As I've got a 2017 5k iMac, I'll do this in a few years when it stops getting security updates. I've been checking out a bunch of folks videos for doing this and yours is by far the best. So nice to see you use the speakers, built in power connector, and use a grommit on the ram door for a super clean look. Also, major props on the lead weights. All told this is a great build. 👏
I've been thinking about a full kit to provide faster or easier install or even a fully done option for a few years now. But.... Time.... And... Money.... When I did my 1st in 2021 I did the power cable and the power button the same way. I mounted the power supply in the same spot but the board above the hinge and that required no extra weight. I also wired an IR sensor to the button board and had it peek through where the oem camera lives so remote was easy to use. Lastly, I've never used the crossover kit, but I have seen that some are shipped with some of the wires reverse polarity so that can cause highs to sound rough. As for the buzz it can come from being so close to the other components like the board and especially the power supply. A ferrite bead around the wire coming off the main board could help. There are other isolation methods, including a separate digital amp, but most importantly distancing from the other electronics and creating some actual shielding. If anyone wants to chat about the possibilities of all this I'm open!
I like that you made the original power port and power button that’s a huge difference and having a remote to adjust settings not having to make holes for buttons. Nice build great way to upcycle products for the long term.
Bro, got the Mac mini M4, planning to build it inside my late 2015 27” iMac. But Idk about the cooling part, hope someone releases a UA-cam video about it. Seen other do it on the Mini M2
Awesome! When I was 13, in 1967, I first saw headphones at a department store. It wasn't long until I ripped the speakers from 2 transister radios, hard wired them to a record player, stuck them in a couple of ashtrays, and strapped them to my head with a belt. Would have been nice to post it on a UA-cam channel back then! I tip my hat to you sir!
I've just finished mine using your video for the instructions, and it worked like a charm! The only thing I haven't managed to do it is the hole to pass the cables into the RAM cover. Also my logic board doesn't have a remote so I had to keep the controls outside. Great video and thanks for all the details!
This was impressive. I never expect a power brick to be shielded well enough to avoid magnetically distorting the display in some way. I guess that's naïve. :)
This has been by far the most clean iMac standalone display i’ve ever seen, the back is so clean and pristine, barely looked modified-wow Great job!! I’m tempted in doing this too
Just note these 5k iMacs will all suffer from the purple haze effect as the glue that holds on the glass display will change colors giving it a purple haze effect around the edges of the display. Also for some reason, the LG LCD displays have image retention issues which can be fixed with a Reddit search. I just about have the same model as yours running OCLP and it otherwise works fine as a daily use machine.
I’ve been considering this! Looks really great, nice job! Using the original power button was nice. Maybe you could add a led color strip on the back to make it “next level”
Have this exact iMac, Late 2014 27 inch. Thinking of doing this conversion + replacing the camera for a smaller, higher resolution Arduino camera for robotics. Easily could get another 4-5 years of use out of the display, insane value for the price. High quality video man! Hopefully you were able to sell some of the parts.
Can you tell me what two video cables you attached to the video board that come out of the Ram access door? I am planning on using the new 2024 Mac mini that is coming out this November with the M4 chip. Lastly how and where did you mount the small push button pad that is connected to the video board by the ribbon connector Thanks!!
I love this. I will do it. It would be awesome if someone made a custom minimalist back (chasis) for this 5K panel. Even better if it already had the power supply and controller built in, without the lower aluminum band.
I have a 2017 27" iMac. I already installed a ssd SATA hard drive as an upgrade, but still not fast enough for my liking. I guess I could put a NVME ssd under the logic board, and see if that is any faster. Or should I just do this? I will be using my Mac Mini M1.
Hi, thanks for sharing this great project and encouraging me to recycle my iMac. It isn't obvious if you got the speakers working and whether the sound is any good or not. Can you confirm ?
Very interesting and impressive project. I‘m wondering what you did with the speaker crossover divider you also bought? You didn‘t install it? For what reason?
Amazing built!! congrats. After almost 1 year, did you find any problems? What about the internal temps with the psu and board and no forced ventilation? Thanks!
You could probably make 3d printed brackeds that go over the mount points within the shell to help hold those items in if you didn't want to use hot glue
Awesome vid! Another way can use an outdated iMac that does not get the security updates anymore/OS end of life is using a capture card like El Gato 4K X and do not use the iMac on the internet just use it as monitor using OBS Studio software which is free set full screen scene its an easier and less expensive route as well less work.
nice and clean job, and brilliant to use the lead weights inside. I modified mine some weeks ago, but at full 5k resolution the menues and everything is just tooo small, I can only get proper sizes at a lower res. any ideas what I have to tweak?
Great video! Motivated me to try myself but having an issue where the input display isn't centered. Did you have that issue or know how to fix? Not seeing anything in the display settings to correct. The image is centered on the side of the screen.
Can you provide an update? How is it working out? Are you pleased with the picture compared to your iMac? There is a reference to 8bit color, have you noticed a difference compared to the iMac? Is the board that you installed reliable? Overall, was it worth it? Thank you for your response. Great video!!
Thanks for watching! Its working great! The picture quality is identical to my iMac. The color are a bit different, which could be tuned to match better, but it doesn't bother me, so I haven't taken the time to do it. The board has proved to be very reliable, I use the monitor everyday. I think it was worth it, I am very happy with the outcome.
@@RunYoungShoots Thank you for your response. I just retired my Late 2015 iMac and, thanks to your video, plan on turning it into a 5k monitor for my new Mac Mini. Parts are ordered!!! Thanks again!
Is it possible to use the iMac with the own screen but through the panel via cable? Can the iMac use with external display after the own screen been removed?
Very nicely done! I am planning to do this myself as i have a 5k iMac already. Can i ask what model graphic board did you buy that it allows you to use the iMac inbuilt speakers please?
Hi. Great vid. Since the seller doesn't offer the remote anymore with the kit, I was wondering if its needed from the project. I want to do this to an old 2017 5k as well.
Eeeeuuuuh, a 2014 27 inch iMac as monitor would work by just installing OS Sierra, then connect through thunderbold as display? Tell me if I am wrong of course.. ...clean conversion though. I know this is quite some steps and getting it right needs a good amount of attention and care. Top!
would have been nice to know how much did all the accessories cost? And what is the total cost of conversion versus a different external extended monitor?
Well done . I wonder if they make something to convert the camera in the screen to USB so that you have use of that also. Excellent how you got a kit for the speakers to work too. Excellent 👍 and of course you have a camera in your other system there so the need for the camera to work isn't necessary. So you have a awesome set up there.
Very Nice, thank you for this excellent video. In the beginning I see you have an old 27” Thunderbolt or Cinema Display. I also still have that, but the panel inside is getting old and dark. Do you think I can buy a used 2017 5K iMac and put the 5K panel into the housing of the Thunderbolt/Cinema display using the same parts and technique you use here? I would love to keep the fantastic Apple display housing! Any ideas/hints would be greatly appreciated 🙏
I've always wanted to somehow liberate the display of the Microsoft Surface Studio. It's a beautiful display unfortunately tied to an obsolete computer...
Can you do this with a non 5k version of the imac? My old imac was the version right before the 4k version lol. I probably wont waste my time with that but was just curious if it was possible.
It might be too late but this is an inexpensive way to deal with the hinge not working properly and not having to put lead in your Imac: iBofans Repair Replacement Hinge Broken Solution
Thank you so much for your reply Sadly I’m not a champion techie like you 👍 I thought it’s would be just a thunderbolt cable connection Is it possible without opening the iMac ? Thanks again
@@grandmasterjo1 No worries, unfortunately you would have to open it up. Its actually not as hard as you may think, In have not worked on any computers before making this video. You may also want to look into Target display mode for older imacs
I think that year did have "target display mode" that used the Thunderbolt cable to make it a monitor. You'd need a thunderbolt 2 cable and thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter from Apple. (Not a USB C adapter that is everywhere.) However it may use more power than a gut and reboard. Also the board to do this is less than $50 since the resolution is lower.... But you've got options!
@@TadGillilandThank you so much for your support and kindness. Truly appreciate. Just that I love my iMac resolution. Sadly my iMac is not booting. After the Apple logo shows up the bar moves 85% and then a blank white screen 😭😭 I feel I’m invading and asking for too much from you Is it the hard disk that has packed Or does the iMac need to boot up before I use the TB cables Thanks again 🙏🙏🙏
So do you have to plug both DisplayPort cables into the source device in order to receive the full 5K resolution? If so, is it possible to use a splitter and/or adapter in order to plug both cables into a single DisplayPort or HDMI input and still receive the full 5K resolution? I’m asking because I’m planning on switching over from a 2 Monitor setup that I connect to my M1 MacBook Air using 2 HDMI female to usb Male DisplayLink adapters (connected to another dual usb-c to usb adapter), and want to do this conversion on 2 separate iMacs in order to have dual 5K monitors connected to my M1 MacBook Air using either the same (2) DisplayLink adapters in order for the MacBook to continue to output to two separate monitors, or upgrading to a DisplayLink tower that accepts both DisplayPort and HDMI inputs if necessary.
@ I’ve verified that there is a USB-C DisplayLink adapter by WAVLink that supports 5K. It has 2 DisplayPort plugins and 2 HDMI plugins. I’m just wondering if it’s possible for a single MacBook Air M1 to output to two of these converted iMacs at once in order to have a dual 5K monitor setup, for a total of 3 screens all at once including the MacBook Air screen? And if not 5K, then what would the resulting resolution be if only using a single DisplayPort cable or HDMI cable per screen, instead of 2 cables per screen?
@@RunYoungShoots Thank you for your help. I’ll do a little bit more research and verify this before attempting my build. But I’m excited and motivated after seeing how well yours turned out. I’ve been running 2 39in 1080p Vizio HDTVs as my monitors for the past couple of years. But I don’t mind sacrificing the screen sizes to have the full Apple aesthetic along with 5K. Thanks again. I’ll be starting my build soon.
No, the manufacturer does have a higher end board with a fan (more complex board), but this version is fine without one. I have not had any overheating issues.
Fabulous job the instructions are so clear even I think I might be able to do this to my 2009 iMac but I’m not sure if if that year will be able to be used to like you’re using your 2014 but shoot you did a great job 🎉!
How did YOU do that with the cover, I mean with the service hatch where the cables for the DisplayPort come out? How did you get the hole with the grommet in there? Or did you buy a new cover?
You use two DP cables for the 5k resolution but into which ports on your functioning iMac do you plug those two cables and with what type of connector on the end of each cable ? I have a 2017 iMac and it has two USB C ports on the back (along with four USB type A ports) and a Radeon Pro 570 4 GB graphics card.
I bought a luna display. There is no need to destroy the iMac. I mainly work in FCPx, I can render two projects at the same time. Of course, iMac is slower than Mac Studio. There are many uses for having a Mac Studio and a functioning iMac at the same time. Best of all, Luna Display costs only $79
Hey nice mod was thinking of doing the same since I can't find a good condition Thunderbolt Display and this is 5k anyway. Was wondering how did you do the power button like which wires from the switch board did you cut and solder to the oem power button. Also do you still have access to the other ports in the logic board or did you just not think those ports are needed. Also how is the display for other non Mac stuff, was thinking this would be good for a game console or a steam deck. Thanks!
Hey, thanks for watching! The two wires I soldered were the last two from the controller board. I don't have access to the other ports, for me there were not necessary. I have not tried it for non Mac stuff, but considering that its a Dell controller board, I think it will work well! I am not much. of a gamer, but keep in mind these displays are 60Hz, so not the highest refresh rate.
I’m doing this
My god. Can't believe you watched my video, thanks!!
damn SMG, you flying to small channels too?
Test
Probably the best value of those 5k iMacs was the screen. Awesome that you were able to reuse it so neatly.
Thank you! Yes I agree, practically the same panel that is used in the new Studio display!
That was the only reason Apple separated the screen from the computer on the 27" so they could charge more!
What did you do for ports?
This was one of the cleanest retrofits I’ve seen. Great job.
Thank you!
Agreed 👍
As I've got a 2017 5k iMac, I'll do this in a few years when it stops getting security updates.
I've been checking out a bunch of folks videos for doing this and yours is by far the best. So nice to see you use the speakers, built in power connector, and use a grommit on the ram door for a super clean look. Also, major props on the lead weights. All told this is a great build. 👏
Thanks man!
What this person said ☝️
I've been thinking about a full kit to provide faster or easier install or even a fully done option for a few years now. But.... Time.... And... Money.... When I did my 1st in 2021 I did the power cable and the power button the same way. I mounted the power supply in the same spot but the board above the hinge and that required no extra weight. I also wired an IR sensor to the button board and had it peek through where the oem camera lives so remote was easy to use.
Lastly, I've never used the crossover kit, but I have seen that some are shipped with some of the wires reverse polarity so that can cause highs to sound rough. As for the buzz it can come from being so close to the other components like the board and especially the power supply. A ferrite bead around the wire coming off the main board could help. There are other isolation methods, including a separate digital amp, but most importantly distancing from the other electronics and creating some actual shielding. If anyone wants to chat about the possibilities of all this I'm open!
Sounds like a great build!
I like that you made the original power port and power button that’s a huge difference and having a remote to adjust settings not having to make holes for buttons. Nice build great way to upcycle products for the long term.
Thank you!
You did the best job on you tube that I’ve seen. Wish I could just use my late 2015 27” iMac with the new 4M Mac Mini without all the conversions.
Bro, got the Mac mini M4, planning to build it inside my late 2015 27” iMac. But Idk about the cooling part, hope someone releases a UA-cam video about it. Seen other do it on the Mini M2
Awesome! When I was 13, in 1967, I first saw headphones at a department store. It wasn't long until I ripped the speakers from 2 transister radios, hard wired them to a record player, stuck them in a couple of ashtrays, and strapped them to my head with a belt. Would have been nice to post it on a UA-cam channel back then! I tip my hat to you sir!
This would be cool to them also convert to a vesa mount.
This is awesome. Thank you for sharing.
It would be great if you could integrate the camera also.
I've just finished mine using your video for the instructions, and it worked like a charm! The only thing I haven't managed to do it is the hole to pass the cables into the RAM cover. Also my logic board doesn't have a remote so I had to keep the controls outside. Great video and thanks for all the details!
This was impressive. I never expect a power brick to be shielded well enough to avoid magnetically distorting the display in some way. I guess that's naïve. :)
Thank you!
Awesome build, especially with the original power button. But how did you know which cables you had to solder to the button?
Would be really interesting to get the panel inside of the old Thunderbolt display housing. THAT would be AWESOME
Could you drop links to the items you purchased? Great DYI
Thanks!
Adhesive and Roller Tool:
www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003776361300.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.9.15e76abbamYMNQ&algo_pvid=2e51d06b-fe7b-4c41-b871-de3e78ebd672&algo_exp_id=2e51d06b-fe7b-4c41-b871-de3e78ebd672-4&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21CAD%217.58%215.31%21%21%215.50%213.85%21%402103277f17060766830348998e1f37%2112000031374651115%21sea%21CA%210%21AB&curPageLogUid=BNlpDrdfRbtD&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A
Logic Board:
www.ebay.ca/itm/165959752487?var=465459649479
Power Supply:
www.ebay.ca/itm/155900624046
Speaker Crossover Kit:
www.ebay.ca/itm/166098261769
Trackpad Cover:
www.aliexpress.com/item/10000214078180.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1.7e8a15c9ffWI0n&algo_pvid=5d91b012-322a-4e22-beb3-332eae24b3da&algo_exp_id=5d91b012-322a-4e22-beb3-332eae24b3da-0&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21CAD%2113.11%214.58%21%21%219.52%213.33%21%402103247017060769447823563eaf7b%2112000027029036649%21sea%21CA%210%21AB&curPageLogUid=MUhCYB2V7cGB&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A
love that cable job at the back.
Thanks man!
This has been by far the most clean iMac standalone display i’ve ever seen, the back is so clean and pristine, barely looked modified-wow
Great job!!
I’m tempted in doing this too
@@iminacatsuit Thanks!
Just note these 5k iMacs will all suffer from the purple haze effect as the glue that holds on the glass display will change colors giving it a purple haze effect around the edges of the display. Also for some reason, the LG LCD displays have image retention issues which can be fixed with a Reddit search. I just about have the same model as yours running OCLP and it otherwise works fine as a daily use machine.
Yes my actual computer a hue of pink and some ima,ge retention issues. Quite unfortunate. Luckily the monitor I converted does not.
My iMac 2015 is still running great but this video is great for me to see that the screen will have life for a long time.
I’ve been considering this! Looks really great, nice job! Using the original power button was nice. Maybe you could add a led color strip on the back to make it “next level”
Thanks man!
Very professional job! I've watched a few videos on this conversion and this was more detailed, clear and well executed than anyone elses. Nice job!
Thank you!
Very helpful video, I think I might do this with old 27inch retina display
Thanks, Its a great option!
nice. using an old 5K iMac he took out the guts and got a new controller/power and was able to turn an iMac into just a display. Cleanly done!
Have this exact iMac, Late 2014 27 inch. Thinking of doing this conversion + replacing the camera for a smaller, higher resolution Arduino camera for robotics. Easily could get another 4-5 years of use out of the display, insane value for the price. High quality video man! Hopefully you were able to sell some of the parts.
@@risley.ogembo Thanks for watching!
@@RunYoungShoots Quick Question: Does the display support apple silicon macs as well?
Its such a nice monitor. Great job but still above my skill level and patience. Its too bad, one cant just plug it in and it works.
Very nice and clean. Thanks for sharing 👍🏼 👍🏼
My late 2014 27” retina 5k iMac will act as a second monitor with just a thunderbolt cable.
boss can u add link where to buy (add description) ? pls tysm:) great vid!
Great video! In the process of the same project. How did you know where to connect the 2 wires to integrate the OEM power button?
Thanks! I had to inspect the circuit board closely, its the last two wires on that harness.
I’ve considered this as an alternative to AAPL’s high-priced 5K display.
Can you tell me what two video cables you attached to the video board that come out of the Ram access door? I am planning on using the new 2024 Mac mini that is coming out this November with the M4 chip. Lastly how and where did you mount the small push button pad that is connected to the video board by the ribbon connector Thanks!!
Great job and video! What are you connecting the monitor to and with what interface? TB? USB?
Thank you! I am connecting the monitor to a late 2015 iMac. I am using mini displayport, as that is what is on the back of the iMac.
Hi very nice video, can you tell me the pinout - the exact cables you connected from the board to the imac power button for it to work? Great video!!!
Excellent video. I'll be doing this to my 2014 iMac in a few weeks. Have you come across any board that might allow the speakers to work?
The board I used supposedly allows speakers to work, but mine had buzzing issues.
What wires did you snip on the ribbon cable for the power button ?
I love this. I will do it. It would be awesome if someone made a custom minimalist back (chasis) for this 5K panel. Even better if it already had the power supply and controller built in, without the lower aluminum band.
Thanks for watching!
I have a 2017 27" iMac. I already installed a ssd SATA hard drive as an upgrade, but still not fast enough for my liking. I guess I could put a NVME ssd under the logic board, and see if that is any faster. Or should I just do this? I will be using my Mac Mini M1.
@@ChristopherShawnPike I think this would be better
Hi, thanks for sharing this great project and encouraging me to recycle my iMac. It isn't obvious if you got the speakers working and whether the sound is any good or not. Can you confirm ?
Hello! I like how you worked this monitor. Why didn't you use the original source from imac?
Your set up is exactly what I want to do. Two 27” iMac 5k connected to an Apple Studio computer!
Can you post a link to the used controller? I can‘t find it on eBay.
Ditto!
Very Cool! Not sure how much it cost, but could be worth converting 5k imacs to monitors and selling them.
Very interesting and impressive project. I‘m wondering what you did with the speaker crossover divider you also bought? You didn‘t install it? For what reason?
Thank you! I think it may have been defective, the speakers would make a high pitched squeaking noise all the time, so I did not install it.
Amazing built!! congrats. After almost 1 year, did you find any problems? What about the internal temps with the psu and board and no forced ventilation? Thanks!
@@luchosantilli No issues so far!
Hello, what 2 wires did you used for the power bottom going to the board ? Are the terminals label ?
You could probably make 3d printed brackeds that go over the mount points within the shell to help hold those items in if you didn't want to use hot glue
Could you test an iPad Pro on this display and see if it works perfectly? Not just mirror the display, but also the desktop mode. Thanks much
only thing i noticed was that you kept calling it a macbook
Awesome vid! Another way can use an outdated iMac that does not get the security updates anymore/OS end of life is using a capture card like El Gato 4K X and do not use the iMac on the internet just use it as monitor using OBS Studio software which is free set full screen scene its an easier and less expensive route as well less work.
nice and clean job, and brilliant to use the lead weights inside. I modified mine some weeks ago, but at full 5k resolution the menues and everything is just tooo small, I can only get proper sizes at a lower res. any ideas what I have to tweak?
@@CompactFlesh I just adjusted the size in the settings
this was sooo cool. But why didn't you just use target display mode from the working mac to the old one and use the old one as a display?
Man, you did an awesome job. Two thumbs up!👍🏻 👍🏻
You should get an M4 Mac mini and stick the internals in there!
I might try that!
Mac mini skipped the m3 processors
Thank you!!! Do you also have a guide on checking the wiring with the multimeter? I'd love to do this, too!!!
I just used the multimeter to check continuity on the wires, so I could determine the polarity!
@@RunYoungShoots cool, sounds simple enough. Now to hunt for a cheap iMac :D haha
@@paul.ignacio Good luck!
@@RunYoungShoots thank you!:)
Great video! Motivated me to try myself but having an issue where the input display isn't centered. Did you have that issue or know how to fix? Not seeing anything in the display settings to correct. The image is centered on the side of the screen.
Can you provide an update? How is it working out? Are you pleased with the picture compared to your iMac? There is a reference to 8bit color, have you noticed a difference compared to the iMac? Is the board that you installed reliable? Overall, was it worth it? Thank you for your response. Great video!!
Thanks for watching!
Its working great! The picture quality is identical to my iMac. The color are a bit different, which could be tuned to match better, but it doesn't bother me, so I haven't taken the time to do it. The board has proved to be very reliable, I use the monitor everyday.
I think it was worth it, I am very happy with the outcome.
@@RunYoungShoots Thank you for your response. I just retired my Late 2015 iMac and, thanks to your video, plan on turning it into a 5k monitor for my new Mac Mini. Parts are ordered!!! Thanks again!
@@timjameson1385 Great to hear, enjoy!
Is it possible to use the iMac with the own screen but through the panel via cable? Can the iMac use with external display after the own screen been removed?
Very nicely done! I am planning to do this myself as i have a 5k iMac already. Can i ask what model graphic board did you buy that it allows you to use the iMac inbuilt speakers please?
An excellent job, very neat, well done!
Neat build, will do this with my 2017 imac when i get my 14 " Macbook pro
Hi. Great vid. Since the seller doesn't offer the remote anymore with the kit, I was wondering if its needed from the project. I want to do this to an old 2017 5k as well.
Thank you! I believe they have different packages, and they still sell it with the remote.
Would it be possible to let the microphone also work on the former iMac? Brilliant work by the way.
Eeeeuuuuh, a 2014 27 inch iMac as monitor would work by just installing OS Sierra, then connect through thunderbold as display? Tell me if I am wrong of course..
...clean conversion though. I know this is quite some steps and getting it right needs a good amount of attention and care. Top!
Thanks! Yes I believe you can get target display mode working through certain MacOS versions. I just wanted to use the latest OS available to my Mac.
maybe you can use the old internals like some sort of apple tv if they still work, maybe 3d print a custom case for it too
Solid DIY
Thanks!
Nicely done, great job!
Thanks!
Subscribed!
Luna display is an alt option?
Yes but there is latency with that
@@RunYoungShoots and you have the run the iMac itself - drawing about 150watts on average whereas this build is probably drawing maybe 40watts
@@frederickhall8252 Good point, didn't even think about that
would have been nice to know how much did all the accessories cost? And what is the total cost of conversion versus a different external extended monitor?
wonderful idea, thanks for sharing your video
Well done . I wonder if they make something to convert the camera in the screen to USB so that you have use of that also. Excellent how you got a kit for the speakers to work too. Excellent 👍 and of course you have a camera in your other system there so the need for the camera to work isn't necessary. So you have a awesome set up there.
Thanks for watching!
Very Nice, thank you for this excellent video. In the beginning I see you have an old 27” Thunderbolt or Cinema Display. I also still have that, but the panel inside is getting old and dark. Do you think I can buy a used 2017 5K iMac and put the 5K panel into the housing of the Thunderbolt/Cinema display using the same parts and technique you use here? I would love to keep the fantastic Apple display housing! Any ideas/hints would be greatly appreciated 🙏
@@daggerman-dcgk Thanks for watching! I don’t think the screen would fit into the thunderbolt display unfortunately. It is much larger.
How did you identify which cables from the controller are for the power button?
1:12
"removing all the internals from your MACBOOK" lol
would this also work with a 2012 27" 4k iMac? Is there a controller for those?
@@peterwelpton yes there are, different kit though!
Pro level work! A+ Very nice job. Very clean.
Thanks!
What display board did you use? Speaker cross over hardaware. Would you please provide links to those? Thanks
I've always wanted to somehow liberate the display of the Microsoft Surface Studio. It's a beautiful display unfortunately tied to an obsolete computer...
Can you do this with a non 5k version of the imac? My old imac was the version right before the 4k version lol. I probably wont waste my time with that but was just curious if it was possible.
@@joe62845 Yes it is!
@ Awesome, thanks!
hi mate, do you know if this is possible with a 2019 5k retina iMac?
Would there be a way to convert the original ports to work as a hub? Instead of just covering them up.
Im sure there is, but it world require a lot of effort. Not worth it for me, as I dont need any of them.
Great vid. Are you plugging the two display port cables into your computer to get 5k? What graphics card was in the iMac?
Yes my iMac requires both display cables to be plugged in. It has a Radeon M390 2GB, which is a bit old.
@@RunYoungShoots Gotcha, thank you!
It might be too late but this is an inexpensive way to deal with the hinge not working properly and not having to put lead in your Imac: iBofans Repair Replacement Hinge Broken Solution
Highly professional
I have a 2010 iMac
Can I use it as a monitor for a mini
Mac
Please assist
Thanks 🙏
Yes you can, the resolution wont be as high, but the logic board and the installation would be easier!
Thank you so much for your reply
Sadly I’m not a champion techie like you 👍
I thought it’s would be just a thunderbolt cable connection
Is it possible without opening the iMac ?
Thanks again
@@grandmasterjo1 No worries, unfortunately you would have to open it up. Its actually not as hard as you may think, In have not worked on any computers before making this video. You may also want to look into Target display mode for older imacs
I think that year did have "target display mode" that used the Thunderbolt cable to make it a monitor. You'd need a thunderbolt 2 cable and thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter from Apple. (Not a USB C adapter that is everywhere.)
However it may use more power than a gut and reboard. Also the board to do this is less than $50 since the resolution is lower.... But you've got options!
@@TadGillilandThank you so much for your support and kindness.
Truly appreciate. Just that I love my iMac resolution.
Sadly my iMac is not booting. After the Apple logo shows up the bar moves 85% and then a blank white screen 😭😭
I feel I’m invading and asking for too much from you
Is it the hard disk that has packed
Or does the iMac need to boot up before I use the TB cables
Thanks again 🙏🙏🙏
Great video! Can the board support multiple inputs (can you switch between 2 computers)?
Thanks, unfortunately this control board cannot support multiple inputs
So do you have to plug both DisplayPort cables into the source device in order to receive the full 5K resolution?
If so, is it possible to use a splitter and/or adapter in order to plug both cables into a single DisplayPort or HDMI input and still receive the full 5K resolution?
I’m asking because I’m planning on switching over from a 2 Monitor setup that I connect to my M1 MacBook Air using 2 HDMI female to usb Male DisplayLink adapters (connected to another dual usb-c to usb adapter), and want to do this conversion on 2 separate iMacs in order to have dual 5K monitors connected to my M1 MacBook Air using either the same (2) DisplayLink adapters in order for the MacBook to continue to output to two separate monitors, or upgrading to a DisplayLink tower that accepts both DisplayPort and HDMI inputs if necessary.
@@qthedivine I tried to find something like that, but it was tough to find something for 5K, they’re also pretty expensive.
@ I’ve verified that there is a USB-C DisplayLink adapter by WAVLink that supports 5K. It has 2 DisplayPort plugins and 2 HDMI plugins. I’m just wondering if it’s possible for a single MacBook Air M1 to output to two of these converted iMacs at once in order to have a dual 5K monitor setup, for a total of 3 screens all at once including the MacBook Air screen?
And if not 5K, then what would the resulting resolution be if only using a single DisplayPort cable or HDMI cable per screen, instead of 2 cables per screen?
@ I believe your Macbook does not require dual DP for 5K
@@RunYoungShoots Thank you for your help. I’ll do a little bit more research and verify this before attempting my build. But I’m excited and motivated after seeing how well yours turned out. I’ve been running 2 39in 1080p Vizio HDTVs as my monitors for the past couple of years. But I don’t mind sacrificing the screen sizes to have the full Apple aesthetic along with 5K. Thanks again. I’ll be starting my build soon.
@ Good luck!
Very interesting! Doesn’t the panel require some cooling mechanism?
No, the manufacturer does have a higher end board with a fan (more complex board), but this version is fine without one. I have not had any overheating issues.
How does the speaker's audio quality hold up afterwards? Is it still good, or should I consider using external speakers instead?
I would recommend external speakers
@@RunYoungShoots Thank you for the swift reply
Fabulous job the instructions are so clear even I think I might be able to do this to my 2009 iMac but I’m not sure if if that year will be able to be used to like you’re using your 2014 but shoot you did a great job 🎉!
Thank you! Yes they have kits for your 2009, and I think it will be even easier, as they did not use adhesive to hold on the screens for those years.
@@RunYoungShootsye those old iMacs use the magnets to hold the screen
This is a great video. I am going to do the exact thing. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
solid I have wanted to do this for a while now! might just have to
Its a great display!
How did YOU do that with the cover, I mean with the service hatch where the cables for the DisplayPort come out? How did you get the hole with the grommet in there? Or did you buy a new cover?
@@juliansinger4327 I drilled a hole in it mate
pense que iba a reutilizar los parlantes originales
Another great video. Awesome DIY 🔥
Thanks bro!
Nice work mate, looks great and a pro job
Thanks man!
You use two DP cables for the 5k resolution but into which ports on your functioning iMac do you plug those two cables and with what type of connector on the end of each cable ? I have a 2017 iMac and it has two USB C ports on the back (along with four USB type A ports) and a Radeon Pro 570 4 GB graphics card.
@@speedbird8326 I believe with your newer imac you wont need two DP cables
@@RunYoungShoots Ok so would it be a DP to USB C cable ?
@@speedbird8326 Yeah if thats what you have on your iMax
@@RunYoungShoots Thanks
I bought a luna display.
There is no need to destroy the iMac. I mainly work in FCPx, I can render two projects at the same time. Of course, iMac is slower than Mac Studio. There are many uses for having a Mac Studio and a functioning iMac at the same time. Best of all, Luna Display costs only $79
You completely miss the point
Luna lagged too much.
Nice work. Very neat. Shame that Aliexpress stopped service to where i live
Thank you! Where do you live?
You are so smart! I would never be able to do this though 😔
Hey man, take your time and follow what I did in the video, I’m sure you can get it done! Thanks for watching!
I'm interested in doing something like this but only if I can get the speakers to work? Your specific crossover kit was simply defective?
Yes I believe it was defective, as there was a constant squeaking/buzzing noise when no audio was being played.
Hey nice mod was thinking of doing the same since I can't find a good condition Thunderbolt Display and this is 5k anyway. Was wondering how did you do the power button like which wires from the switch board did you cut and solder to the oem power button. Also do you still have access to the other ports in the logic board or did you just not think those ports are needed. Also how is the display for other non Mac stuff, was thinking this would be good for a game console or a steam deck. Thanks!
Hey, thanks for watching! The two wires I soldered were the last two from the controller board. I don't have access to the other ports, for me there were not necessary. I have not tried it for non Mac stuff, but considering that its a Dell controller board, I think it will work well! I am not much. of a gamer, but keep in mind these displays are 60Hz, so not the highest refresh rate.
That is true, Thanks for the reply :)@@RunYoungShoots