Monitor for Mac Mini

Here's the deal. I'm looking for a low cost monitor for my 1.42ghz G4 Mac Mini.

I have the opportunity to buy an older 15" LCD Apple Studio Display.

Here's the catch...these monitors ONLY have an ADC connector/cable.

These monitor's have only one cord...it receives both it's power & video signal from the ADC connector...which plugs into the computer you're using it with via an ADC video port on the computer/video card, or with an ADC to DVI adapter.

So my question is...Does anyone know if the Mac Mini is capable of "self-powering" a 15" LCD Apple Studio Display?

Thanks,

- Nick

To be honest, I doubt it. The DVI connections aren't meant to power a display. If they were, then Apple probably would have come out with a straight adapter, but instead they off this:

Apple DVI to ADC Adapter - Apple Store (U.S.)

which has its own power supply to (I assume) drive the display.

Of course, once you buy the adapter, it probably kills any kind of deal on that 15" LCD, it'd probably be cheaper to go buy a new non-Apple LCD elsewhere...

JMHO

Nethfel said:

To be honest, I doubt it. The DVI connections aren't meant to power a display. If they were, then Apple probably would have come out with a straight adapter, but instead they off this:

Apple DVI to ADC Adapter - Apple Store (U.S.)

which has its own power supply to (I assume) drive the display.

Of course, once you buy the adapter, it probably kills any kind of deal on that 15" LCD, it'd probably be cheaper to go buy a new non-Apple LCD elsewhere...

JMHO

Click to expand...

Nethfel...AWESOME answer very very helpful! I wasn't aware that the product you linked (DVI-ADC adapter) existed! And your definitely right...after buying that adapter, it kills any deal on a monitor!

Thanks again,

- Nick

p.s. You're getting some points for this one!

Update on the 15" LCD Apple Studio Display monitor purchase.

I guess that I didn't fully understand that the guy selling it was selling the monitor WITH the ADC to DVI adapter ($99.00 value).

So here's what the deal was:

- 15" LCD Apple Studio Display
- One owner!
- original box & packaging material!
- $99.00 ADC to DVI adapter/power supply

All for $45 dollars!

Well I couldn't pass this deal up...so I bought it.

As I mentioned in a previous thread...I'm setting up a computer & monitor in my kitchen. So now I have a 1.42ghz G4 Mac Mini that I got for $125 bucks, and a 15" Apple monitor with the ADC to DVI adapter for $45.

Not too shabby!

- Nick

That Adapter is worth more than $45 used as they are a pain to find. Good deal. Let us know how it works. I have a 22" Apple with ADC and that adapter. Been using it for 3 years now. Works great.

dtravis7 said:

That Adapter is worth more than $45 used as they are a pain to find. Good deal. Let us know how it works. I have a 22" Apple with ADC and that adapter. Been using it for 3 years now. Works great.

Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. And...I figured as you mentioned...that if I could get an older & larger Apple LCD display with the ADC cheaply...I would already have the adapter!

Now if I could find a good purpose for all of my "Appletalk" hardware! ;D

- Nick

Dang that is a good deal - at the very least, you know if the adapter works and the screen doesn't you should still be able to get your money out of it

pigoo3 said:

I was thinking the same thing. And...I figured as you mentioned...that if I could get an older & larger Apple LCD display with the ADC cheaply...I would already have the adapter!

Now if I could find a good purpose for all of my "Appletalk" hardware! ;D

- Nick

Click to expand...

Well, I have a bunch of IIgs' I could sell ya

I forgot to mention that I took my Mac Mini, keyboard, and mouse with me to test the display and ADC adapter before purchasing everything.

Everything checked out fine...of course I will have to do the "long-term" test at home to make sure everything continues to work fine. The guy that sold it to me said to bring it back if there's a problem.

The Mac Mini really comes in handy for these sort of situations!

- Nick

Nethfel said:

Well, I have a bunch of IIgs' I could sell ya

Click to expand...

Well...I don't have any IIgs stuff! ;D

- Nick

One other thing...

I don't want to get into a "You won't believe what I paid for XYZ hardware 20 years ago" thread.

But...the original price on this LCD monitor back in 2000 was $999...then the price was reduced to $599 in 2001.

I know that we all have stories about how much we paid for computer stuff 2, 5, 10, or 20 years ago...but to imagine that a 15" LCD monitor that sold for $999 in 2000 can be bought currently for $45 bucks is just crazy!

The reason I say this is...a 15" LCD display from 2000 is just as useful today as it was then (although a bit on the small side). This is certainly not the same case for other 9 year old computer hardware!

Of course there's the economics of it (economies of scale)...the greater the numbers a manufacturer can produce of an item...the cheaper it gets.

- Nick

Well, the only debate on useability is dependent on:

1) If the backlight still works, I'd hate to have to replace a CCFL in an old monitor as it may be more cost then its worth
2) The LCD doesn't have dead pixels (or if you're willing to live with some, not an exorbitant amount)
3) if used for gaming, some of the older lcds really weren't fast enough to prevent serious ghosting.

Other then that - I have to agree it's incredible on how fast the prices on still useful things fall thru the floor in just a few years, and even new stuff (especially on the winpc side) that can drop $1000 on a $1500 system within a year due to new stuff even tho the "old" stuff works great.

Nethfel said:

Well, the only debate on useability is dependent on:

1) If the backlight still works, I'd hate to have to replace a CCFL in an old monitor as it may be more cost then its worth
2) The LCD doesn't have dead pixels (or if you're willing to live with some, not an exorbitant amount)
3) if used for gaming, some of the older lcds really weren't fast enough to prevent serious ghosting.

Click to expand...

Yes...regarding age & usability...the three points you listed are valid. I will have to take a close look at the monitor I purchased to see if it has any of those issues.

Thanks,

- Nick