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New Studio Ultra to 30″ Cinema Display

Updated 16 hours ago in Adapters and Cables
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5 on 16-01-2025

Hi,

I bought a new Studio Ultra with the idea that I could hook up my 30″ Cinema Display,
but the adapters are not working for me. The first one would show a blank screen
with a very faint amount of light on the screen – just barely all black if you know what I mean.
I thought that the adapter was faulty, so I bought another one.
The second adapter shows a “plaid”-like matrix of colored lines going across and up and down the screen.

My monitor is from early 2007 – a time before HDCP – so I have the OFF version of the adapter.
Also, I used SwitchResX to double check and it shows that it’s not HDCP compatible.

I’m totally stumped by this while not being able to even set up my new Mac. I’ve written Club 3D two times
with no answers, so I’m hoping that there’s folks here that might know.
Apple forum suggested that the first adapter was faulty. Could the second one be too? Any ideas?

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rostasi 0 on 17-01-2025

StarTech kinda works in that I’m now getting readable text, but it has fuzzy, fast moving lines on a small segment of the screen. Next up is the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter because either the others don’t show anything at all or quickly moving plaid lines (Club 3D) or I get to see text with strange aberrations (StarTech). Frustrating to not get answers from Club 3D.

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joevt 1 on 17-01-2025

You are connecting a CAC-1510-A to a Thunderbolt port of the Studio Ultra?

Did you verify using SwitchResX that the current resolution selected for the display has the exact same timing as one of the modes listed in the display’s EDID? Either 1280×800 or 2560×1600? Double click the current display mode in the Current Resolutions list in SwitchResX to view the timing information (pixel clock, front porch, etc.) for that display mode.

Do you see issues like those pictured at: https://insights.club-3d.com/thread/flickering-problem-with-cac-1510-a-and-apple-cinema-display-30-on-mac-mini-m1/   ?

rostasi on 17-01-2025

Yes, SwitchResX was helpful when I used it to check my display the other day – this after years of use. Yes, it just confirmed what I already knew about the display. Again, the first Club adapter showed nothing on the screen. Second adapter from Club showed quickly moving “plaid” lines zooming up and down the screen. A StartTech adapter (which looks almost identical to the Club 3D one) actually gave me a picture of the introductions you get when you hook up a new Mac, but had those issues of wavy lines pictured in the link you sent.

After seeing that link, I’m excited to see that the person had good results with the Apple adapter. I’m waiting for a connector to come allowing me to use that Apple adapter so I’ll see if that works.

 

Meanwhile, I’ll have to let my new Mac Studio Ultra sit (it’s already been over 40 days) and realize that all of the hope I had for this Club dongle just evaporated. I always have my old Tower which I easily switch over to in a minute and use my 30″ monitor like usual.

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rostasi 0 on 18-01-2025

OK… so the Apple Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter is the winner.
The HUGE frustrating thing about all of this is that I already had this adapter
in a closet nearby and all I really needed was a USB-C to Mini DisplayPort (female) adapter
and I would’ve had my new Mac up and running in MUCH less than 43 days.
Instead, I relied on this Club adapter (and the StarTech adapter as well)
to be the easy plug-‘n’-play solutions. Neither of which were worth the money.

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StevenGremillion 0 16 hours ago

I really enjoyed this upgrade story—there’s something satisfying about pairing newer hardware with a classic display and seeing it still hold its own. Moving from Studio Ultra to a 30″ Cinema Display feels like blending modern performance with that iconic, minimalist design Apple used to nail. I appreciated how you covered compatibility details and resolution quirks, because that’s usually where these setups get tricky. Personally, I love setups that mix power and nostalgia—it’s kind of like keeping your workflow efficient but simple, the same way I’ll grab a Nurri Protein Shake when I want something quick without sacrificing quality. Do you think you’ll eventually move to a newer high-refresh display, or are you sticking with the Cinema Display for the long run?

 
 
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