Thunderbolt Versus Mini Display Cable

I want to extend the Thunderbolt cable on the back of my display to my new Mac Pro. Apple only sells a male to male Thunderbolt cable and they do not sell a Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt connector. C2G sells a mini display cable that they claim is the same as a Thunderbolt cable (Part 54168). It has a male connector on one end and a female connector on the other. It will definitely extend my existing cable but the question remains that will it provide the same connectivity (functions) as the Apple Thunderbolt cable which has two male ends.
Can anyone provide some insight?

The Mini DisplayPort cable won't work. Buy a M-M Thunderbolt cable and connect it from the computer to the Thunderbolt port on the back of the display. You can then use the display's Thunderbolt cable to connect other Thunderbolt devices.

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Can Adobe Premiere run on 2013 Mac Book Pro (thunderbolt port) and display on 2010 iMac (Mini DisplayPort) using TDM. TB cable Opt. F2 didn't work. Will a Mini Display cable work?

I need to work on Adobe Premiere on my 2013 Mac Book Pro (with thunderbolt port) and display it on my 2010 iMac (with Mini DisplayPort) using Target Display Mode (TDM). I tried using a thunderbolt cable plus Option F2, but it didn't work. Will a Mini Display cable work? Any other suggestions?
iMac specs - 21.5 inch 2010 iMac 3.06 GHz Intel Core i3 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Mac Book Pro specs - 13 in. retina 2.6 GHz Intel Core i5 16GB 1600 Mhz DDR3

2010 iMacs do not have Thunderbolt, they have mini-display ports. You are using the wrong connection, you need a mini display port to mini display port. Please read up on what Apple says in Target Display Mode: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Connect macbookpro 10.8.2 to iMac 10.6.8 | Thunderbolt to Mini Display

Sorry if this is redundant but i've had no luck filtering through discussions to find my specific scenario. I have a macbook pro running 10.8.2 with thunderbolt and am trying to connect it to my iMac running 10.6.8 with mini display. I'm looking to use the iMac as a monitor. I have a VGA cord and have connected a thunderbolt to VGA adapter into my macbook and on the other end have connected a mini display to VGA into the iMac. When I connect the two the iMac's screen resolution slims up and blows up the pixel ratio while the macbook just blinks a blue screen off and on. When hitting the f2 key on the iMac, nothing happens.
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Hey jackedInOakland,
Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.
Looks like you want to use the iMac as a 2nd display. This article will help you get this setup.
Target Display Mode: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3924#4
What are the requirements for TDM?
A Mac notebook or desktop with a Mini DisplayPort or ThunderBolt connection
A ThunderBolt or Mini DisplayPort cable
A supported iMac with OS X 10.6.1 or later. The table below shows iMac computers that support TDM, the required cables, and the port of the computer to which you are connecting the iMac.
iMac Model
Cable Supported
Port on Source Computer
iMac (27-inch Late 2009)
Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt
iMac (27-inch Mid 2010)
Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort
Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)
Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011)
Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012)
Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
iMac (27-inch, Late 2012)
Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
Have a nice day,
Mario

Mini Display Cable 27" Cinema Display & rMac Book Pro

Hi
is there any extentions or convertors where i can connect my 27" Cenima Display which have a mini display cable not thunder bolt
to Mac Book Pro with retina Display ?
Kind Regards

From the MacBook Pro retina specs:
<http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/>
"Thunderbolt digital video output
Native Mini DisplayPort output
DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter (sold separately)
VGA output using Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter (sold separately)
Dual-link DVI output using Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (sold separately)"
<http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5219>
See question 18.

Why won't the Thunderbolt port (Mini Display) on a 2011 MacBook Pro drive a DVI Display?

I'm trying to use a MonoPrice 5106 Mini Display to DVI adapter and a DVI cable to drive an Acer H233H 23" HD display. I'm driving it from the Thunderbolt Port (Mini Display) on a 2011 MacBook Pro. It doesn't work. I use a similar MonoPrice adapter (5311) to drive the HDMI input on this monitor from the Thunderbolt port and it works fine.
I can drive the DVI input on the Acer display from an older iMac using a MonoPrice 4851 Mini-DVI to DVI adapter and this same DVI cable and it works just fine.
So, why won't it work from the MacBook Pro? Do I need the much more expensive Monoprice 6904 dual link DVI adapter ($69)? Why isn't this mentioned in the MacBook Pro manual or on the MacBook Pro support page? MonoPrice says this 5106 adapter should work and if not to try the more expensive 6904 adapter. Need a better reason to buy the more expensive adapter.
Help please.
Thanks,
Vee

Just saw your question. Just like it's Apple counterpart, the 5106 is not capable of higher resolutions. You should, in theory, be able to drive your Acer display at lower resolutions with the 5106. And the 5106 may be sufficient for a 23" monitor . . . you'd need to check the maximum resolution for each.
But you definitely do need the 6904 for higher resolutions. That's what 30" monitors and other high-res displays require.

24" LCD has Super short mini-display cable that does not reach

I was setting up a 24" display (on an LCD arm) and i noticed the mini display cable is very, very short. It does not reach to the Mac Pro under the desk. I guess the 24" displays were made for laptops and did not expect that the cables would need to reach under a desk.
I couldn't find a Mini-display to Mini-display extender. Does anyone know of one?
Anyone considering two 24" monitors might want to review their own setup, to see if it works with the exceptionally short mini display video cables on the 24" display.
Message was edited by: Charles Barone

Charles, did you ever find a solution for this problem? I am ready to get a new Mac Pro and 24" display, but a 3 foot (1 meter?) cable is about two feet too short. I don't want to have the MP box sitting between my feet so it can be within 3' of the connector at the back of the display. I talked with someone at the on-line apple store today and he checked with an engineer and looked at the cable that comes with the display, and it was indeed only ~3' long. Since this type of monitor connection (the mini display port) is supposedly going to become the new "standard", I would hope that companies (e.g., Belkin, etc) will have high quality but longer cables available. I assume that the cable you have has the same mini display port plug on each end, and no adaptors are necessary?
If anyone has a solution to this short cable dilemma, please chime in!
Thanks

Mini Display cable length

Can anyone tell me how long exactly the mini display cable is for the 24 inch dispaly.
tks

Just measured mine at 43.75" from rear of monitor to tip of Mini DisplayPort connector.
Inexpensive extensions are available for these (and necessary in my case).
Message was edited by: myaka

Dual Display Issues, Mini Display Cable, Firewire, USB, Nothing Works

I am working on a project for my supervisor, the specifics of each machine are listed below to the best of my ability:
Machine 1:
iMac9,1 Intel Core 2 Duo
Version: 10.6.8
Build: 10K549
Machine 2:
iMac10,1 Intel Core 2 Duo
Version: 10.6.8
Build:10K549
I have a iLuv Mini DisplayPort Cable, a 9-Pin to 9-Pin Firewire Cable, a M/M USB Cable and an ethernet cable. What I have been trying to do is link these two computers together so that each can be used as a seperate processor but their screens can be shared. Before anyone tells me this is impossible, these two monitors have in the past been connected together so there was the ability to dual use the computer monitors. I do not remember if I actually had the processing power of both available. When I plug the minidisplay port cable from one computer to the other the screen on Machine 2 will blink black to blue and then go back to an independent screen. The displays tab on neither computer shows two displays and none of the command f2 or f3 prompts are causing either computer to respond. I have tried connecting them with firewire and USB and can only get disk transfer mode from the Firewire. I know these computers used to be able to support being connected to one another and now I have no idea what is going on. I don't personally remember having a minidisplay port cable in the beginning so its possible I am going about this all wrong. I have called Apple Support many times and they suggested an OSX reinstall. I found the reinstallation software for 10.6.3 for a macbook 13 inch and each computer recognized the disc but said that the operating system could not be installed. At this point I have done everything I can think of including running a hardware test through the diagnostic tool at startup and on both computers the test came up with no error codes. Please please help me get these computers working again for my boss!
-Alan

Both the 9,1 (Early 2009) and 10,1 (Late 2009) iMac's only support Target Disk Mode using FireWire.
see > Target Disk Mode vs. FireWire networking | Macworld
or > Apple Tips Using Target Disk Mode
Adding that if the Late 2009 is a 27" then it supports Mini DisplayPort input for use as a monitor from another Mini DisplayPort Mac.
see > iMac: How to use your iMac as a Target Display Mode display
An Ethernet cable can be used for Networking and File Sharing the two iMac's.
see > Mac Basics: File Sharing
Plus connecting two iMac's together with a USB cable, will do nothing except trip the USB port overloads or something worse.

Mini Display to Mini Display cable

Hello. I have a 27inch mid 2010 iMac and I'm soon to buy the new 27inch 2012 iMac.
Is there a reason the apple store does not carry a mini displayport to mini displayport (male to male) cable to connect the older iMac as a 2nd monitor? Has Apple deemed this as not a good idea for a reason I can not understand yet?
Please help. Thank you.

Now Apple only sells Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt cables, but not Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cables, so Thunderbolt could be the reason. You can buy a third-party cable to connect both Macs > http://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F2CD008
To use the Mid 2010 iMac as a monitor > http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11302

Thunderbolt mini display port cable to HDMI not registering

I recently purchased a 6" mini display port to HDMI Cable. When I connected my macbook to my HDMI on my TV the macbook pro does not show the screen as a display option. When I go to system prefrences and under displays the tv is not showing up under arrangements. The only options I have is Display and color, I do not have an arrangement option. My TV doesn't seem to see the computer either.
I have a thunderbolt port but the cable says it's for a mini display port but works with Thunderbolt, I've used similar mini display cables before with the thunderbolt with no issues. I'm on an early 2011 macbook pro running 10.6.8
Thanks!

You may have better luck getting a response/answer if you post the question in the MacBook Pro discussion here.

Can i connect thunderbolt duo hard drive to the mini display port of a late 2008 macbook pro which do not have thunderbolt port, but have mini display port.

hi, i have a late 2008 15 inch macbook pro, which have a mini display port.
I noticed that thunderbolt and mini display port looks a like. So, my question is :
can i connect thunderbolt duo hard drive to the mini display port of a late 2008 macbook pro which do not have thunderbolt port, but have mini display port.
thank you

ken94538,
no, you’d need a Thunderbolt-to-FireWire adapter or Thunderbolt-to-USB adapter to be able to access your Thunderbolt hard drive from your 2008 MacBook Pro.

Mac book air thunderbolt (mini display to VGA)

my office projector doesn't support my new mac book thunderbolt output(mini display to VGA) but works well with my old mac book pro (2011)

finally,,,i call apple support and solve this problem,they let me restart the PRAM
done~~~
if anyone got a same problem with me.,please follow this link,it's work for me
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379?viewlocale=zh_TW

MINI DISPLAY to THUNDERBOLT

Friends,
I'm using a Mac Pro with a mini display port for display.
Can i connect to an Apple thunderbolt display from this mac pro?

Unfortunately not. If you want to use an Apple display, the older non-Thunderbolt versions (mini-display port) will work.
Matt

Where can I buy a ThunderBolt display cable?

I just bought the new MBP early 2011 and can not seem to find any display cables that utilize the ThunderBolt technology. Anyone have a reputable product they're like to share? Thanks!

there is currently no peripheral support for Thunderbolt, definitely no display cables (which BTW would not work with an ACD anyway as they use proprietary connectors.)
Digiloyd went off a little thunderbolt:
http://macperformanceguide.com/blog/2011/20110602_1_ThunderBoltMissing--howto.ht ml

Can I buy a new iMac with mini display connection instead of thunderbolt?

I have a 2009 MacBook Pro which I would like to connect to use the display & am aware that a 2009 MacBook will not connect to a Thunderbolt Display. My husband has a new MacBook Air which has thunderbolt, but I think he can get a thunderbolt to mini display connector for him to use.

I want to be able to connect my 2009 MacBook Pro to the display on the iMac. The reason I asked about the display is because I know thunderbolt is not compatible with a 2009 MacBook Pro.
From reading other posts I understand that the Cinema Display connections are compatible but not the Thunderbolt Display connection.
I am presuming that the display that comes with the iMac is the same as the Thunderbolt Display which can be purchased separately, but maybe I am wrong?
Thanks for your help.
Lynn

Thunderbolt Versus Mini Display Cable

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