Apple Mini DVI to VGA Adaptor

Reviews for Apple Mini DVI to VGA Adaptor

Customer Reviews and Ratings

3.5 out of 5 stars

Based on 241 reviews

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    I read the specs? I did!

    • Written by from Monrovia

    Regarding the issue about the mini-DVI to VGA adapter that does not fit the ibook, it is useful to point out that nowhere on the package does Apple indicate that different model laptops require different mini-DVI adapters. It would be useful if Apple simply wrote, on the packaging, "This adapter fits the following models ...". This is not a difficult thing to do. Moreover, the average consumer is going to assume that a mini-DVI adapter made by Apple will fit all "mini-DVI" ports, unless, of course, Apple makes it clear that this isn't the case.

    This said, the adpater works just as it is supposed to when you get the right one.

    2825 of 3621 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Wow, I love it!

    • Written by from Glen Burnie

    I recently converted to the iMac (6-10 months ago) and had the iMac and PC next to each other. I no longer use the PC but had a very nice 19 inch VGA LCD display. I figured I may be able to use it as a 2nd display on the iMac and ditch the PC all together. Bought the mini DVI adapter, plugged it in, plugged the monitor into the adapter, and it JUST WORKED! No drivers, no reboots! I then simply chose the display size I wanted for the 2nd monitor, but both the iMac display and 2nd LCD are in high res and working flawless! Fantastic freedom and option on the iMac, thanks Apple! I have to encourage all who want a 2nd monitor to try this out! Works on the new Intel iMacs.

    1628 of 2353 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Video Adapters should last longer than 4 months

    • Written by from Ann Arbor

    If you order one of these treat it very gently, be careful how you pack it when traveling, etc. My first one broke in 4 months (the wires internal to the rubber cable enclosure shorted - so the screen would drop out certain colors). And then, when I ordered and paid for a replacement, the wrong adapter was shipped to me. The sales web page does not bother to mention that there are different versions of the PowerBook G4, which use different types of video ports (mini-DVI and mini-VGA). Make sure you know which one you need before ordering. An improved sales web page would at least show all the VGA adapters in one place, so one could see all the choices.

    1807 of 2725 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Ensure you know what you're buying!

    • Written by from Reading

    Beware of what you're buying, people. This cable is specifically for the computers that are listed in the review, and is intended to take you from Apple's proprietry mini-DVI connector (such as the one featured on the 12" Powerbook G4) to normal VGA.
    This is not, as mentioned by a previous reviewer, simply a VGA extension cord. You plug this into your computer, then the long cable that comes out of your monitor plugs into this.
    Apple need to make extra cable-buying easier in the Apple Store, especially as each of their computers need different cables...

    764 of 962 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Excellent... (just make sure you order the right cable)

    • Written by from STOCKTON-ON-TEES

    First I ordered 'VGA Display Adapter' by mistake...
    Make sure the cable you order is the Correct one for your machine/peripheral.
    A lot of these cables look the same in the small picture and sound the same in the description. Check your requirements thoroughly before purchase. (ie - connections for both ends)
    I needed to connect a VGA TFT to my iMac, and placed my order for 'VGA Display Adapter'. Which shows on order form as 'APPLE VGA DISPLAY ADAPTER-GEN'. I later found that I needed compatibility for an 'iMac (Intel Core Duo)', returned 'VGA Display Adapter' and ordered 'Apple Mini DVI to VGA Adapter'. Which shows on order form as 'VID ADPT MINI-DVI TO VGA ADAPTER-GEN'.

    My new cable works like MAGIC, as I'm sure 'VGA Display Adapter' will for those who need it.
    Customer - Check every detail
    Apple - Make the difference MORE OBVIOUS

    494 of 697 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Fantastic with LCD HD Ready TV

    • Written by from Bournemouth

    I bought this little fellow a few months ago now, from an apple dealer, and although having to buy the vga cable itself, which some places can be nasty prices, this has been glorious. Its plugged into my Sony HD tv, a specific PC input, and when playing HD content on my mac, trailers, etc, it looks superb. Its just a shame i cant play multi region discs on my mac, VLC doesnt seem to work too well with Leopard, as im sure it might help make the DVDs look a little better than my old, S Video output, Dvd player. Anyway, a great adapter. Macx

    319 of 451 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Great Product!

    • Written by from Richardson

    I was just looking over the reviews, and I've seen a lot of people complaining that the cable is not long enough, the VGA side is female, etc. Well, THIS PRODUCT IS AN ADAPTER, NOT A CABLE. The reason why the VGA side is female is because it is supposed to connect to a male-to-male VGA cable (typically a blue cable received with any purchase of an external monitor). So, you plug this cable into your apple computer or laptop, and the male-to-male VGA cable connects to the monitor on one side, and the mini DVI to VGA adapter on the other side. That's what this product is made for.
    Other than that, I have been using my adapter for about 5 months, and it has worked excellently. As any computer accessory, it has to be taken good care of and not thrown around. Thanks Apple!

    186 of 197 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Didn't work with my macbook

    • Written by from abbots langley

    it clearly says in the description that this product works with a normal macbook, however did not work with mine. Make sure you are cautious when buying this product. I am so tired of apple doing things like this to make money. They should specify what model of "macbook" it works with. Very Unhappy

    186 of 203 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Awesome!

    • Written by from Austin

    Bought this to use in my classroom along side my 13 inch MacBook. Works great hooked up to my projector or my monitor. I knew exactly what it could and couldn't do before I bought it. If you're looking to transfer picture, this is what you need but don't complain when it doesn't transfer sound, that's NOT what it's made for. MADE FOR VISUAL TRANSFER ONLY!
    Hope this helps. :)

    156 of 176 people found this useful

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  • 5.0 out of 5 stars

    Works just fine.

    • Written by from Ferguson

    The adapter works fine, but you have to be aware of which adapter you need for your computer. It's extremely frustrating that the adapters keep changing with the new models. It would be helpful if apple included the correct adapter with the computer, especially with the laptop models. It seems to me they used to do that.

    130 of 137 people found this useful

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    Apple have got a little flaky these days...

    • Written by from Knoxville

    I got this adapter shortly after my MacBook, so that I could do presentations and other such things, as well as using the same external monitor I used with my old laptop, and at first I was a little depressed, because the adapter cost $20, half the price of the cable from my monitor to the computer. It worked well enough, however, so I was happy, at least until I had the product for a few months, and the quality of the picture started deteriorating unless the adapter was placed just so.

    My advice to likely purchasers is to treat this adapter better than you'd treat the laptop it's hooked up to -- it works, so long as you don't let it get too poorly handled. Quite frankly, this is not what I expected from a company that has made much of its fortunes from the educational sector, where computers and their peripherals take a lot more abuse than I can dish out.

    203 of 294 people found this useful

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    Works on 13" Macbook but...

    • Written by

    I plugged the mini-dvi to vga adapter into my 13" Macbook and 22" vga monitor and...nothing. I called Applecare and they didn't have a clue. Display settings did nothing. The secret: If you choose "put display on the menu bar" and then click on the icon, you get the option of "mirror." "Mirror," as an option, does not appear on the display settings in System Preferences. Bizarre. There seem to be infinite models of Macbooks and iBooks out there and different models work/respond differently to the adapter. And Applecare seems unaware of this. And given what others say, I'll wrap mine in duct tape. It works just fine now.

    138 of 178 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Still the wrong size.

    • Written by from San Diego

    I bought three of these for school iMacs. We have intel core duo machines. They're too big!

    Not enough information in the specifics for the correct part to be ordered. Being a school returns are not easy so getting it right the first time is essential. At $17 each you better believe we're returning them.

    109 of 123 people found this useful

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  • 3.0 out of 5 stars

    Mini-dvi to vga adapter

    • Written by from BOXFORD

    The adapters work great - for a while. Then they need to be replaced. I work in a school where every classroom has a presentation system, so these adapters are constantly in use. I wish apple would not change the adapter port with each new incarnation of their ibooks, macbooks, etc. It creates havoc for those of us who manage a large inventory of machines and parts. (The battery connectors change as well.)
    I have found that with a lot of use, these connectors need to be replaced at least annually, and sometimes even more frequently.

    93 of 100 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    works for Powerbook G4 and MacBook?

    • Written by

    My old computer is a PowerBook G4 12" and my new one is a MacBook with Intel Core 2 Duo. The overview for this adapter says it's compatible with both. However, both of these have very different mini DVI ports. I have an adapter that was bought a long time ago that fits the PowerBook G4 DVI port but does not fit the MacBook port. So, the overview is clearly misleading and somebody's still bound to be screwed over. Despite the review about different PowerBooks having different DVI ports, they still haven't thoroughly clarified the issue.

    I suggest that no one buy this product and keep leaving one-star reviews until they fix this and put up some more pictures of the DV-side of the adapter so you can at see for yourself if it looks compatible with your port.

    101 of 117 people found this useful

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  • 2.0 out of 5 stars

    . . .

    • Written by from Lakewood

    The Adapter works, but we knew that.

    This came with the ibook but now costs $19. This is not an accessory, it is a necessity. All other laptops can be plugged into an external monitor without having to pay $19 for an adapter. Pretty upsetting, Apple's been getting on my nerves with charging extra for something that should come with the laptop or ipod. Examples: Ipod originally came with a firewire cable, usb cable, and a/c adapter. Now comes with USB cable and costs $30 for the a/c adapter!

    138 of 192 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Shoddy quality for such an expensive cable

    • Written by from Portland

    My mini-DVI to VGA adapter is terrible. It worked fine for a few months, but then started having problems. The color channels don't all stay connected.. sometimes the screen turns green or magenta or blue. It's truly a poor piece of equipment. I haven't even moved it from its original location.. it stays connected to my laptop 99% of the time. And, of course, since this is apparently a proprietary specification (mini-DVI), I'm forced to buy another one of these terrible cables. Thanks Apple for pulling a Microsoft on us!

    168 of 253 people found this useful

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  • 1.0 out of 5 stars

    Doesn't work with 10.8.2

    • Written by from Charlotte

    This adapter works great with my MBP that is a year old, but just bought a new solid state drive MBP and suddenly I can't use my giant monitor with it :( Old MBP can use this adapter with lots of different monitors, but no monitor works with the new MBP. 10.8.1 didn't work either. Before you say it, it isn't the local port either because my HDMI adapter works fine in the port.

    98 of 114 people found this useful

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  • 3.0 out of 5 stars

    Imac 24" Early 2008 - Apple Never Made the Mini-DVI to HDMI adapter

    • Written by from Montreal

    I spent lots of time trying to figure out how to connect my IMac 24" (Early 2008 - 3.06 dual) to my HDTV.

    I found out that I needed a mini-dvi to HDMI adapter.Apple never made this item because they discontinued the connection in the back of this IMac model in 10 months! I finally bought 2 from Hong Kong, and 1 worked for a milli-second!

    I spend endless amounts of time in the Apple forums to see if anyone could figure out the problem.I also went to my local Apple store. The technician didn't have the Mini-DVI to HDMI adapter (since Apple never made them!), so he tried a mini-DVI to VGA adapter attached via an extension to a second Apple laptop. That worked!

    Bottom line - I now need to buy a retrograde adapter (mini-DVI to VVA adapter to attach to my IMac, and then a extension wire to connect to my HDTV. By the way, there is no sound in this connection!

    So if you also have an Early 2008 Imac 24" (Probably the same for the smaller sized models) , be forewarned.

    81 of 89 people found this useful

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    Excellent - but be good at taking care of it, it can damage easily

    • Written by from Cincinnati

    I originally paid $30 for this, but it appears to be $20 now. If the cable is bent, it may start to work unreliably. When my cable is bent a certain way, the screen turns a blue tint even though you can still read everything. Then I move the cord slightly and it fixes itself. So be very careful when transporting this cable so that you do not damage it.

    70 of 73 people found this useful

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