on support with the Club 1510A - HDCP off adaptor with a M1 MacBook Air.

In principle, all works fine and I really like the image quality of the combo. I do have some issues with the wakeup but base on the research have conducted thus far, I believe that is a problem with the failed/aged 3V voltage regulator in the Apple Cinema Display control board.

I can sleep the computer and display, it would wake up, but it fail to properly kick up the 30" display most of the time, strangely, if upon short sleep, e.g. an hour or so, the display would wake up fine. However, if it is an overnight sleep, most of the time, it won't wake up fine. I have to power reset the display to get the display wakeup properly. As a result, I installed the power cable to the display with an easy to access on/off switch to work around the problem.

I can't complaint much as I get the 30" Cinema Display real cheap and it's by far the highest image quality display I have ever used, I imagine I will stick with the issue until the display die.

Hope this help. I think it would be a safe bet for one with the Mac Studio!
 
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EugW

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Jun 18, 2017
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As a contribution to the discussion, I am currently using an Apple Cinema Display 30" with HDCP on support with the Club 1510A - HDCP off adaptor with a M1 MacBook Air.
You aren't going to get the HDCP-on adapter? Just curious.

If it matters to you, that should* give you 1080p Netflix and Disney+ support in Safari, as well as Apple TV+ app support.

*I can't confirm this myself, since I don't have an M series Mac yet, nor do I have the Club-3D HDCP-on adapter. However, I did confirm it worked with my USB-C 12" MacBook and a CableCreation adapter, which looks identical to the Club-3D one. 1080p Netflix (in Safari) looks soooo much better than 720p Netflix (in Chrome) on that 30" ACD.
 
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zoltm

macrumors member
May 9, 2017
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You aren't going to get the HDCP-on adapter? Just curious.

If it matters to you, that should* give you 1080p Netflix and Disney+ support in Safari, as well as Apple TV+ app support.

*I can't confirm this myself, since I don't have an M series Mac yet, nor do I have the Club-3D HDCP-on adapter. However, I did confirm it worked with my USB-C 12" MacBook and a CableCreation adapter, which looks identical to the Club-3D one. 1080p Netflix (in Safari) looks soooo much better than 720p Netflix (in Chrome) on that 30" ACD.
@EugW You raised an interesting question that make me always puzzled. Below is the EDID export I get from SwitchresX,

-----------------------------------------------------
------------ EXTENSION EDID BLOCK 1 ---------------
-----------------------------------------------------

DI-EXT: Digital Interface Extension:
------------------------------------
Version: 1
Digital Interface:
Supported Digital Interface: DVI Dual Link - High Resolution
Data Enable Signal Usage Available
Data Enable Signal High
Edge of Shift Clock: Not specified
HDCP is supported
Digital Receivers do not support Double Clocking of Input Data
Packetized Digital Video is not supported
Data Formats: 48-Bit MSB-Aligned RGB (Dual Link - High Resolution)
Minimum Pixel Clock Frequency Per Link: 1 MHz
Maximum Pixel Clock Frequency Per Link: 165 MHz
Crossover Frequency: 165 MHz

I suppose I do have a Apple Cinema HD Display 30" that support HDCP.

However, I do not know how to see the resolution I am viewing with Netflix. Can you tell me? I do know how to get those stat info in YouTube but I never manage to find those info at Netflix.

Thanks a lot.
 

EugW

macrumors G5
Jun 18, 2017
13,835
11,620
@EugW You raised an interesting question that make me always puzzled. Below is the EDID export I get from SwitchresX,

-----------------------------------------------------
------------ EXTENSION EDID BLOCK 1 ---------------
-----------------------------------------------------

DI-EXT: Digital Interface Extension:
------------------------------------
Version: 1
Digital Interface:
Supported Digital Interface: DVI Dual Link - High Resolution
Data Enable Signal Usage Available
Data Enable Signal High
Edge of Shift Clock: Not specified
HDCP is supported
Digital Receivers do not support Double Clocking of Input Data
Packetized Digital Video is not supported
Data Formats: 48-Bit MSB-Aligned RGB (Dual Link - High Resolution)
Minimum Pixel Clock Frequency Per Link: 1 MHz
Maximum Pixel Clock Frequency Per Link: 165 MHz
Crossover Frequency: 165 MHz

I suppose I do have a Apple Cinema HD Display 30" that support HDCP.

However, I do not know how to see the resolution I am viewing with Netflix. Can you tell me? I do know how to get those stat info in YouTube but I never manage to find those info at Netflix.

Thanks a lot.
One way to check is to log into Netflix in Safari, and try to play a movie. If it doesn't work then HDCP isn't working. If it works, then search for "Test Patterns". Play one of the 2160p test patterns and see what it defaults to.

You can see here on my 30" ACD with HDCP, it defaults to 1080p.

Screen Shot 2022-04-22 at 10.20.32 PM.png


Screen Shot 2022-04-22 at 10.20.56 PM.png


If it works for you in Chrome without HDCP, it would default to 720p.
 

retlif

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 2, 2020
79
34
I bought two USBC to miniDP adapters from JSAUX. I did a small test with MacBook Pro 16" from 2019 (with Catalina).

To my surprise the ACD 30" worked without a problem connected via USBC to mDP -> Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter while the ACD 23" with USBC to mDP -> mDP to DVI did not work :-O

I expected the exact opposite result!
 
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EugW

macrumors G5
Jun 18, 2017
13,835
11,620
I bought two USBC to miniDP adapters from JSAUX. I did a small test with MacBook Pro 16" from 2019 (with Catalina).

To my surprise the ACD 30" worked without a problem connected via USBC to mDP -> Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter
This worked for me with my 12” MacBook. The USB-C to mini-DP adapter was some random no-name model I found on eBay.


while the ACD 23" with USBC to mDP -> mDP to DVI did not work :-O
IIRC I used a USB-C to HDMI adapter and an HDMI to DVI adapter which worked.
 

retlif

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 2, 2020
79
34
I got Studio M1 Max today and the effect is exactly the same as on my MacBook - ACD 30" works ACD 23" does not. Tomorrow I expect to receive the adapter from BENFEI


and if it does not work I will try Club 3D.

A big disappointment is that the ACD 30" does not always wake up from sleep. Has anyone had this problem? Maybe an active USB hub is the solution? I suspect it's a matter of that extra USB power supply....
 
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