Reviews for Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter

Great intentions for this apparently quick fix solution. Yeah, for what is rare to happen, Apple botched a bit on this extension. I can't complain in the end though because at least it works as desired.

USB on almost every class of machine have the tendency to have power related issues. Devices that have a separate power adapter don't have to rely on this voltage. Bus powered devices are all trying to pull the voltage they need. In this case v1.02. If for any reason you get power fluctuations, your monitor will flicker, have issues, or not work at all.

The Fix, plug the USB cable that is on the Y with the Mini DisplayPort and plug it into an external powered USB Hub that has its own power adapter.

Don't have a powered USB Hub? No problem. Try using the 2nd Monitor's built in USB Hub. Plug the USB from the Y and plug it into your iMac and then take the USB out from the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter and using a iPod/iPhone power cable and plug it into a Wall outlet for AC.

Not sure any other way of doing it is worth it. Still glad I got it because there isn't really a better solution out there at this time.

Folks - 2 simple steps to make this work
1. verify you have v1.02
2. plug adapter's usb into a ipod/iphone ac power adapter and plug that into ac

I was also scared off by the reviews, but since this was really the only option available to connect my 24" iMac to my 30" Cinema Display (which I already owned and previously used with a PowerMac G5), I decided to bite the bullet and order it.

Luckily, it works, and for the most part, works well. The image quality is very good and I love having two big high quality monitors for apps like Aperture, Photoshop and Final Cut Express.

However, I'm a tad disappointed that there are flickering horizontal pixels lines visible in the dark areas. The lines are usually red, but occasionally other colors and seem to appear toward the bottom of the screen most frequently. If I set the background to pure black, they are more visible throughout, but under normal use, it's not noticeable enough for me to return it...especially since I have no other option.

If I can find a way to fix this, I'd give it 4 or 5 stars, but as is, it's just an average 3 for me.

I reluctantly purchased the Dual-Link DVI to MDP adapter after reading the horrible reviews on this site and elsewhere. Yes, $100 to get full resolution seems excessive.

I was able to get my 30" Dell hooked up and working properly. It works about 90% of the time, as I have multiple computers connected to the monitor, and sometime 1/10, when I switch the source input to my MBP, I see snow on top of my Mac OS screen. This is usually fixed by changing the input source to a different PC, then switching back to the MBP, or unplugging/replugging the MDP.

For $100 it should work 100% of the time. 3.5 stars in my book.

If you don't need USB pass through, you can pick up a cheap MDP to DP adapter from Monoprice

Rating is 5 stars for eventual performance, 1 star for putting many defective adapters on the market and making me (and many others posting comments here) deal with this. Average rating then = 3 stars.

I have one of the original Apple 30" Cinema Displays which has worked flawlessly for over 5 years with multiple Macs. It has the original full size DVI connector on the end of the cable. When I recently upgraded from a 2006 MBPro to a 2010 MBPro I had to buy the dual link DVI mini displayport adapter to drive the 30" to full 2560x1600 resolution. The first adapter created the horizontal video lines on the 30". They would appear only in areas displaying dark colors. Apple Support (phone call) had me unplug EVERYTHING except for the monitor. They had me reset the PRAM (power-command-option-P-R for 2 sec) and then reset the SMC (shift-control-option-power) to no avail. So we made a Genius Bar appt and I took the adapter and my new MBPro back to the local Apple Store. We plugged my MBP and this adapter into one of their new 30" Cinema Display HD monitors in the store. Of course, everything worked perfectly.

After some head scratching and no satisfactory explanation, they swapped out the adapter for a new one and sent me home to try out. If it still didn't work I was prepared to go back with adapter, MBPro, and my 30" monitor. Luckily, It worked fine when I hooked up everything at home. So take your adapter back if you see these horizontal video lines appear. It solved my video noise problem, it may solve yours.

This adapter lets me connect my mid-2011 (Thunderbolt) MacBook Air to my old 30" Apple Cinema Display. It works for the most part, but it has significant flaws:

1. Pure black areas show a little "snow" on the Cinema Display.

2. The adapter doesn't seem to support HDCP, which means I can't rent a movie in iTunes and play it back on the 30" display. This is annoying given that I'm using an all-Apple setup, and renting iTunes content! (This does not seem to affect purchased iTunes video content, though -- just rented video content.)

Neither is a deal-breaker, but both are annoying.

Seems to work without any issues so far described by others. I am just very surprised that my adapter has firmware 1.01 even though this seems very old and supposed to not work. Hence only three stars as it is very expensive and with outdated firmware.

just bought this cable plugin from my new mac mini to NEC 30" multsync 3090 monitor. It works so far without any problem.
No flick
No noise
No problem after sleep.
The 2460x1600 res is very detail and line is very sharp and fine showing on my monitor.
Before I bought this cable, I had tried this cable with a apple cinema 30" in an apple store also no problem.
I think it does the job..

I don't like just it is too expensive but 30 " with 2460 res need this so I have no choice and I don't even know what else cheaper can replace this.

Also not many staff in apple store I have been know this cable well.
I heard someone can't get this cable work is because the firmware of this cable is not 1.03. Also no one in apple store can confirm to me the one I bought is 1.03 or not.

Luck I have my one work and I think my one is the latest firmware

I initially purchased the single channel adapter not being aware of the 1280x800 signal limitation. I returned to the store (without packaging, but with receipt) and explained that it was unlikely anyone on the planet would benefit from the single channel adapter, and the staff agreed. I was given full credit for the single channel and purchased the dual.

It worked as expected, and I am running 2560x1600 w/millions of colours. No flicker, no warbles. Samsung 30 inch SyncMaster 305T.

So why a 3 star rating? Because it is a solution after the fact. My old MBP had a DVI port on the side and ran this monitor just fine. Exactly how is this Mini DisplayPort suppose to benefit me? There is a high PIA factor plugging two cables where prior I had one and now I have 3 feet of cable and a box the size of a deck of cards on my desk.

So in summary.. If you are reading this, chances are that you already purchased a new laptop and are trying to solve your display problems. Go ahead and buy it.