Dual Monitor with G4 --need help

[Charles Papert]

Well, I bit the bullet and ordered a 23" Cinema Display at last, after playing around with FCP at an Apple Store with the 23" and the 17" in dual configuration--me likey! I've already got the 17" so I was part of the way there.

My G4 is the 2001 "Digital Audio" model, dual 1 gHz. It has the ADC connector of course, but the other one is the small VGA connector. My question is how to connect this to the 17" Studio Display which is ADC. I've been getting different answers from different sources about how to do this, none of which are as inexpensive as I would have hoped...!

Here's one...$299, ugh!

Another solution would possibly be to install a graphics card. Does anyone know which/what/how?

What I am now considering is buying an inexpensive 17-20" CRT with VGA to use as my second monitor, seeing as that would cost about the same, and then using my 17" Studio Display with my Powerbook to make a nice two-computer setup, so I can do the office-y stuff over "here" while I'm all busy with FCP over "there". Still need to get a DVI to ADC adaptor for the Powerbook (15" aluminum), that I can get for $75, not so bad (but jeez, this whole issue is killing me!)

OK, who's got thoughts on this?

[Jeff Donald]

You have two types of graphics cards AGP (what comes with a desktop) and PCI (what fits in a slot) I don't think either nVidia or ATI make PCI cards that support ADC. PCI slots as a rule do not support the 120v AC that is needed to power the monitor. The adapter that convert to ADC need to add power for the monitor. AGP slots can provide 120v AC for the monitor, but you'll need a DVI to ADC adapter. I don't know of any dual ADC cards.

[Charles Papert]

So Jeff, I'm looking at the Apple history on my computer (I erred on its model, it was a Quicksilver dual 1 ghz). It lists the video out as "VGA/DVI, ADC". Does this mean that the VGA output is digital--in other words, a simple adaptor cable will make it a DVI connector, in which case I can use the DVI-ADC $99 Apple adaptor or equivalent? Or is it just an analog VGA port? So confused, so very confused.

[Jeff Donald]

It will probably do either DVI or VGA, but not both at the same time. It is a dual monitor card. It will support ADC and DVI or ADC and VGA, at the same time. You just need the adapter to convert DVI to ADC, then you can power two ADC monitors at the same time.

[Jeff Donald]

Use the Apple System Profiler to find out what card you have. You might have an ATI 7500(?) or an nVidia card that was BTO. I don't think both cards have all three connectors. The nVidia is the better card and probably has all 3 connectors. The ATI probably has only the ADC and VGA

[Charles Papert]

Thanks Jeff. It appears to have the GeForce4MX which lists nVidia under "vendor". So I remain hopeful. I guess the only solution is to buy the adaptors and try it.

[Jeff Donald]

When you look at the back of the G4 what do you see. You should see the ADC connector the Studio Display is plugged into. You should also see a similar shape and size connector (probably just below, or aside the ADC) this would be the DVI connector. If you see a smaller connector (looks like an RS-422) that would be the VGA connector. I also found this in the Apple Knowledge Base

[Charles Papert]

I have the ADC and VGA connectors. I'm familiar with the DVI from my Powerbook. Thanks for those specs; I still can't figure out if it's an analog VGA port or if it offers a digital (aka DVI) signal, available through a simple adaptor from the VGA.

I appreciate your help on this, Jeff!

[Zac Stein]

Charles, if it is a standard DB15 port, (umm looks like ya standard vga port with 15 pins or holes) it is analogue.

Only DVI is digital. One thing to note, there is hardly any quality loss when using the analogue connection, so don't fret too much.

One thing i would worry about is the gf4mx video card keeping up with the high resolution of the 23" display, it should be fine but ya never know.

Zac.

Ps. looking forward to seeing you in April, got plans to keep you nice and busy.

as always,

take care

[Charles Papert]

Oh. I thought DVI was digital, and ADC just added power and USB and all those other goodies into one cable...?

[Zac Stein]

ADC yeah, it is just an all in 1 plug kinda thing, personally i think it is a cool idea, wish pc's had it, but alas i have a maze of cords that remind me of raiders of the lost arc snake scenes, behind my desk.

Yeah the ADC carries a DVI signal through it.

But standard VGA DB15 plugs are analogue.
http://www.overclockercafe.com/Revie...Ultra/1003.htm

With this picture, you can see the DVI (digital) connection on the left, and the good old DB15 VGA (analogue) on the right.
With an s-video connection smacked in the middle.

The ADC is a pure mac thing, to cut down on cabling and so on, very cool idea, but it is just a multi-purpose connection.

Zac

[Rob Lohman]

120v out of an AGP card? That's a new one for me. How is it
converting the 5/12v in the AGP bus to 120v? Are you sure it
isn't a spliced cable?

Maybe this is an stupid (heh) idea, but have you thought about
to simply go back to the Apple store and look / ask how THEY
have done THEIR setup which you played on, Charles? They
should be able to give advice on how the system shoul work
on a Mac (probably an extra graphics card would be my guess).

I'm *assuming* the mac's have an AGP based graphics card
you can replace? There are cards with a dual DVI interface
on them, so you only need one card then (replace the older one).

[Jeff Donald]

Yes, AGP can pass 120v and they do for the Apple ADC connection. ADC differs from DVI. Several companies make cards to do what Rob purposes and a new 8x AGP with dual output (ADC and DVI) would start at about $200 and go up. You would still need a DVI to ADC convertor (about $99) but that is the way the Apple stores run dual monitors (LCD). Macs for the last couple of years have come with AGP cards that include both ADC and DVI. Charles, yours is one of the last ADC, VGA video cards that Apple used on G4's. The ADC, DVI card was a Build To Order option on your G4.

[Charles Papert]

Thank you everyone for input and bless you Jeff, for clearing that last bit up. And now I have to decide between buying at ATI RAdeon 9000 card plus ADC-DVI adaptor (about $250 total) vs a good 17" CRT monitor with VGA (about $150, but obviously a real estate hog on the desk). Such is life.

[Don Berube]

<<<-- Originally posted by Charles Papert : My G4 is the 2001 "Digital Audio" model, dual 1 gHz. It has the ADC connector of course, but the other one is the small VGA connector. My question is how to connect this to the 17" Studio Display which is ADC. I've been getting different answers from different sources about how to do this, none of which are as inexpensive as I would have hoped...!

- And yet another way to do it, other than the Geffen solution for $300 - you could probably also find a used ATI Radeon 7000 32mb PCI card with DVI out for around $85, then convert that DVI output to ADC with a Dr. Bott DVIator and feed your second Apple LCD display that way. The used Radeon 7000 card for around $85 and the DVIator for around $95 means that you'd be saving at least 125 samolies.

You could also buy the combo new from the Doc for a little more, but you would still be saving 80 samolies.
http://www.drbott.com/prod/db.lasso?code=0817

There's probably even another way to do this too. There's always another way, right?

If that is the same 32MB NVIDIA GeForce4 MX video card that I have in my 2002 Dual Mirrored Drive Doors G4 dual 1.25GB, then both of the video outputs will output video at the same time at 16MB per connector. I simply adapted them to VGA to feed my dual Graphite 17" Apple CRT Studio Displays. I love the APPLE LCD displays, but I still do appreciate the tighter pitch and color properties of a good CRT. My brother Dan has the 23" Cinema Display too. I'll be picking up a new Apple Cinema Display very shortly.

- don