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[How-To] Apple 17" Studio Display ADC to DVI Conversion Project


zantac105
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Apple Studio Monitor to DVI conversion project

This project will allow the Apple Studio Monitor with the ADC male connector to connect to a regular female DVI-D. Apple used to sell a conversion box but good luck finding one. And if you do find one be prepared to pay a fortune for it.

 

The Apple Studio Monitor Male connector carries digital video, usb and power from a video card with a female ADC connector. This is what we have to start with. Using various pinout charts I found on google and some easily available parts I was able to successfully get the monitor to work with a standard video card with a working DVI port!

 

Parts I used:

standard DVI-D cable (I used a male to male) 5$

universal laptop power supply (voltage switchable) up to 24volts 30$

replacement printer ports (1 male and 1 female 25 pins) .45$ each

female power connector (compatible with the power supply) 1.20$

usb cable (A male to A female)3$

1kohm resistor .25$

multi-meter (to find the pins to wires)

soldering iron (small tip)

solder paste

wire stripper (capable of stripping small wires)

electrical tape 1.50$

project box (optional) 5$

 

DVI preparations.

1. Cut one end off of the DVI cable

2. Strip back the outer shielding exposing approx 3" of wires. Then strip back 1/16" exposing the little wires inside.

3. Using the chart and multi-meter, start to identify the wire to the pins.

4. Once you have Identified which pins belong to which wires you can begin to solder them to the blank printer port. I started by picking a corner pin and calling it pin one then I proceeded to solder the wires skipping any pins that didn't have a corresponding wire. For example: pin 1 and 2 had a wire but 3 didn't so I skipped the number 3 solder point on the blank printer port.

5. Double check your work with the multimeter.

 

USB preparations.

1. Cut the female side off.

2. Strip the wires approx 1\16" and Identify using the multi-meter and the USB pinout chart.

 

ADC preparations

1. Cut and strip the wires of the Male ADC connector

2. Strip back the outer shielding exposing approx 3" of wires. Then strip back 1/16" exposing the little wires inside.

3. Using the chart and multi-meter, start to identify the wires to the pins.

4. Take the two large red and two large black wires and twist the reds together then twist the blacks together. These are the power and return to the monitor.

5. Solder the power connector to the red and black pairs. Red is positive and should be the centre pin usually. (check the power supply as a precaution)

6. Using the USB pinout chart and the ADC pinout chart solder the wires accordingly. (usb power is provided by the monitor and does not need to be soldered)

7. Using the ADC chart cross reference which ADC pins correspond to which DVI pins. I recommend taking physical notes just to make it clear. For example: ADC pin 19 DDC Clock = DVI pin 6.

8. Solder the 1kohm resister bridging pin 14 and 16 on the blank printer port. This bridge will let the monitor give its EDID info to the graphics card and enable hot plugging.

 

Check and recheck your work. Look for unsoldered points and be careful for cross wiring.

 

Testing.

1. plug the usb to your computer

2. plug the DVI to your video card

3. Plug your power adapter and then touch the soft power switch on the monitor.

4. Power on your computer

 

You Should Be In Business Like Me!!!

My monitor is coupled with my converted G4 Liquid that now sports a 2.5ghz quad-core

 

If you are not getting a picture disconnect everything and carefully check your charts and notes. Then recheck your solder points. Then check the blank printer ports with the multi-meter for continuity. Check for wire and solder bridging.

 

I hope you have as much fun as I did making your Apple Studio Monitor useful again.

Apple Display Connector (ADC, Apple Digital) video pinout and wiring @ pinouts.ru.pdf

DVI (Digital Visual Interface) pinout and wiring @ pinouts.ru.pdf

USB pinout and wiring @ pinouts.ru.pdf

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