Contribute
Register

How to run LED Cinema Display without adapter cable?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jan 25, 2012
Messages
154
Motherboard
Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H
CPU
i3-4370
Graphics
RX 570
Mac
  1. iMac
  2. Mac Pro
Classic Mac
  1. SE
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
Seeking quick advice before I start buying things:

I would like to run 27 inch Apple Cinema Display LED (mini displayport version) on my hackintosh without using an adapter cable if possible.

Would a GPU like the HD 6870 be able to run this ACD with its built-in mini displayport?

Also, I've seen old posts claiming this card 'just works' in a hackintosh. Can anyone confirm if this is still true in 2016 using El Capitan, Clover/EFI setup?

FWIW, my system is a 2011-era Sandy Bridge Z68 Tonymac build.

Thanks.
 
Thank you for your reply.

I've just read a post written by someone last summer using the HD 6870 to drive a 24 inch ACD with mini displayport.

The poster complained that the resolution was messed up on the ACD after switching to Clover. Some sort of trick was required like putting the computer to sleep at the login screen, then waking it up, in order to get full resolution.

I wonder if this problem was ever sorted out. I don't want to buy the card if it doesn't play well with Clover (when using ACD via mini displayport).
 
Now I've seen a current thread reporting resolution problems using a Cinema Display with Clover as the bootloader.
In this case, it's an older ACD with the DVI connector. So the Displayport connection must not be the issue.

What both of these threads have in common is Radeon cards.

Is anyone successfully using a Cinema display plugged into an NVIDIA card with Clover as bootloader?
 
I don't know if it helps, but I've been running a XFX 5770 single-slot card hooked up to an ACD 27" LED since at least 10.7 I believe. Currently on the 10.11.2. Natively plugged into the card's mDP. Clover legacy, X58 board.

This card:
XFX Radeon HD 5770 DirectX 11 HD-577X-ZMF3 1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150501
 
Now I've seen a current thread reporting resolution problems using a Cinema Display with Clover as the bootloader.
In this case, it's an older ACD with the DVI connector. So the Displayport connection must not be the issue.

What both of these threads have in common is Radeon cards.

Is anyone successfully using a Cinema display plugged into an NVIDIA card with Clover as bootloader?
That might have been my post. But, I'm using the 23" ACD with the DVI connector via a KVM switch with both my Gene and Hector builds w/o any issues.

The problem I had with this ACD was with my older Gigabyte systems (Z87/Z68/P55M) in that the BIOS couldn't probably negotiate a resolution with the monitor. So, I had to connect an older, PC monitor up to those systems if I wanted to get into the BIOS on those motherboards. But, I could still run OS X on those systems with the 23" ACD with the DVI connector - I just couldn't see the BIOS flash screen or, when holding down the Delete key upon booting, see the BIOS screens.
 
Thank you Stork for the clarification.

I've tested a 20" ACD with my Z97 machine (plugging dVI into GTX 750). The Post screen appeared in normal res as did the OS.

But I'm intending to run a 27" ACD with mini display port connected to a Z68 system.
So I guess I need to plug an ACD into the Z68 to see if I can use the BIOS in normal resolution.

FWIW, the Z68 board has been flashed with UEFI. Clover is installed in EFI mode.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top