16" M3 Max MacBook Pro (A2991) & 27" Apple Cinema Display (A1316) not connecting

"A1306 display"

Unsure quite what a A1306 Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Video Adapter has to do with this ...

"... would be working with any version of MacOS that supports [mini] display port, or [Full Size] DisplayPort with adapter."

And yet, here we are because using a Mini Display Port to USB-C adaptor to connect my (new) 16" M3 Max MacBook Pro (A2991) to my (old) 27" Apple Cinema Display (A1316), doesn't work.

"• at startup

• at wake from sleep — so momentarily sleeping and waking your Mac may work

• at insertion of the Mac-end of the display-cable, provided everything on that cable is ready-to-go

• hold the Option key while you click on the (Detect Display) button that will appear in Displays preferences (from another display)" ...

Ahem, ICYMI ... from the OP ... "ps Clicking on the Detect Display option does nothing ... (nor sleeping/restarting/other permutations)".

OK, thank you for the direct experience/hands-on tip re the two adaptors (I've got the Apple MMEL2AM/A Thunderbolt 3/USB-C to Thunderbolt 2 adaptor). The Apple Thunderbolt Display model nr A1407 is currently at "St Elsewhere", so will look at that once I'm back there.

As an aside, from what you are saying, it sounds as if the Apple Thunderbolt Display model nr A1407 didn't work unless the MagSafe connector was also attached via an adaptor to a second USB-C port (and I assume, regardless of a charger already being attached to MacBook Pro)? Is that the correct interpretation of what you've written?

If so, I wonder whether that may also be the problem with the 27" Apple Cinema Display A1316 not connecting, requiring, not just mains power to the monitor, as well mains power via the charger to the MacBook Pro, but also a power connection via the monitor's MagSafe connector via a USB-C adaptor ... it seems a bizarre requirement to lose 2 USB-C (of 3) ports to run a monitor (insert eyeroll & shrug emojis here) ...

It's unfortunate that there seems to be no male HDMI to female Mini Display Port or Thunderbolt cable/adaptor method to connect direct to the HDMI port on the M3 MacBookPro so a USB-C port is not wasted.

From the OP ... " nor does changing around which USB port in which the adaptors are connected to"

An alternative (female Mini Display Port to male USB-C) adaptor from a different manufacturer was ordered back when the initial one did not appear to work, but it is yet to arrive, US to AU postage can take up to 1/12 (in regional/rural AU, there are not places that carry every form of adaptor, nor even available via online, further, the closest place with an Apple store is ≈150km 2hr drive away, who don't carry such 3rd-party adaptors anyway).

I will wait until that arrives.

"not required to get a picture on the display"

From my post above ... "After using Apple equipment for over 4 decades, whilst it *mostly* works

seamlessly, there have been occasions when it hasn't (whether through

design or undocumented omission). This may well be one of those

occasions."

As they (Hejar1) have the equipment (albeit the Apple Thunderbolt Display model nr A1407), I'll wait for clarification of their hands-on experience ... because;

"Otherwise why would they mention that for it to work, it required both

adaptors if it only required the single Apple MMEL2AM/A female

Thunderbolt 2 to male Thunderbolt 3/USB-C adaptor (which, I can only

assume, they tried before obtaining a female MagSafe to male USB-C

adaptor)?"

"It's unfortunate that there seems to be no male HDMI to female Mini Display Port or Thunderbolt cable/adaptor method to connect direct to the HDMI port on the M3 MacBookPro so a USB-C port is not wasted."

Having said that, there does appear to be at least one of these male HDMI to female Mini Display Port adaptor cables available (although at ≈ AU$150, very expensive).

The reviews (mostly) appear to be positive, and some of the negative ones appear to have merely bought the incorrect adaptor, whilst there does appear to be some dispute on whether they work with various iterations of M series Mac (whether due to defective quality of adaptor or defective connections).

If they do work, it would be the most sensible route to take (as mentioned at top of this comment), given that the sole dedicated video out port is the HDMI one (yes, I do know the USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ones can do video, but why waste a port that is more likely to be used for other peripherals such as DVD/external drives/USB sticks et cetera?).

Docks/hubs/multi-function hydra-headed cables?

Nah, but yeah, but nah.

KISS ...

I've not used (and have no intention to recommence using) docks since my PowerBook Duo Dock/Duo Mini Dock/Duo µ Docks in the 1990s.

The M3 Max MacBook Pro (as with all my previous portable Macs when connected to a monitor) are connected to and running off their mains 240V power supply adaptors, not running on their batteries.

In the final reduction, both the USB-C to Mini Display Port adaptor and the male HDMI to female Mini Display Port adaptor cables from Answin work to connect the 16" M3 Max MacBook Pro & 27" Apple Cinema Display (A1316).

My preference is to use the male HDMI to female Mini Display Port adaptor because, why would you waste a Thunderbolt 4/USB-C port when there was already a HDMI audio/video out provided (not to cast shade on high-end video editing professionals who want the Thunderbolt 4 levels of quality)?

More important to me, by using the male HDMI to female Mini Display Port adaptor cable is that it is giving back an otherwise blocked Thunderbolt 4/USB-C port, a port better used for external disks or other peripherals.

The other brand I tried for the Mini Display Port to USB-C did not work, so I suspect that many concerns about whether there is a problem connecting the older monitor to the newer MacBook Pros are probably down to variability in the manufacture of the adaptors available (there was not a great price difference between the two USB-C to Mini Display Port adaptors I tried, but only the one worked).

"I am now tempted to try to obtain the male HDMI to female Mini Display Port adaptor cable (although at ≈ AU$150, very expensive)."

Looks like there is a great disparity of pricing (at least for some of us) ... in the above links for the Answin HDMI adaptor cable, it is ≈ AU$150 from that vendor.

Digging further, I found another vendor that purports to be US branch of Answin, with a price ≈AU$50 for the same male HDMI to female Mini Display Port adaptor cable ... quite how there can be a 3-fold difference between two vendors, I'm at a loss to explain ...

"I found another vendor that purports to be US branch of Answin, with a price ≈AU$50 for the same male HDMI to female Mini Display Port adaptor cable ..."

I ordered and have now received this cable which works perfectly, so now it is 3/3 for Answin adaptor cables working correctly (and shipping quickly to AU from the US within 1/52 instead of the more common 1/12).

Which, even though it a small sample size, may go some way to confirming my above thought ... "I suspect that many concerns about whether there is a problem connecting the older monitor to the newer MacBook Pros are

probably down to variability in the manufacture of the adaptors available" ... so much for Apple leaving the field open to 3rd party manufacturers to make peripherals ... insert eyeroll & facepalm emojis here ...

Most importantly to me, by using the male HDMI to female Mini Display Port adaptor cable is that it has given back an otherwise blocked Thunderbolt 4/USB-C port, a port I can now use for external disks or other peripherals.