MacBook – Using an Apple Display Connector monitor with a MacBook Pro

cinema-displaymacbook pro

My girlfriend just got her bosses old PowerMac G4 and big ol' Cinema Display. It's got the ADC connector, so I'm not sure if it's relevant what the size is (and frankly I'm too lazy to measure unless it is). I'm looking to drive this off of my MacBook Pro, and her MacBook, both using Mini DisplayPort.

It looks like the prescribed solution is to daisy-chain the Mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter with a DVI to ADC adapter, but there's two issues with this:
1) It costs $130. Ouch.
2) The DVI to ADC adapter looks discontinued on the US store.

Is anyone familiar with a cheaper solution that doesn't involve ordering an adapter from the UK?

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/M8661B/B
DVI to ADC adapter, UK store, £70.46

Thanks in advance for any information.

(Apparently my StackOverflow reputation doesn't cross over so I can only post one link until I get 10 reputation, so I elected to post the harder to find one. Googling for "apple mini displayport to dvi adapter" will find you the other one.)

Best Answer

Either get one from ebay as (Mike Scott suggested) or Google for a DVI to ADC adaptor. The looking I did suggests that the UK one may actually be the cheapest.

The reason they are so expensive is that ADC carries the DVI connection, USB, and the monitor's power. (That's right: no separate power cord.) Any DVI to ADC adapter you get will, at a minimum, have to plug into your mini DisplayPort adapter and into the wall. Here's Apple's compatibility matrix, but their store links no longer work.

Good luck!