Apple picker Although the readers of this site probably don't like it very much, today's world is still a PC world. As owners of Apple devices, every now and then you have to connect to an Ethernet network or a projector with PC connectors. Fortunately, there are adapters.
Apple wants to differentiate itself in many ways – design, price, operating system, program control philosophy, or perhaps the relative closure of its ecosystem. One way to do this is to use somewhat non-standard connectors. That is, non-standard in the sense that they are reserved only for Apple-branded products, where they are of course strictly standardized, but if you try to connect them to something that does not have the Apple brand on it, you will encounter a problem.
And of course you have to connect with the majority PC world every now and then. Today it is no longer a problem to exchange files, as it was many years ago. On a Mac, you can easily process all office documents sent to you by your PC colleagues. You will not have a problem even when using the most modern technologies, for example wireless networks. Your Mac, iPad or iPhone can handle them perfectly. But you must avoid everything that smells of cables and especially older connectors.
You can often do without it. For example, it usually doesn't make sense to connect to a computer network via a cable when a wireless Wi-Fi network is available in the area. On the other hand, it may happen that the signal will be weak or unstable, the Wi-Fi will be slow or not at all. Then you will try in vain to insert a classic ethernet cable into your MacBook.
Fortunately, there are various adapters and docks full of connectors (see USB-C adapters as tailor-made for the new MacBook and more options for expanding the number of ports) that will help with this problem. The simplest adapter you simply connect it to the USB connector on your Mac, and on the other side you will find an Ethernet-type connector to which you can conveniently connect a network cable. More complex reductions can then connect not only a computer LAN, but also a PC monitor, projector or speakers to one USB port.
Another problem can arise if for some reason you want to connect to an external monitor (which of course has a PC-friendly VGA connector), a TV (probably with an HDMI or DVI connector), or most often a projector (probably a VGA connector, more modern HDMI) . Of course, this can be especially useful in the corporate sphere, when you absolutely need to show colleagues or business partners some kind of presentation. However, connecting to a TV is definitely useful for showing family vacation photos.
Connecting to a monitor is also often used by users who have recently switched to Apple products and therefore still have leftover PC equipment at home. After all, having a large PC LCD monitor in your home office is not a bad thing. The display of your MacBook is probably enough for you to work, and when you come home, you can play fairy tales on the big monitor for the children.
Again, you can rely on a large desktop dock that offers a whole range of connectors, or si buy a specialized adapter. You have a whole range of them to choose from. It can convert the video signal from the Apple Mini Display Port connector to the PC DVI or VGA connector.
In particular, you don't have to show vacation photos only from a notebook. Even elderly family members are already relatively used to it. Try to impress them by showing them the contents of your Apple phone or tablet on your PC monitor. There are several adapters both for the older thirty-pin connector and for newer Lightning connector, which allows you to connect, for example, a classic VGA cable. And through it basically any PC monitor or projector.
Apple world = adapter world
and crumbling power cords..
The Apple world itself does not. There, on the other hand, you don't need any adapters and perhaps not even cables (except for charging).
But a world where Apple is connected to the Microsoft world, yes = a world of adapters.
PS: Apple will get into Microsoft. Will Microsoft catch up with Apple? Are there such "adapters"?
It should be noted that these days I had to connect to the network cable either when I was setting up the router or when I was in a hotel in Russia :-)
Think different. What will you say...
that article is an absolute gem in terms of style
I wanted to ask. I recently bought an iMac 21,5″ late 2013. And since I have bought some PC programs, I would like to turn the iMac into an external PC monitor. So that I don't use two monitors. Is there any reduction?
Thank you for the info.
older iMacs supported it in Target Mode. I'm not sure if yours falls in there yet. I would rather try to install Windows via Bootcamp.
As Peter said, Target Mode should allow this. Here's how to connect two Macs (https://support.apple.com/cs-cz/HT204592). The Mac and PC connection should work after turning off both computers, connecting the iMac to the PC graphics card with a cable, and then turning on both computers. After booting the PC, right-click on the desktop, select "screen resolution" and set it to the native resolution of your iMac, i.e. 1920x1080.
Sometimes it's a search, for example, the Thunderbolt connector supports the display port protocol, which means that you can connect every .Mac to an HDMI cable for 300kc and there is no need for a reducer + cable.
Thanks for the information. I bought a DVI - Thunderbolt reducer a month ago and the image only goes in one direction. So from Mac to PC or projector. Do you think I should get a HDMI to Thunderbolt adapter and it will work?
Thank you
I mainly meant connecting the Mac to another monitor via displayport to hdmi. I don't have a tested PC > iMac graphics card, but a mac > monitor definitely works. Only if it can be solved via the Target Mode, as they already wrote. The tan cable should work both ways.
http://www.czc.cz/premiumcord-mini-displayport-hdmi-kabel-m-m-2m/89987/produkt
Does anyone have a Macbook 12" with a usb c connector + for example hdmi + power cable (also original applacky) because I read that it doesn't charge on wine under bootcamp (I don't know if it's not just a matter of drivers and it will be fixed) I would need bootcamp but when it won't charge :-o