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Using Apple's 23" HD Cinema Display on PCs?

Posted by Cliff on from the apple-does-makes-better-displays-don't-they dept.

rsilverman asks: "I recently bought the 23" Apple Cinema Display, which I am using on my TiBook, and I'm loving it! Now, I would like to also connect it to my Intel box running Win2k (perhaps ultimately using a digital video switch box). I thought this might be relatively simple -- I went out and bought an AGP video card with the same chip set as is in some Macs, the nVidia GeForce Ti, and it listed the monitor's highest resolution as supported. No go. Tried the Radeon 7500 -- also no go. The monitor backlight powers up, but no picture. Then I read some more, and judging from what I was able to find (and don't really understand), the monitor's resolution (1920x1200) is near the edge of what can be done using the DVI standard. Does anyone out there know more about this? Got it working?"

"Cards tend to support that resolution and higher only with analog signalling, not digital. I've seen claims that it can be supported using some kind of non-standard timing ('pushing data during the blanking interval'), which I assume is a driver issue. Then there's 'dual-link DVI' -- using two of the usual DVI data links in parallel (still over a single connector, just using more pins). The Apple specs do not mention whether the monitor is single- or dual-link. At the moment, my best bet appears to be the 3DLabs Wildcat VP or III cards (one of which supports dual-link). However, they're very expensive, and I'm still not sure it will work."

9 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. I think you are looking for by medcalf · · Score: 5, Informative

    this

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    1. Re:I think you are looking for by rsilverman · · Score: 2, Informative

      No -- as is clear from my post, I already have an ADC/DVI adapter; I need a card that works. Also, all the Dr. Bott products explicity do not mention support for the 23" HD display; only the 22".

  2. DVI big flat panel is tricky by 4of12 · · Score: 3, Informative

    I use an nVidia Quadro4 900XGL to drive a Samsumg T240 (24" HDTV display) under Red Hat 7.2, but with the nVidia kernel drivers.

    When we were researching this, it was important to find out whether the DVI interface on the graphics card was really capable of driving 1920x1200 digitally and not just through its analog connectors (DVI-I means integrated DVI-D and DVI-A (analog)), since many smart displays will just fall back onto the analog signal if the digital signal is not there.

    IIRC, the fundamental issue was how good the TMDS transmitter was on the video card. It seemed like, very roughly, RAMDAC frequency: analog picture quality, TMDS frequency: digital picture quality. Many topped out at 1280x1024, some were good for 1600x1200, but you had to look very carefully for one capable of 1920x1200. Eg, there were some medical quality image viewing hardware that were quite expensive.

    The situation has probably improved over the last 6 months, so you shouldn't have quite so hard a time finding a good video card.

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  3. DVI to ADC Adapter. by Stigmata669 · · Score: 2, Informative

    You need a DVI to ADC converter to use the display. The graphics cards shipped with the new G4s come with both DVI and ADC (dual head card), and inorder to run a cinema display off of the DVI port, you need an adapter

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    1. Re:DVI to ADC Adapter. by rsilverman · · Score: 2, Informative

      Since I wrote that I am already happily using the HD display with my TiBook, it should be clear that I already have the adapter. That's not the problem.

  4. nVidia gForce 4 Ti is working for me by ceej · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm sharing an HD Cinema Display with my G4 and my PC. I bought one of the Apple dvi -> ADC converters, which I assume you're using with your TiBook to drive the display. My PC has a gForce4Ti 4600 card in it, which worked just fine with no fiddling right out of the box. (I upgraded from a gForce2 that had no dvi out.) Now I just need a dvi switcher and I'll be living in luxury.

  5. DVI-ADC by amokk · · Score: 3, Informative

    Do a little digging around and you'll find that various DVI connectors aren't compatible with each other.

    The Apple-made DVI to ADC converter will allow you to run your monitor on PCs...

    Here is a link to it on Apple's website. You can order the part from any Apple store. Most carry them in stock. This also will connect to your USB port to make the ports on the monitor function normally.

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  6. Try Gefen by wchin · · Score: 4, Informative

    I would give Gefen a serious look. Their DVI to ADC Conversion Box is the only one on the market that I know of that claims support for the 23" HD Cinema Display. Apple's, Dr. Bott's, and the Formac converter boxes all disclaim use with the 23" HD display. If nothing else, they should be able to help you with selecting the right graphics card.

  7. Coming in late on this but... by aztektum · · Score: 4, Informative

    A friend of mine works for CompUSA and after noting an Alienware rig that was tested in Max PC a couple months ago running with a 23" Apple display, he said that Compusa actually carries converters for this. I haven't seen them myself, but I would think most of their stores would have them if ours does.

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