Are You Making A Mini Displayport Female to DVI Male Adapter Cable?
We have tried to answer most questions here in our blog, to discuss this topic further please go to our official dvi to mini displayport adapter thread on our forum.
Q: I need to hook up my computer with standard DVI output to the new Apple Cinema Display. For this I need a Mini Displayport Female to DVI Male Adapter cable. Are you working on making this?
A: This is a complicated adapter. We have been looking into it for some time. What we have found is this: Mini Displayport to DVI adapters don’t work the same way in both directions. This means we need to design, tool, and build a completely new PCB board to do this type of conversion. These PCB boards can be quite complicated and take some time to design, and as far as we know, nobody has created a board like this yet. We are working to see if we can design the board, once the board is done, the rest of the cable wouldn’t be any problem as we have both of the connectors here at our factory. If we can make this adapter we will post it to our website as soon as we have a ship date.
If you are interested in this adapter please take a moment to reply below so that we can gauge the demand for this product!
Your comments are appreciated!
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Added 6/11/09
Hi Everyone, thanks for the overwhelming support and feedback on this blog entry.
I have a couple questions for everyone if you have a chance to respond. Is everyone expecting/needing a dual link adapter out of this? We all know that Apple currently has the dual link adapter to work in the opposite direction, but it has some problems. My major concern is that I really don’t believe that we’ll be able to create a dual link adapter that works when even Apple wasn’t able to make it perfectly.
What we’ve been looking into currently is a single link adapter, this would limit the resolution you could use on your mini displayport monitors to 1920 x 1200. I would like to get everyones’ opinions on this that has already posted here. Would you still want the adapter if you were limited to single link resolution?
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Added July 22, 2009
We are making some significant progress on development of this adapter. We have a manufacturer for the crucial chip component of the PCB board to do the conversion and we are proceeding with the PCB design now. At this point we are not sure how much longer the development process will take or what the cost will be at this point but as soon as I have more information I will let everybody know!
-Andrew Lang
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Added August 7th 2009
I just received some preliminary jpg’s from my engineering department. I think these will give everyone a good idea of what we are talking about making here. The colors are not what we are planning, it will probably be in Apple white, similar to our other products.
Key Features:
- No need to connect the adapter to the wall for power, our adapter gets power straight from the computer via USB.
- USB passthrough. Since we have a female USB on the same end of the mini displayport female end you can plug the USB cable from your Apple Cinema Display straight into it and get the same functionality you would have as if you were plugging it straight into your computer.
- No need for an additional DVI cable. Our adapter will already have a DVI and USB cable coming out of it so you won’t need to purchase any additional cables or have a complicated connection scheme.
- HDCP compatibility
Update: August 11th, 2009
We just completed the 3D model, please see the pictures.
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- DVI to Mini Displayport Adapter
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- DVI to Mini Displayport Adapter 2
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- DVI to Mini Displayport Adapter 3
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- DVI to Mini Displayport Adapter 4
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- DVI to Mini Dispalyport Adapter 5
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- DVI to Mini Dispalyport Adapter 6
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- DVI to Mini Dispalyport Adapter 7
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- DVI to Mini Dispalyport Adapter 8
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- DVI to Mini DP 3D1
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- DVI to Mini DP 3D 2
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- DVI to Mini DP 3D 3
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- DVI to Mini DP 3D 4
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- Mini DP to DVI Testing
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Added September 4th 2009
Our adapter will undergo testing at our facility this week, once positive results are back we can move ahead with full production and give out the anticipated arrival date and take pre-orders. Stay tuned!
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Added September 22nd 2009
Our adapter has been successfully tested using a PC with DVI to a Dell Displayport monitor, the next step is to successfully get compatibility with Mac products as well. This should not be a major issue as the platforms are very similar.
Please see the photo below of the testing:
Mini DP to DVI Testing
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Added October 12th 2009
We’ve had a lot of requests for an update on the status of the adapter and its testing. So far we’ve been able to make the adapter work with standard size Displayport (found on PC monitors) and DVI out on both Mac computers and PC’s. Unfortunately the primary function of this adapter is to have it work with the 24″ Apple Cinema Display and we are still running into some bugs with this problem. We are working with an IC chip supplier to create the PCB design for this board and they don’t have an ACD for testing so we have gone ahead and purchased one for them to use in testing. We’ve shipped it to them this week and they will be using it for testing this upcoming week. Unfortunately until they sort out the compatibility issues with the ACD its very hard for us to have a definite delivery date. We are hopeful that allowing our IC chip supplier to borrow the monitor for testing will expedite the design troubleshooting process and we will be able to get this adapter working with the Apple Cinema Display more quickly.
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Added November 6th 2009
Hello Everyone,
We’re still working with our current PCB board manufacturer to see if they can work out the compatibility issue with the Apple Cinema Display. We believe this is an issue with mac software as we have no problems with any PC Displayport based displays.
We’re also starting new projects for HDMI to Mini Displayport converters that should be easier to manufacture. If this product happens to be available before our DVI to Mini Displayport adapter it wouldn’t be difficult to use it for DVI computers with a simple short HDMI to DVI dongle.
As far as compatibility with the 27″ iMac, its definitely a goal to get this to work as we see that there will be a big market for this. Unfortunately, we may have to wait until the adapter is built before we can test it on this new iMac.
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Update! December 29th 2009
This adapter is now available for order! Click here to view our product page!
please add me to your mailing list, let me know when commercially available.
Add me as well..Thanks..
How long?
This would be a great help to the Mac family! This has been sitting on my mind for some time. 3rd Party companies need to be making adapters faster. There is a large market for this type of thing.
Question: Any way that this could be pushed to support a 30 inch LED cinema display at 2560 x 1600 if it ever comes out?
Hello, I am extremely interested in purchasing a DVI - Mini Display port asap!!
I have a mac book pro and a cinema display but its the old mac book so need your adapter very badly!
Please notify me when it has been released!
Cheers,
Jonny
WHEN? HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT ON THIS? WHY SO LONG?
When available my company want to buy one.
Add me to the list please. Need DVI out to Mini display.
Add me to the list please.
I have a MacBook Pro and a cinema display but my MacBook has only a DVI connection. I need DVI out to Mini display desperately.
Please notify me when it has been released or better just ship me one!
I want one so that I can connect (another) Apple 24″ LED display to my still perfectly functional PowerMac G5-dual 1.8 tower with its Nvidia GeForce FX 5200.
I eagerly await an adapter to connect a 1.5 year old Mac Mini to a 24 Cinema Display.
therefore, a 1920 x 1200 limit would be fine for me.
We’ve had a lot of requests for an update on the status of the adapter and its testing. So far we’ve been able to make the adapter work with standard size Displayport (found on PC monitors) and DVI out on both Mac computers and PC’s. Unfortunately the primary function of this adapter is to have it work with the 24″ Apple Cinema Display and we are still running into some bugs with this problem. We are working with an IC chip supplier to create the PCB design for this board and they don’t have an ACD for testing so we have gone ahead and purchased one for them to use in testing. We’ve shipped it to them this week and they will be using it for testing this upcoming week. Unfortunately until they sort out the compatibility issues with the ACD its very hard for us to have a definite delivery date. We are hopeful that allowing our IC chip supplier to borrow the monitor for testing will expedite the design troubleshooting process and we will be able to get this adapter working with the Apple Cinema Display more quickly.
Do you expect your cable to be able to drive the 27″ iMac with 2560 by 1440 resolution? Is there an update on when your cable will be available for sale and at approximately what price?
I’m not too sure what’s going with that image you have in the monitor there.. but it’s very strange.
Hi,
nice that you are working on this. Just got my old G5 shipped to my apartment to find out that it cannot be connected to the 24″ Cinema Display.
Great step-by- step description of your work. Hope it will be successful and we can order it soon.
I have a desperate need for this cable, any further update on its availability?
The new 27″ iMac allows for a video imput through its Mini Displayport connector so that you can use it as a monitor for another computer if needed. Will this cable be compatible with the new 27″ iMac?
Hello Everyone,
We’re still working with our current PCB board manufacturer to see if they can work out the compatibility issue with the Apple Cinema Display. We believe this is an issue with mac software as we have no problems with any PC Displayport based displays.
We’re also starting new projects for HDMI to Mini Displayport converters that should be easier to manufacture. If this product happens to be available before our DVI to Mini Displayport adapter it wouldn’t be difficult to use it for DVI computers with a simple short HDMI to DVI dongle.
As far as compatibility with the 27″ iMac, its definitely a goal to get this to work as we see that there will be a big market for this. Unfortunately, we may have to wait until the adapter is built before we can test it on this new iMac.
Keep up posted on the progress. I am also looking for a DVI to MDP to connect my PC to my iMac 27″ as a display
I wish You good luck.
I would buy a single link adaptor.
Thanks for developing this much needed product for those of us who are still using 2008’s Macbook Pros (with the DVI port).
I recently bought a refurbished Apple 24″ Cinema display. Today was the day I was to connect it to the Macbook Pro, but quickly saw that the Mini Display Port male end of the Cinema display will not connect to this MBP. Incredible what a year can make in technology.
I was informed by Apple Customer Support that I would need to look elsewhere on the internet for an adapter to make these two units work. So, here I am.
By the way, does your company have an adapter to connect an iMac G5 (with a mini VGA port) to this 24″ Cinema display (mini display port)?
Thank you,
Hi there,
I am also very interested in getting one, once it is available.
Thanks and have a nice day,
Uwe.
Can we please have another update? I started monitoring this forum back in September and have been away for a while — so I am wondering what is up with the development of this adapter? I am very keen to see some images on my beautiful, black Cinema Display. THanks nbg
We are definitely interested.
Okay - so seriously - is this still coming? My 24″ monitor is still sitting in the box. My MB Pro is getting lonely and I am thinking about buying a different monitor for it.
What is the delay? Any updates????
Hey you guys,
What happen, we deserve from you to keep us informed into the advances, we are following you since the beginning of this post, and you don’t answer for a long time, at least tell us what happened. Seriously is this still coming or should we better find another option like Atlona.
Hey,
I have had my 27″ imac for a few weeks now. Everyday i search the internet looking for someone to have annouced that the HDMI to Mini DisplayPort adapter is ready. Please keep me informed as to the status of the adapter. Thanks!
Okay - I really didn’t think that I would be posting this but I am actually doing so in front of my working 24″ LED Apple display hooked up to my MBP using the DVI output.
The sad part is - it is not a Circuit Assembly adaptor.
After having the monitor in a box since May and not getting any real updates - I gave up waiting and ordered the new Atlona adaptor and it is small - USB powered and it works like a charm.
Just to let you know - there is hope out there. I only wish that Circuit Assembly was ready with their product first.
Greg
Hey Greg,
We are still working on our own adapter which will be a different take than the Atlona adapter, and will hopefully support HDMI and DVI sources. The biggest problem is making every piece of hardware that outputs DVI or HDMI compatible with the adapter and the Apple Display. This software is posing the biggest problem in our completion of this project. Since this adapter will still be atleast 1-2 months away we’ve decided to begin retailing the Atlona adapter on our site at the same price it can be bought anywhere else.
Can’t wait for your adapter to ship.
Yes, I am interested to buy one adapter as soon as you can produce it.
Phil, you are absolutely correct, it shows that you’re an authority on the subject. I admire someone that takes the pride you have and with your projecton of information. oSo when i actually do sit down to read material, I appreciate well written and organized blogs like this one. I have it bookmarked and will be back. Thanks.
Any update on this?
I am totally interested in the 27″ Apple LED Display announced this week for my PC which has a DVI GPU.
I’m glad you are working on this, and I hope you still are.
Gonna throw in a vote for the 27″ LCD Apple Monitor.
I have a 2006 Mac Pro, and it has a dual link port on the 7300 GT video card, but as of yet it doesn’t appear that there’s a MDP female adapter that could run this monitor yet.
Planning an update?