Apple displays on Win systems

[ktinkel]

I knew I could find some statement of this from Apple, and thanks to Howard Allen on Snarkish (http://snarkish.com/) for pointing it out. See the attached.

In the same discussion, Jim Nichol pointed out that a 23-inch would work so long as the PC graphics card supports DVI with DDC technology for widescreen viewing. But a 30-inch requires two DVI connections.

One cool thing is that the USB2 and Firewire ports on the monitor do work with PC installations. There is more information at this Apple page (http://www.apple.com/displays/digital.html) and on the tech specs page (http://www.apple.com/displays/specs.html). (It does not appear that Apple is really pushing for Windows business — the compatibility information is dribbled out in little spurts all over the site!)

Appears to be easy enough to do after all. Do you have a laptop with the appropriate video card so you could go to an Apple store and ask to hook up to one of the displays?

[terrie]

This appears a lot more straightforward than I remember reading when the Cinema Displays first came out...

The pertinent question though is, is it worth the extra $$$ to buy a Cinema Display when there are a number of other LCD displays available that meet/exceed the Apple display specs.

Additionally, I've read enough posts on Apple's Colorsync Users list to question the quality of the Apple displays--not a huge number of posts about problem displays but enough to set off a warning bell for me...

Terrie

[Steve Rindsberg]

>> Do you have a laptop with the appropriate video card so you could go to an Apple store and ask to hook up to one of the displays?

There may be PC laptops with DVI video out but I don't recall ever having seen one. Sure as heck I've not seen one with two. Why two, I wonder? Unless the thing's really two monitors spliced together into a single case? [Steve, read the link]. Uh. Right.

Ah. NOT dual DVI connectors but *a* Dual Link DVI connector.
http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html

[terrie]

Steve...thanks for that link...interesting...I didn't realize there were so many flavors of DVI connections...

Terrie

[marlene]

Thanks for the detective work! I have no idea what DDC technology is, but a brief google seems to hint that the new fancy video cards -- at least the ones with DVI doohickeys -- have it.

It does not appear that Apple is really pushing for Windows business

Maybe they are afraid of PC cooties.

My laptop is several years old, so I'm sure it has the wrong kind of video card. However, it would be fun to return to the Apple store and propose hooking up a dreaded Windows machine to the Apple monitor. <tee hee>

mxh

[ktinkel]

This appears a lot more straightforward than I remember reading when the Cinema Displays first came out...

The pertinent question though is, is it worth the extra $$$ to buy a Cinema Display when there are a number of other LCD displays available that meet/exceed the Apple display specs.

Additionally, I've read enough posts on Apple's Colorsync Users list to question the quality of the Apple displays--not a huge number of posts about problem displays but enough to set off a warning bell for me...I see bitching about almost every brand of LCD monitor. On the other hand, I have absolutely no complaints about mine, which will be four years old in October.

As for the price, I was also surprised to see how they have come down. I paid something like $1200 for my 23-inch display. Now it costs $900.

Anyway, I don’t know how quality and price compare, and don’t know if Marlene should mess around with platform issues (I think she likes to keep things simple, as do I). But it was surprising to see that it can be done without a lot of folderol, if the Apple information is accurate.

[terrie]

kt: I see bitching about almost every brand of LCD monitor. On the other hand, I have absolutely no complaints about mine, which will be four years old in October.It's the newer ones that I've seen the complaints about and if I'm remembering correctly, the problems were very visible right out of the box...I was sort of surprised because I've always heard good things about the quality of Apple hardware.


>>As for the price, I was also surprised to see how they have come down. I paid something like $1200 for my 23-inch display. Now it costs $900.

Yeah...prices have come down a lot...

Terrie

[ktinkel]

However, it would be fun to return to the Apple store and propose hooking up a dreaded Windows machine to the Apple monitor. <tee hee>I suspect that if you find an intelligent (or better trained) salesguy there, you would be able to. In fact, I wonder if they don’t have a PC around for just such a purpose.

We don’t have an Apple store so I go to CompUSA, of all places. An Apple employee works there, and he dials Apple in CA at the drop of a hat if he needs to know something. I am still shaking my head at the ignorance, laziness, and arrogance of the salesman you ran into, which is why I tried to find out for you.

It would most likely not make great sense for you to buy an Apple monitor — unless it turns out to be the best at the price and no big deal to hook up — but you certainly have the right to accurate information.

[ktinkel]

>> Do you have a laptop with the appropriate video card so you could go to an Apple store and ask to hook up to one of the displays?

There may be PC laptops with DVI video out but I don't recall ever having seen one. I think the newest crop of Mac Duo laptops do (Ann bought a cinema display to use with the 17-inch laptop she bought recently). But that is very likely the first generation that does. Probably began with the Intel Macs.

Anyway, I had a momentary sense of being foolish when I suggested that, but sailed ahead anyway! :o

[marlene]

In fact, I wonder if they don’t have a PC around for just such a purpose.

Care to make a small wager on that? <LOL>

mxh

[marlene]

The pertinent question though is, is it worth the extra $$$ to buy a Cinema Display when there are a number of other LCD displays available that meet/exceed the Apple display specs.

I'm trying to balance specs/quality/features/reliability/cost/et al. I've read enough negative things about the 24" Dell to make me back away from them, so I'm pretty much back to square one.

I would still consider the Apple if I couldn't find anything comparable.

mxh

[terrie]

marlene: I'm trying to balance specs/quality/features/reliability/cost/et al. I've read enough negative things about the 24" Dell to make me back away from them, so I'm pretty much back to square one.The one that MaximumPC recommends is the Dell 2707WFP model...have you found reviews on that one?

Keep me posted on what you end up with...

I just found my notes on the NEC LCDs I was looking at:

21" (which may be too small for you):

LCD2190Uxi
LCD2190UXp

I don't remember the specs but I'm pretty sure they are part of NEC's professional/graphics line and if I'm remembering correctly, they were decently priced--$700-$900-ish maybe???

Terrie

[ktinkel]

Care to make a small wager on that? <LOL>Then find another Apple store! <g>

I am not a betting woman, but let’s say that I hope they can do better — else they are really doomed.

[marlene]

The next closest Apple store is pretty far away, but it's not out of the question. And it's in a less snooty shopping mall, which may or may not make a difference. <g>

mxh

[marlene]

Dell 2707WFP

I'm thinking that 27" might be larger than I want, but I wouldn't absolutely rule it out at this point. The Dell kiosk didn't have one in that size, unfortunately.

The 30" model was a behemoth, though. I have a feeling if I bought that one, I'd never get out of my office. When I wasn't working or surfing the net, I'd be watching DVDs. But there's no room in my office for a recliner. <g>

I did look at the NECs online, but the 21" models are definitely too small. Not enough of a step up from what I'm using now.

mxh

[terrie]

marlene: I have a feeling if I bought that one, I'd never get out of my office. When I wasn't working or surfing the net, I'd be watching DVDs. But there's no room in my office for a recliner. <g>ROFL!!!


>>I did look at the NECs online, but the 21" models are definitely too small. Not enough of a step up from what I'm using now.

Yeah...I figured but the 21" were affordable for me (at least as the time) and I hadn't had a chance to check on the larger NEC professional/graphic users ones...

Terrie

[ktinkel]

The next closest Apple store is pretty far away, but it's not out of the question. And it's in a less snooty shopping mall, which may or may not make a difference. <g>Oh, give the nearby one another chance; just avoid the squirrel you ran into the first time!

But maybe you will find your dream display before you need to do anything so dire! <g>

[Steve Rindsberg]

I think the newest crop of Mac Duo laptops do (Ann bought a cinema display to use with the 17-inch laptop she bought recently). But that is very likely the first generation that does. Probably began with the Intel Macs.

Anyway, I had a momentary sense of being foolish when I suggested that, but sailed ahead anyway! :o
Perhaps so, but isn't the problem one of whether Marlene will be able to hook the thing up to a PC (and only if so, what it'll look like)?

[ktinkel]

Perhaps so, but isn't the problem one of whether Marlene will be able to hook the thing up to a PC (and only if so, what it'll look like)?Of course.

She should come visit us. We could hook her up and see how it looks, and then we could have some good company! Just a few hours away.

[Steve Rindsberg]

Of course.

She should come visit us. We could hook her up and see how it looks, and then we could have some good company! Just a few hours away.
She'd have to bring her computer along, but that'd give Mr. E something to do. ;-)

[ktinkel]

She'd have to bring her computer along, but that'd give Mr. E something to do. ;-)But of course! Jack is eager to meet Mr E, in fact.

[Steve Rindsberg]

Marlene will probably throttle me for spilling the beans, but Mr. E's quite an engaging, personable guy. Mr. E probably tries to keep Marlene hidden away from interlopers and would be ticked off if he heard me say that they're BOTH a lot of fun to hang out with.

And if you're ever in DC, get them to take you to the "Sisters" (a spendid Vietnamese restaurant).

[ktinkel]

Marlene will probably throttle me for spilling the beans, but Mr. E's quite an engaging, personable guy. Mr. E probably tries to keep Marlene hidden away from interlopers and would be ticked off if he heard me say that they're BOTH a lot of fun to hang out with.Oh, I believe that! We did see the wedding video, after all!

And if you're ever in DC, get them to take you to the "Sisters" (a spendid Vietnamese restaurant).Sounds good.

[curveto]

But that is very likely the first generation that does. Probably began with the Intel Macs.

It started (for Apple laptops) with the Aluminum series and later iBooks. They've had two flavors of mini-dvi connectors on them for quite a while. The desktops have had DVI support for much longer than that. That said, the first implementations of DVI on Apple desktops was limited to DVI-D (consult wikipedia for a comprehensive DVI summary, btw) and then, for a while with (one of their favorite past times) a funky Apple only connector.

FWIW,
JR

[curveto]

My HP laptop (and lots of others I've looked at) has (have) DVI-A connectivity (which is just re-packaged analog video) via it's optional docking station. My laptop isn't new any more (it's the last of the single core Intels). I've seen the same functionality on laptops from Dell and others.

JR

[curveto]

There's this:

http://www.macconnection.com/ProductDetail?Sku=7661901

If your standards are less stringent I think you'll find the Apple panels to be very nice (if priced at the top of their competitive range).

JR

[Steve Rindsberg]

Looks like my Thinkpad's (R60) dock has DVI too. The dock's pretty nice even if the docs leave something to be desired. ;-)

[curveto]

Yeah. It actually seems to be a pretty common feature (assuming the laptop has an optional dock). That said, it's essentially just the same old #-VGA signal running out a DVI-A connector; not digital and thus no meaningful change in quality. A digital only DVI monitor -- like a Gen1 Cimena Display -- will go "what the heck is that?" when you plug in the cable. Apple's laptops (and Minis and...), on the other hand, are pushing DVI-D out their standard (but not often seen) Mini-DVI port. <sarcasm>Yet another one of those cases where Apple is forever behind PC vendors. I think it started with that clearly inferior disk technology called SCSI or their use of that crappy Motorola 68000 processor. ...or maybe that Woz video sub system. Not wait, that can't count as it predates that (always pushing the bubble) PC.</sarcasm>

:)