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I have a 2 years old 13" macbook pro, and I admit I can't use my 6 months old PC when I just surf and code, since it's quite noisy and hot in the summer.

I still have a nice 20" flat monitor, and it'd be nice to use it, but Apple sells their adaptor 30 euros, isn't that a little bit expensive ? I'm reading this connector is not patented or licensed, do you think I can find cheaper ones ?

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  • Umm...is this off-topic?? Because it doesn't seem too constructive. – daviesgeek Sep 4 '11 at 20:06
  • I find you use too many interrogation marks. – jokoon Sep 6 '11 at 9:49
  • What???Why????I don't use too many!!!! :-) – daviesgeek Sep 6 '11 at 15:32
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I'm with you. I don't know why Apple has such a high mark-up for a simple adapter. But you can get them for substantially cheaper through aftermarket, 3rd party sellers.

I purchased a Mini DisplayPort to DVI through Monoprice for $6.65 USD while Apple wanted $99 USD for theirs (which strangely came with a USB "extender" I had no use for). I thought it was a typo!

Here's a full list of available Mini DisplayPort adapters from Monoprice.

They also provided free shipping and the while the quality of the adapter is not the same as apple's is it quite decent (reminiscent of a standard computer peripheral component from the 90's). But most importantly, it works just fine!

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  • Big +1 to monoprice. – Adam Rice Sep 4 '11 at 19:17
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There is a (lot of) confusion on this topic despite it's laden clear in Wikipedia. DisplayPort is a totally different standard than DVI/HDMI. However, most ports (inc. Apple) are DisplayPort++ which means they are capable of using the same pins to deliver a DVI signal so you just need a DisplayPort and a DVI connector and solder wires between the pins. This results in the so-called single link DVI -- fine for most purposes except 30" DVI monitors. If you have a 30" monitor with a double link DVI input you need complex electronics that take a proper DisplayPort signal and converts it to a DVI signal. This requires power which is usually taken from an USB port. And it's every expensive, indeed.

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Yes you can.
You have a lot of them on Amazon and also some 3rd party adapters on the apple store itself.

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  • I have two of the $1 DVI adapters. They both sort of work. But one doesn't let the monitor sleep at all, and with the other the monitor occasionally doesn't wake from sleep. Not positive it's the adapter's fault in the second case. – Nelson Sep 4 '11 at 22:52

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