# ADC to VGA?



## Abobo kitty (Dec 27, 2007)

i have a Mac G5 with the ATI Radeon 9600 pro (AGP), i need to have 2 monitors running, i have a 23 inch flat pannel connected via DVI, i also have a 17' VGA that i'd like to hook up to it, but the only other port on the back of my video card is an ADC. what are my options? do they make a ADC to VGA?


----------



## MisterMe (Dec 27, 2007)

Abobo kitty said:


> i have a Mac G5 with the ATI Radeon 9600 pro (AGP), i need to have 2 monitors running, ...


It is my understanding that you cannot drive two monitors from the same card. Your card will drive an either an ADC or a DVI monitor, but not both simultaneously. You need a second card for your second monitor.


----------



## nittany4 (Jan 3, 2008)

MisterMe said:


> It is my understanding that you cannot drive two monitors from the same card. Your card will drive an either an ADC or a DVI monitor, but not both simultaneously. You need a second card for your second monitor.




I had thought the same thing

HOWEVER, we had an old ADC monitor sitting in a closet here, so for kicks and giggles i hooked it up to the ADC on my g4 and now i am running 2 monitors one DVI and one ADC

I see no reason why if you converted the ADC to VGA it would not work as well


----------



## icemanjc (Jan 3, 2008)

yep you can, there are many adapters for ADC to VGA. Heres one http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bott-ADC-V...8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1199383270&sr=8-3


----------



## Kees Buijs (Jan 4, 2008)

I have also used a setup with 2 monitors to 1 powermac g4, of which 1 monitor had actual an adc connector (so it took its power from the mac) and it worked fine for several years.

So happy viewing with 2 monitors and yes adc to vga adaptors are available (see previous mail).


Good luck, Kees


----------



## Abobo kitty (Jan 4, 2008)

yeah, i found an ADC to DVI adapter & I already have an extra DVI to VGA adapter, so problem solved, 
thanks to all!


----------



## yeahwhatever (Jan 7, 2008)

Hi guys, first post so hope this works. Did the ADC to DVI then DVI to VGA work ?? cos I found a post on the apple discussions forum that said the former would not carry the analogue signal the latter needed. I'm trying to run 2 X 21" Studio displays ( yes, I have a big desk ) out of the same card mentioned at the top of this thread in a G5 Dual 2ghz. ( ATI Radeon 9600 Pro ) 1 X DVI and 1 X ADC.
As far as ADC to VGA adapters are concerned they are as rare as Hen's teeth. No -one anywhere seems to stock them anymore. I'm hoping that the two adapters together do the trick, I also have a spare DVI to VGA adapter and I figure I could use a formac ADC to DVI from the powermac - please post back if you had any success. Otherwise it looks like a new monitor or a new card. Cheers.


----------



## Abobo kitty (Jan 8, 2008)

still waiting for my adapter to arrive, should be here today, but i won't be at my studio to do the install , i'll let you know how it goes


----------



## yeahwhatever (Jan 8, 2008)

Many thanks for the update, I will wait for the results. Fingers crossed as this would be the easiest and most cost effective solution. Meanwhile, I'll keep looking for the elusive ADC to VGA converters. Cheers.


----------



## nittany4 (Jan 9, 2008)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

B&H Photo in Manhattan carries an ADC to DVI for a very reasonable price  - $28.95

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?shs=Belkin+BEADCDVI+F2E9142-WHT+-+ADC+to+DVI+Connector+Cable&ci=0&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=cart.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t

I just ordered one


----------



## yeahwhatever (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks for the info, but it is ADC to VGA I'm looking for. Can find ADC to DVI's without too much trouble even on this side of the pond. ( I'm in foggy ol' London Town ). I'm waiting to see if the one Abobo kitty has ordered is gonna work attached to a DVI to VGA - therefore converting from ADC on the mac to VGA on the monitor through 2 adapters. Not holding out much hope though as found out the formac one does not - and that's straight from Dr Bott's website. Why did they stop making them ? Everywhere I go researching this there are people crying out for these adapters. Any tech guys out there who can explain this ? 
I assume that the DVI 'socket' ( if that's what they are called ) on the graphics card carries the analogue signal through it's pins/holes otherwise the DVI to VGA adapters would not work. Also the ADC socket must do the same for the ADC to VGA adapters to work. So why not connect the analogue from the ADC to the DVI within the adaptor even though it is not needed for the DVI and then you have a dual purpose adaptor ( once you combine it with a DVI to VGA adaptor ) and have increased your customer base by two-fold possibly. Am I just a crazy confused Englishman ? 
If by any chance, I am a marketing genius, I will take this opportunity to copyright this idea right now and will happily settle for 1% of the net revenue earned by all manufacturers from the execution of this idea.
Gotta go now and take a screenshot of this post, sit back and wait for the dollars to roll in. Cheers.


----------



## nittany4 (Jan 10, 2008)

the way I'm planning on trying my dual monitor set up is

ADC to DVI - for apple cinema display
DVI to VGA - for mothballed VGA monitor

I'll post here when this thing ships to let you know if I had any success

cheers!


----------



## yeahwhatever (Jan 10, 2008)

Good luck. If the ADC to DVI doesn't carry the analogue signal the VGA needs ( and why should it - the DVI end doesn't need it - ) then I don't think it's gonna work. That's the problem. 
Fingers crossed anyway. Cheers.


----------



## nittany4 (Jan 14, 2008)

it works perfectly

2 monitors from the stock card
ADC to DVI - for apple cinema
DVI to VGA - for VGA monitor


----------



## yeahwhatever (Jan 14, 2008)

Whoops. Just realised I haven't been reading your post correctly. Your set up was always gonna work - you have one DVI monitor and one VGA monitor. All the adapters you need are readily available. Abobo kitty and I are trying to get two VGA monitors to work off a card with ADC and DVI connectors. The ADC to VGA is the problem. No ADC to VGA adapters stocked anywhere so trying to make one from ADC to DVI and DVI to VGA adapters bolted together. I'm still waiting to hear whether Abobo Kitty has had any luck with her set-up.
Have emailed Gefen and Dr Bott also. The saga continues.....


----------



## yeahwhatever (Jan 14, 2008)

Ok scrap that. I'm the only one with the problem. Just realised that Abobo Kitty has same set up as you. Just needed to swap the connector for the apple display and buy an ADC to DVI. Gonna have to buy a twin DVI card or a new Monitor.


----------



## vista (Jan 17, 2008)

Just caught your thread, I'm in a similar situation. I'm hooking up a projector to a G4 gigabit and currently am using the VGA port on the mac for my monitor. The projector has VGA cable through the ceiling already. So I have the ADC port left to connect to the VGA cable. I've been looking all over on the net and it seems that all of the manufacturers of the ADC to VGA have discontinued this product. Is a new card my only option? Any low cost suggestions?


----------



## nittany4 (Jan 17, 2008)

just a thought...

given the age of your mac (if it has ADC and VGA video) and the relatively low cost of new monitors (with DVI connections) a better investment than a new video card, would probably be a new DVI monitor and the ADC to DVI converter.

then 
ADC - DVI monitor with adapter
VGA - projector

the new monitor will have a much longer life span than a video card for a ~7 year old mac


----------



## Abobo kitty (Jan 17, 2008)

Nittany,
my vid card had 2 ports, an acd & a dvi. i ended up buying a adc to dvi, & a dvi to vga adapter to run 2 monitors, that solution might work for you also, the adc to dvi i found on amazon.com for $25, & the dvi o vga i picked up @ fry's eletronics for $20. much cheaper than a new monitor, oor video card!
hope it helps, Abobo


----------



## nittany4 (Jan 17, 2008)

Abodo,

that's exactly what I did as well, and it works perfectly. I bought the ADC to DVI from B&H photo and I had several DVI to VGAs lying around (they come with all new macs)

My new monitor comment was for vista, as he/she said his/her mac only had ADC and VGA and he/she wants to run 2 vgas


----------



## yeahwhatever (Jan 19, 2008)

Vista,

Nittany has the best advice if your VGA monitor is looking average. There seem to be 3 choices. If you guys are in the States then you have much more choice than I do and sensible shipping costs. For all my prices double the numbers for Dollars. I've been looking all round the world in despair.

1 - New video card - probably dual DVI - going for between £50 and £125 depending on where you look. Then DVI to VGA's if you need them.

2 - New Monitor - I may have to ditch one of my 21" CRTs for a 17" CRT with an ADC connector. My cheapest option, about £25 if I'm patient. I just prefer the older CRT's on my eyes. The sony made 21" is still the mutts nuts for me, and has excellent colour correction. Otherwise, if you're gonna go DVI, the sky's the limit.

3 - Wait forever for an old ADC to VGA adapter. Someone is trying to sell one now for £98. Yes, almost $200 for what was an ordinary $25 cable 9 months ago.

Still beats me why Dr Bott or Gefen can't put one together in China as long as they watched the quality control.

Cheers.


----------



## raeann_smith (Oct 3, 2008)

I have been pulling my hair out for days trying to figure this one out.   This thread was great!   I'm going to use the double-adapter approach (ADC to DVI then DVI to VGA) for an inexpensive fix to one of our district machines.    I can't thank all of you enough!


----------



## yeahwhatever (Oct 3, 2008)

Hey Raeann, 

please let me know if you have any luck with the double adapter trick. As far as I know it will not work. The pins in the adapters don't marry up. This thread gets a bit complicated but the others got round their problems by using a DVI to VGA adapter, and an ADC to DVI adapter ( both of which are still available ) from their DVI and ADC outlet video card. One of their monitors was DVI and the other VGA. 

If you have two VGAs like I do then you still have problems. Over the months I have managed to acquire 2 original Dr Bott ADC to VGA adapters at a reasonable price but only by being patient. They often go for about $150 on your side of the pond.

Check European Ebay as I have seen a couple recently go at a much better price. Good luck.

Please post back if the double adapter set-up works.

Cheers.


----------



## raeann_smith (Oct 3, 2008)

Wow.  Thanks for clearing that up, as I misunderstood what was being posted.   I may have to re-evaluate.   Since i am looking for my district, there may be the option of moving computers around instead of the adapter idea.   I do have two vga items I want to connect.   One is  data projector and the other is a vga monitor.    Guess I'm not out of the woods yet.   Thanks for taking time to post a response.    I'm dealing with a lab computer at an elementary school so I kind of need to resolve as quickly as possible.


----------



## yeahwhatever (Oct 3, 2008)

I had the same understanding problem at the beginning too, check the thread. If you have another mac with a DVI and VGA outlet video card then you will be OK you can just use a DVI to VGA adapter.

Options for us dual VGA people are : 

Get a ADC to VGA adapter off eBay. You may have to wait. Check Europe as I said before. There was a guy in Ireland selling them quite cheap the other day. You will never lose money on them if you then choose to upgrade !

Buy a second hand DVI and VGA or dual DVI AGP video card off eBay. You will still need adapters.

Buy a VGA/DVI out PCI card. If you do this you may even get extended desktop on your second monitor. You will still need an adapter.

Buy an old 17" ADC Apple Studio display. No one wants CRTs anymore let alone one with with an ADC plug on it so they are really cheap if not free sometimes. They are fantastic screens and they look real funky too. 

Good luck.


----------



## raeann_smith (Oct 3, 2008)

I think I found a vga card that I can put in the tower.   I pulled it out of a G3 tower, but believe it will work.  I just have to get to the building where the computer is to test it.    If it works, then I can end my Friday with a reason to celebrate!
Thanks again for all your thoughts.   My hubby uses forums all the time to get info for his motorcycle, and now I am seeing why.    What a great way to network!


----------



## yeahwhatever (Oct 3, 2008)

If it is the main card for the G3 then it will be an AGP card and the towers only have one AGP slot each. If it came from one of the other slots below then it will be a PCI card and you will be in business. The AGP slots are generally a different colour to the PCIs.

Any other queries feel free to ask.

Cheers.


----------



## raeann_smith (Oct 3, 2008)

It appeared to be the only video card in the G3 tower, but I unscrewed it and moved it to the G4 tower and am back in business.   Yippee!  Thanks for helping end my week on a positive note.   Hopefully someday I'll be able to return the favor.  Have a good one!


----------



## yeahwhatever (Oct 3, 2008)

That's fantastic. 

You already have helped me because i just learned something too. I didn't realise that the G3 towers used a PCI graphics card, I thought they had the same AGP system as a G4. I just checked the spec online. Which makes them a really cheap source of PCI graphics cards and I may now be able to get extended desktop on my old G4 Tower. 

Plus a budget way of fixing the dual VGA problem on this thread. Good news all round. 

Cheers


----------



## j4m3z (May 11, 2010)

There is a big difference between ADC to VGA and DVI to VGA. The latter is easy since DVI to VGA are both ubiquitous, cross-platform standards.  ADC is a Mac standard and an old one at that.  You CANNOT connect an ADC to DVI adapter to a DVI to VGA adapter and expect it to work.  And, unless someone is selling a used one on eBay or craigslist, you cannot purchase a new ADC to VGA adapter because the license required by manufacturers to literally produce these adapters was never renewed. The license ran out and the manufacturers basically said, "Screw it, we're not paying to renew a license to manufacture old technology." And I guess I can't blame them, but that's why those of us with old G5s that still work fine are having a dickens of a time trying to run 2 monitors. You NEED to find a legitimate ADC to VGA adapter.  But good luck with that. I was actually able to find one of the last ones before they stopped making them and I'm not selling it! The bottom line is if you find yourself in this situation, just buy a new video card with DVI and VGA outputs, or better yet, 2 DVI outputs if it's in the budget. Then you're not limited. If the machine you are using is a work machine then you need to have a discussion with your IT dept. about getting you a new video card. Try and pick someone in IT that has half a clue about Macs because it's been my experience that most IT tech's eyes glaze over when you start talking Macspeak. Good luck.


----------



## englishman (Dec 8, 2010)

hi does anyone know where to get either an adc to vga or an adc to dvi in the uk??

got a power mac g5 in my home studio and needing extended desktop for more space, but want the cheapest way to do it, its got 1 dvi input which ive got a dvi to vga adapter in and one adc input which i need to find an adapter (in the uk) for.
thanks.


----------

