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Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Mix up causes problems

Written by DW from Freeport

Dec 3, 2009

For some reason Apple uses 2 different ports to be able to use an external monitor, what your computer has in it is the type of adapter you buy. This mini displayport to DVI looks different than the mini dvi port plug. If you buy the correct adapter it will work. The best way that I found to be able to tell which one to get is to search the Apple store for the Mini and look at the I/O ports on the back. The MIni has both. Just see which one matches your output and buy that adapter. Hope that helps.

10 of 14 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Be sure your battery charger is attached to use this adaptor

Written by EO from Lowell

Oct 25, 2009

At first I thought this cable didn't work. Well... unless your macbook pro is attached to its charger - it won't work. It will work for a few seconds - then lose the external monitor signals.

Once I hook it up to the charger - it works fine.

12 of 16 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Expensive but works with digital displays

Written by DF from Champaign

Oct 6, 2009

While this adapter is overpriced, it does exactly what it says it does. In another review a user states that they are frustrated as this adapter drops the analog signal. This is NOT true.

Mini DisplayPort can NOT do analog to begin with.

If you notice, Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapters use a chip to convert the digital signal to an analog one. This adapter does NOT have that chip.

For $30 Apple should just make a Mini DisplayPort to DVI/VGA hybrid adapter to avoid consumer confusion, but if you have a digital display, this will work perfectly.

Minus one star for consumer confusion.

16 of 17 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Seems good to me...

Written by KP from Swansea

Aug 16, 2009

I use this adapter with my Macbook and a 17" (maybe?) Dell LCD monitor capable of 1280x1024. It works perfectly so far. I've only had it for about 6 hours, so I can't really say anything about how well it holds up. The cable is about twice as thick as an iPod cable, but it is only about two/three or so inches long... It is obviously designed to function only as an adapter, with a separate DVI cable (which is fine).

I would change two things about this product... mostly to make it worth its $30 price tag.

1) I would lengthen the cable by an inch or so. (Not hugely important... but it'd be nice.)
2) It would also be nice if you could use a DVI->VGA adapter with this, but this is only Digital DVI, so that should not work. I'm not sure if this is due to some technical limitation, or if Apple just wants me to buy a VGA adapter too.

But, all in all, this does exactly what it is designed to do, and the build quality seems decent.

But remember, this will only work with the newer Mini DisplayPorts, NOT with the MiniDVI ports. Make sure you check if you're unsure.

9 of 14 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

good product

Written by CL from Richmond

Mar 23, 2009

bought it to use with my unibody macbook pro + Samsung Syncmaster T240 24" monitor. Works perfectly, although sometimes when switching to it (dvi) from my PS3(hdmi) I get white noise displayed on the screen. Will write another review after using it for a few months to see how it lasts

10 of 14 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Confucius is wrong

Written by DM from Fort Worth

Mar 2, 2009

You cannot run dual monitors with this product or the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter.

The Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter is meant for 1 external display up to 1920 x 1080.

The Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter is meant for running 1 external display up to and beyond 1920 x 1080 resolution, such as the Apple 30" monitor which runs at 2560 by 1600 pixels.

Please do your research before recommending a product. Dual-link does not mean Dual monitors. The Digital formats are available in DVI-D Single-Link and Dual-Link as well as DVI-I Single-Link and Dual-Link format connectors. These DVI cables send information using a digital information format called TMDS (transition minimized differential signaling). Single link cables use one TMDS 165Mhz transmitter, while dual links use two. The dual link DVI pins effectively double the power of transmission and provide an increase of speed and signal quality; i.e. a DVI single link 60-Hz LCD can display a resolution of 1920 x 1200, while a DVI dual link can display a resolution of 2560 x 1600.

Please purchase the correct adapter for your application.

76 of 84 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Works fine, but where's the RCA/S-Video out adapter?

Written by SL from Washington

Jan 5, 2009

This cord works well on my TV, but I used my previous Macbook constantly to show friends and family pictures on their TVs via S-Video and RCA analog video. Now my new Macbook can't be connected to most older TVs that only have an RCA video plug or S-Video. Bad enough to upgrade my Macbook and have to buy new expensive adapter cords, now they're not even making the same cords. Frustrating.

14 of 19 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Great product, but...

Written by RB from Anchorage

Jan 4, 2009

Bought today and works great! Hooked up my Macbook with my LG 32' LCD TV. I only have one question: why doesn't this come inside the box with the Macbook? If the port Apple chose to integrate into the new Macbook is not compatible with anything else but this adapter, the right thing to do would be to include it in the box. Apple just didn't do the right thing...Big fan of everything Apple does, but having to buy a 30 bucks adapter is just outrageous!

31 of 34 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Samsung 245BW

Written by DT from Pointe-Claire

Jan 3, 2009

Was concerned after reading some of the reviews here.

So just to report that this cable adapter works fine with the Samsung 245BW monitor.

13 of 15 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Nice, but Come On!

Written by NP from Hot Springs

Dec 13, 2008

This is a really great adapter for getting your MacBook Pro to view DVI. The new DisplayPort connections are much easier to work with than the old Mini DVI I had on my PowerBook. But come on Apple! Why couldn't you include these in the MacBook Pro box like you did on the PowerBook? I shelled out the extra money "since I need them", but it would have been better to include them in the box since I did invest a lot of money in my machine.

31 of 40 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Works great although I wish could use a VGA adapter.

Written by MT from Charleston

Dec 9, 2008

This product works great, although I was not aware about the type of DVI connector I was buying until I tried to attach my DVI to VGA adapter. Like is explained on previous reviews, this is a DVI-D (digital only) so you cannot attach a VGA adapter because you need sockets for 4 additional pins. What is disappointed for me is that I asked to a apple customer assistant using the chat service, and he didn't know about it because he said that my adapter will work. So I just ordered a DVI cable. Now I need to buy a extra cable that in my opinion is expensive.

10 of 14 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Great!

Written by AZ from Blue Mound

Nov 30, 2008

I bought at Samsung syncMaster923nw


Love it!

Although if you want it to look good you need to go into your display settings and up the output. Look awesome!!!

4 of 15 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

DVI-D Single Link (Digital only, 1920x1200@60Hz)

Written by VT from North York

Nov 11, 2008

This is the Mini-DisplayPort to DVI-D single-link adapter.

DVI-D single-link means that ONLY DIGITAL signals will be output, with the maximum supported resolution at 60Hz being 1920x1200 (2.75 megapixels to be exact).

The adapter easily plugs into the Mini-DisplayPort jack of new aluminum unibody Macbooks and Macbook Pros, and the other end is female DVI-D. Be aware that you cannot physically fit your DVI-I cables into the DVI-D female end. However, since all 24 pins are open, DVI-D dual-link cables can physically fit just as well as DVI-D single-link cables, and can be used to carry the SINGLE-LINK signal to your TV or monitor.

I was surprised how light-weight this adapter is; a plus for carrying around. I was worried that the relatively heavier cables would pull the plug out from the notebook, but the adapter fits quite snugly in the Macbook Pro. The two screws on the DVI cable I used could not reach their holes in the adapter (female end is not deep enough), however, it was not a concern since the cable still fit tightly into the adapter.

So, if you don’t have a DIGITAL display larger than 1920x1200, this adapter will be fine. Since HDTV is 1920x1080 this adapter is good enough for me. If you are looking to drive larger digital displays, get the dual-link adapter instead. Also, remember that analog is not supported with this adapter.

940 of 1003 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Works with my Samsung 22" 226BW

Written by AL

Nov 5, 2008

This dongle works with Samsung products. When connecting, sometimes the screen would display noise(which looks like noise from TV on the wrong channel), but it clears up after 20 secs or so and it starts working perfectly. I haven't had any issues, but I sort of wished that the connector would indicate the right side up, a couple times I tried to plug it in upside down.

Anyway, great product, but a little on the pricey side.

Some of you that have issues, you might want to get a better DVI cable as it my be interference due to poor signal that's not allowing your display to connect.

8 of 14 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Works great with Samsung 204BW

Written by AD from Chicago

Oct 23, 2008

I bought it along with my 13" Macbook (aluminum) and it works great. Only thing I've noticed is that if I put my laptop to sleep, and wake it up several hours later, the secondary monitor (connected by this dongle) doesn't come back to life (it just keeps flickering.. almost likes its trying, but cant). I am not sure if this is a Macbook issue or a dongle issue. It definitely isn't a monitor issue, as I have done this successfully in the past.

10 of 14 people found this useful

Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter

Takes a Little Elbow Grease

Written by GL from Washington

Oct 22, 2008

At first I thought that this didn't fit the cable for a Dell monitor, but after reading a forum post suggesting forcing it I pushed a little harder and voila.

As stated in another review, it does not, however, work with the DVI->VGA adapter.

17 of 21 people found this useful