[Skip Breakfast]

Ever since Apple went with DVI on the new displays I've been wondering if this was a move to make power supplies and video cards less expensive in future Power Macs. Would there be a cost benefit? I imagine they would at least save money by using "normal" AGP slots.

[Lateralus]

I think the move was made mainly to make it easier for ATI and VisionTek (Manufacturer of nVidia cards for Apple, IIRC) to get Mac cards out the door.

There is speculation that Apple's insistance on ADC was the cause of many ATI product delays.

[Skip Breakfast]

I believe you.

I wonder if it means that future video cards may be cross-platform without flashing.

[rhogue islander]

I agree with the MacMan.

What'll be next? A two button mouse perhaps, if only as an option?

[Eriamjh]

ADC, while and elegant cabling solution, was a bad idea.

DVI should have been chosen at the beginning.

At least they came to their senses eventually.

[Maflynn]

Originally posted by Eriamjh:
ADC, while and elegant cabling solution, was a bad idea.

Why? other then being nonstandard.

[macgfx]

Originally posted by Skip Breakfast:
I believe you.

I wonder if it means that future video cards may be cross-platform without flashing.

Only if Apple no longer uses Open Firmware and does use what ever they call that PC Bios stuff. Net Bios or something.

The Death of ADC is three fold

1. They want to sell Apple Displays to PC users
2. PowerBooks and ADC could not go together because the 28V would give you a Wheel behind cart for Power.
3. FireWire

Sure you can use a DVI to ADC thing, but why. In the end Apple could not sell it.

Faced with adding FW to ADC would mean adding a "y" at the end or making ADC2 with 6 more pins and adding a PCI to FW bridge on the ADC2 AGP card. I think the Radeon 8500DV uses a PCI to FW bridge. There may be some way to rout the FW up the Logic Board to the AGP like they do with USB but it is not in the standard like USB is. That's a lot of trouble to go to better to use DVI-I.

I Did like ADC and would have liked ADC2, but it did add cost to the Mac. This way Apple can get more sales from PC users and help off-set cost. Apple has seen time and time over that it is better to go with standards for everyone and it's a Good move. The only real draw back is those who have ADC Displays now will have to use DVI to ADC when Apple takes the ADC connector off the Logic-Board. This is off-set by the Fact that Apple Moved the ADC connector on G5's.

[reader50]

Yes, Apple dropped ADC in part to sell more displays to PC users. Despite the cost of a DVI -> ADC adapter, the larger Apple displays are often very price competitive to PC users who need high-quality displays.

Another reason is dual displays. Dual ADC would require an enormous internal power supply in the computer, and would still limit how large the display can be. ADC only allows so much power, a larger display needs a bigger backlight.

But what if the customer wants 3 or 4 displays? Make the computer's power supply even bigger?