Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

6

Time Required

                          8 hours

Sections

1

  • Converting iMac Intel 27" to an USB-C monitor with 30W charging
  • 6 steps

Flags

2

In Progress

This guide is a work in progress. Reload periodically to see the latest changes!

Member-Contributed Guide

An awesome member of our community made this guide. It is not managed by iFixit staff.

  • BackiMac Intel 27"

  • Full Screen

  • Options

  • History

  • Save to Favorites

  • Download PDF

  • Edit

  • Translate

  • Get Shareable Link

  • Embed This Guide

  • Notify Me of Changes

  • Stop Notifications

Introduction

This is a work in progress

What you need

Step 1

              Remove stuff
  • Follow teardown guide to remove logic board, video card, hard drive

Follow teardown guide to remove logic board, video card, hard drive

1024

Step 2

              Connect Driver Board
  • Connect Driver Board to display
  • I got mine here. https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=5381…
  • Connect a DisplayPort (male) to mini DisplayPort (female) cable to the driver board and hotglue the female end to the iMac back panel

Connect Driver Board to display

I got mine here. https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=5381…

Connect a DisplayPort (male) to mini DisplayPort (female) cable to the driver board and hotglue the female end to the iMac back panel

Step 3

              Connect Power to Driver board
  • (Optional) If you want to use the original iMac power button, connect the switch to the 12v latching module, PP12V_G3H + GND to power in, and connect the PS_ON pin to the output. Latching module should be configured to pull to ground when “on”
  • If you just want it to be always on and use the driver power button, short PS_ON to GND
  • Pinout guides here: Can anyone tell me what these PSU pin abbreviations mean? PSU 614-0446

(Optional) If you want to use the original iMac power button, connect the switch to the 12v latching module, PP12V_G3H + GND to power in, and connect the PS_ON pin to the output. Latching module should be configured to pull to ground when “on”

If you just want it to be always on and use the driver power button, short PS_ON to GND

Pinout guides here: Can anyone tell me what these PSU pin abbreviations mean? PSU 614-0446

Step 4

              Hook up internal USB devices
  • Disassemble USB Man-style hub, cut cables, insert USB sockets into usb openings, hot glue USB ports from the inside and solder everything back together
  • Something like this… https://www.amazon.com/Kikkerland-US006-…
  • you need another 5v/12v powered 4 port hub to connect the iSight, SuperDrive, SD Card Reader and the rear ports. And some donor USB cables…
  • iSight Pinout +5v = brown, D+ = Purple, D-= grey GND=black. Unfortunately Apple uses different colors for different revisions. Pinout of the iMac’s built in iSight..
  • SD Card Reader Pinout +5v = orange, D+ = grey, D-= purple, GND=unshielded cable. Again, Apple uses different colors for different revisions, although you’d think the cabling color scheme would be at least internally consistent…. https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/apple…
  • Connect the USB-SATA bridge to the SuperDrive and the USB hub. I had to cut away some plastic to fit the USB adapter
  • Power the USB hubs with the 12v pins, or use a DC-to-DC stepdown board to convert 12v to 5v. (The power supply doesn’t provide a 5v rail…)

Disassemble USB Man-style hub, cut cables, insert USB sockets into usb openings, hot glue USB ports from the inside and solder everything back together

Something like this… https://www.amazon.com/Kikkerland-US006-…

you need another 5v/12v powered 4 port hub to connect the iSight, SuperDrive, SD Card Reader and the rear ports. And some donor USB cables…

iSight Pinout +5v = brown, D+ = Purple, D-= grey GND=black. Unfortunately Apple uses different colors for different revisions. Pinout of the iMac’s built in iSight..

SD Card Reader Pinout +5v = orange, D+ = grey, D-= purple, GND=unshielded cable. Again, Apple uses different colors for different revisions, although you’d think the cabling color scheme would be at least internally consistent…. https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/apple…

Connect the USB-SATA bridge to the SuperDrive and the USB hub. I had to cut away some plastic to fit the USB adapter

Power the USB hubs with the 12v pins, or use a DC-to-DC stepdown board to convert 12v to 5v. (The power supply doesn’t provide a 5v rail…)

Step 5

              Bonus steps

You can also get the Apple IR receiver working! the first wire in the left ( marked V on the board ) is D-, second is D+, third is 5V and the last wire is Ground. https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/apple…

The Bluetooth module is also USB, but need a 3.3v line https://homokozo.czo.hu/iMac2011mod/iMac…

Hmm need more internal usb ports

Step 6

              More bonus steps
  • Thinking about getting the speakers and Mic working as well. We are going to need a USB soundcard and an amplifier that can handle driving the built in 17W speakers
  • DIYaudio.com seems like a pretty deep pit to jump in.
  • Do I need a fan controller? I think I need a fan controller.

Thinking about getting the speakers and Mic working as well. We are going to need a USB soundcard and an amplifier that can handle driving the built in 17W speakers

DIYaudio.com seems like a pretty deep pit to jump in.

Do I need a fan controller? I think I need a fan controller.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

Cancel: I did not complete this guide.

                                                                                      One other person completed this guide.

Author

                                      with 1 other contributor 


                    Raf

Member since: 09/16/2020

163 Reputation

                                      1 Guide authored                  



                       Badges:
                       3