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Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Beware it's a DVI-D female adapter

Written by RG from MILTON KEYNES

Nov 19, 2009

So looking forward to plugging my new iMac Mini into my Benq2200HD LCD monitor via the DVI-D input on the back but...

The supplied adapter from Apple is a female connecter and the Benq is also female so no sweet music tonight. Quite miffed. Can't find a male DVI-D adapter in the Apple store so don't know what to do? I also can't find a DVI-D male-to-female gender bender anywhere on the web.Probably need to go buy a mini-DVI to HDMI adapter and throw this one in the bin. So a trip to my local Apple store tomorrow morning with cables in tow to see what options I have.

15 of 26 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Useless

Written by AG from Middletown

Sep 10, 2009

I purchased this cable so that I could connect my MacbookPro to my 21" DVI monitor. The cable is only 5" long, which renders it physically useless as a cable needed to connect the two. I did not see the length of the cable in the description, but I just don't understand how this could be used without a cable extender, which I don't see on this web site. I am sure this cable has a purpose, but I can't find one at the moment.

26 of 163 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Doesn't fit.

Written by MR from Hope

Sep 4, 2009

I bought this for my 12" Powerbook G4 as per the information on the website. I will now have to buy the Micro-DVI. It is hardly worth returning a $25. item with the costs involved. The information should link to the Micro-DVI site to ensure a better choice.

15 of 69 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Fragile construction

Written by MS

Jun 13, 2009

Did not work more than 6 months. Color shift most of the time. Fragile construction.

12 of 38 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

I can't get anything to show up besides desktop

Written by DN from De Forest

Jun 2, 2009

Bought one and the adapter, plugged it in between my iMAC and LCD TV (2008), and all I get is my desktop picture.
Nothing else. What gives?

6 of 78 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Wont work

Written by NF from Chapel-en-le-frith

May 28, 2009

Bought one, plugged it in to my tele all i can get is the screen saver.
Anyone any ideas please.

7 of 59 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Typical

Written by MZ from San Diego

Mar 29, 2009

I bought this adaptor to connect my PowerBook Duo to my B&W television. I wanted to do full text Gopher searches on channel 3 but apparently all this this thing does is connect a device with a Mini-DVI output port to a DVI connector on a display. I bet it will even connect a Mini-DVI capable device to a VGA display if you also had a DVI to VGA adapter. If I added a VGA to composite video output adapter and found a composite video to RF converter I would still not be able to connect my PowerBook Duo. I would have to throw out the Mini-DVI adapter and ...

14 of 115 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Waste of time and money

Written by AT from london

Mar 10, 2009

I bought the old version of the apple cinema screen 20" with ADC adapter. The manual says that i can connect my imac (dual) using the mini-dvi port (with a mini dvi to dvi adapter + and a DVI to ADC adapter (£68 in apple store) so a could connect my lovely 20" apple acrylic display. Its was supposed to work and after lots of research and several visits to genius bar nobody could give me a reasonable explanation why was not working. The adaptors and screen tested individually works fine... so for me was a wast of time and money!!!

13 of 56 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Please read the reviews before buying ...

Written by KJ from Godwin

Mar 6, 2009

... you'll save yourself a lot of problems if you we're expecting this to "just work" in most situations.

As countless others have stated, the package says "Mini-DVI to DVI" adapter. 100% of the DVI cables (I've got about a dozen) and adapters I have (including 3 adapters from Apple laptops I've owned) are of the DVI-I variety with the four extra pins to transfer the analog signal you would need if you happen to need VGA from time to time. These include both my DVI to DVI as well as my DVI to VGA cables.

The result ... this adapter is 100% USELESS with EVERYTHING I own. So in addition to the $20 bucks I just spent for something that should have "just worked", I must now purchase an "accessory to an accessory."

Yes I could've just bought the Mini-DVI to VGA adapter, but I need to be able to connect to both VGA and DVI monitors ... and never had the forethought to think that this adapter wouldn't "just work" like everything else. The package could've had a warning about the flavor of DVI this is, or maybe an explanation for the 'common' folk. I'm a big Apple fan, but very disgusted over this purchase ...

46 of 79 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

This is ONLY for 'newer' DVI-D type - NOT the common DVI-I

Written by RW from Los Angeles

Feb 13, 2009

This is ONLY for 'newer' DVI-D type - NOT the common DVI-I

The complaints are true..
Even my 2 APPLE 'DVI-I to VGA' and 'DVI-I to video' adptors WON'T Work with this! Grrr...

look at DVI jack picts on wikipedia to see what they look like.

23 of 35 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Is it just me???

Written by GD from Calimesa

Jan 1, 2009

I'm not techno-illiterate, but I'm not a hardware geek. DANG it, Apple!! I've been going through holy heck trying to figure out which kind of DVI my MacBook has and just what it is that I need to get. I appreciate the input (ha!) from others on this site, but y'all are talking way over my head. Apple seems to ignore the normal people! UGH! I want my HP back!!!!!!!!!!!

34 of 158 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Apple can fix this but hasn't

Written by JB from Coon Rapids

Dec 28, 2008

Apple can fix this easily by any one of these options (but first inform buyers that the new mini-DVIs do not fit the old mini-DVIs): 1) Clearly state that the adapter is DVI-D and will not work with DVI-I, or 2) require the purchase of both mini-DVI->VGA and mini-DVI->DVI-D (for $25 total), or 3 (best)) manufacture and sell a mini-DVI->DVI-I adapter. After 2+ years of this problem being known, no one I talked to at Apple today was even aware that DVI-D vs. DVI-I exists! This is just wrong. Yet Apple's VGA->DVI connecter is DVI-I. Apple, will you fix this problem and also send at no charge the other adapter to everyone who was schnookered by your opaqueness (really, false advertising)?

51 of 76 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Deceptive advertising

Written by SB

Dec 27, 2008

actually, the title should read, "lots of details purposely omitted by apple so you will buy more merchandise"

There are two different sizes of Mini-DVI ports on Macs. Be very very careful when you are ordering.

the iBook G4 1.2 GHZ uses a smaller Mini-DVI port than later generations.
(it's what I have)
I bought the Mini-DVI to Video adapter only three weeks ago at the Apple Store in a mall. Then it was easy to see the two different versions.

I went back today to buy this Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter, and Apple had pulled all other versions off the shelf, so you can only get the later versions for newer machines. (typical Apple move)

No information on apple.com about the generation difference.
No information available to Apple Store employees.

I'd suggest you bring your machine to the store and make sure any adapter fits.
If there was any reliable information on line (particularly from Apple, where it SHOULD be, but isn't) then I'd say just be careful with matching your machine's specs. But, since they are being deceptive by leaving information out you should NOT buy this adaptor unless you can actually get to a store and try it out.

I suspect that Apple's marketing team has determined that enough people will just give up and buy a new machine. Be careful. You want to buy some hardware, not a fashion.

If someone finds a place that reliably shows the difference between generations of laptop Mini-DVI ports, particularly if you find the correct adaptors, please please please post here.

Until then, be very careful out there people.

30 of 43 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Doesn't work on all DVI monitors

Written by ES from New Hyde Park

Dec 21, 2008

What it doesn't tell you in the description is that this doesn't work for all DVI plugs, only those that DO NOT have the 4 pins on the top and bottom of the slotted pin. If you have one of those plugs, this will not work.

27 of 39 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

DVI-D not DVI-I

Written by MR from Champaign

Dec 17, 2008

I rate this one star because of lack of transparency. For the record this is DVI-D which means it can do only digital. That is all fine and good, but should be advertised as such. It is not simple DVI nor is it DVI-I (which would be capable of doing anything and would make sense to use if you are advertising DVI) instead it is DVI-D. What does that mean? Well it means that it will work perfectly if you are connecting it to a monitor or projector that is Digital using DVI-D connections. If you have monitors or projectors that have analog VGA connections and you want to use a converter to DVI you are out of luck.

Apple could have saved you from having to purchase two connectors. Obviously you could purchase both the DVI and the VGA, but you shouldn't have to. If they had made this DVI-I than all would be well with a simple VGA-DVI converter. I don't have a problem with Apple doing this, but I do have a problem with Apple not being transparent about this. Apple put it in your tech specs that it is DVI-D. I shouldn't have to read about this in the comments

55 of 64 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

OKAY

Written by TB

Jun 12, 2008

The cable works fine, easy to hook up. The thing is is that it lowers the graphics to 840 by 524! Everything is blurry. I would rather just sit at desk that have to deal with the resolution. I do not recommend buying the cable, wait for Apple to hopefully change the cable.

62 of 130 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

VERY Disapointed! USELESS!!!

Written by JV from Novi

Apr 26, 2008

Misleading and useless adapter! Will not actually work for most common DVI equipment you have! Bought to use on a DVI monitor and with the DVI adapters I already have for my Macbook Pro, but will not work. Apparently it is a very useless form of the DVI "standard" adapter. Not what is typically expected from Apple at all and it has no warning to tell you. Even the package picture describing DVI end is wrong, it has the 4 pins shown for DVI-i but thy are not there its a DVI-d dual link. Highly disappointed Apple really should fix this to make all of their DVI modifications actually work with the "standard". Unfortunately Apple will try to squeeze extra money out of you to buy 2 more adapters when all you should really need it this ONE!

105 of 211 people found this useful

Apple Mini-DVI to DVI Adapter

Product misleading, USELESS

Written by LS from Port Orange

Apr 25, 2008

I bought this adapter to connect to a DVI monitor. I attempted to connect the DVI connector to the DVI monitor, but no go. I looked and sure enough, the apple connector has four fewer pins and a wider center pin on one side. It doesn't match my DVI monitor at all! I have owned many DVI devices and never run into this problem before! Every plug i've ever seen that is DVI has been DVI-I since it only makes sense to have extra compatibility including Apple's powerbook output 4+ years ago. Why does this adapter have fewer features when there is no advantage? Even if these pins aren't active, they should at least be there, because it can't even work in Digital mode on most monitors since the pins don't mesh!

72 of 138 people found this useful