Can I connect an iPad mini to an Apple Cinema Display?

January 3, 2021 3:10 PM

I have this ~2016 iPad mini with a Lightning connector. I’d like to connect it to this ~2010 27" Cinema Display. I’ve not succeeded at connecting it via this pair of adapters: USB Type C to Female Mini DisplayPort and USB C Adapter, Type C (Female) to iOS (Male) Adapter. The monitor works from a USB-C Macbook via the USB/DisplayPort adapter and it does not work from any other iOS device with Lightning connectors. Do I need to buy a different USB/Lightning adapter (maybe this one) or is this monitor is too large for iOS to drive?
posted by migurski to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Best answer: The only video output adapters for Lightning that you’ll be able to find (like the official Apple one) only support HDMI or VGA output, and Cinema Displays only support Mini DisplayPort. You may be able to also use the above with a HDMI to Mini DisplayPort adapter but that’s a pretty expensive combination.

The Lightning to HDMI adapter you linked will probably work instead of the Apple one, but it likely doesn’t support HDCP so streaming apps like Netflix will refuse to display over it.
posted by zsazsa at 3:24 PM on January 3, 2021

It might make more sense to buy a more recent iPad Pro for this rather than daisy chaining different cables for a five year old iPad. iPad Pro has USB-C, and would work with your existing dongles for your MacBook. Seems easier if you can swing the cost.
posted by oceanjesse at 5:16 PM on January 3, 2021

Try this:

1. An Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter
2. An HDMI cable
3. Plug the HDMI cable into something like this HDMI to Mini DisplayPort HDCP adapter

Apple's adapter says it supports up to 1080p, which is one of the supported resolutions of your Cinema Display.
posted by danhon at 1:55 PM on January 5, 2021