This is the only time when Thunderbolt is a real problem. Last but not least, the Target Display mode. The LED Cinema Display 24-inch screen works on all Macs on Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt. The only thing to know is that the sound will come on USB on older models, which is not a problem. The LED Cinema Display 27 inch screen works on all Macs on Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt. The 27-inch Thunderbolt screen only works on a Thunderbolt Mac. Of course, all Thunderbolt machines carry the sound on Mini DisplayPort. It works with all the 2011 or 2012 models.
#Fireqire cable for late 2012 mac mini pro#
The Mini DisplayPort HDMI adapters and the 27 inches Apple Cinema Display screen can not receive sound on this type of machine.įor the sound, you need a MacBook Mid 2010 (GeForce 320M), a MacBook Air 2010 11-inch or 13-inch (Core 2 Duo), a MacBook Pro 2010 13-inch (GeForce 320M), a MacBook Pro 2010 15-inch or 17-inch (GeForce 330M), a Mac mini 2010 (Core 2 Duo), an iMac 2009/2010 21-inch, an iMac 2009/2010 27-inch, or a Mac Pro 2010 (please note that changing the graphic card does not bring the sound). This is a limitation due to the motherboard. On the first generations of Mac equiped with Mini DisplayPort (MacBook Pro 2008/2009, etc), the sound is not transmitted on Mini DisplayPort. Specifically, a Mini DisplayPort adapter runs on a Thunderbolt plug. Technically, the plug is the same and the only difference is that the Thunderbolt connector can carry – in addition to the classic Mini DisplayPort – a Thunderbolt signal, which is a signal PCI-Express (4 lines). Thunderbolt is fully compatible with Mini DisplayPort peripherals. As this issue os often misunderstood, I will expose the difference ( and also similarities ) between Thunderbolt and Mini DisplayPort.