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OK, this is getting more confusing as the day goes. The 21.5" has the Target Display Mode now (it didn't before)? Also, is this limited to just external display use, apparently just on the MBP with Thunderbolt, or do we still have the ability to hook up (with an appropriate adaptor of course) a game console or even a blue ray player?
TUAW is saying that the older HDMI to mini DisplayPort dongles are not compatible with the new iMacs. Bummer.
http://www.tuaw.com/...n-on-new-imacs/

Glad they have enabled the option on the 21.5 inch iMac this time

I would be interested in knowing if the FaceTime HD camera and mic work if you connect a 2011 MacBook Pro to the new iMac.

Great. Is it possible to boot the Mac from a Thunderbolt-based device as was previously possible from ADB and USB keyboards, as well as from USB dongles like the i-Cue?

USB Boot Dongle (i-Cue) for Mac
http://www.lindy.co....-mac/32871.html

That is extremely convenient to boot Macs that are hidden beneath the desk, for instance, like the PowerMac and Mac mini.

tony_d, on 03 May 2011 - 09:05 AM, said:

I agree - not allowing recent hardware (VERY recent hardware ) with mini-DisplayPort to use the new iMac as an external display is definitely a bummer.

I have last year's 27" iMac and can plug my work Toshiba laptop into the MDP with a mdp-to-mdp cable and give the laptop a 27" monitor. Works nice. Sucks I'd need an adapter to do this in the future.

This wan't a primary purchase parameter for me, and there are other means to accomplish the desired result. Plus I have other monitors available, including a 55" LCD TV. Nonetheless, I'll be glad when Apple and/or third parties supply solutions for connecting non-ThunderBolt mini DisplayPort over ThunderBolt.

kevinv, on 03 May 2011 - 11:21 AM, said:

But I thought this was saying it had to be Thunderbolt equipped so no adapter will help you. Am I misunderstanding?

I've had two chats with Apple Sales reps on this and along with this article I now have three different answers to the question "Can I use the new 27" iMac in target display mode with my VGA/DVI equipped PC laptop."

Answers:
1) Yes, with the right cable and adapter
2) No, it only supports Macs with mini display ports
3) No, it only works with TB equipped Macs

It is sounding like I just need to take my laptop in and have them show me.

TySnouffer, on 03 May 2011 - 11:53 AM, said:

I would definitely carry it in and ask for a demo.

I had been unaware that any device would work on the earlier 27" iMac with target mode, unless the output device had a mini display port output. I was not aware of any situation whereby a VGA/DVI device would work with an adapter. The only *possible* exception being if you used it with an adapter device (~$100 or so) to convert it, the same method required for a blu ray or game console to be connected. And now it *sounds* as though the newest iMac requires a machine with a thunderbolt port, and not just a standard mini display port output.

My money's on them melting into slag. Please!

tony_d, on 03 May 2011 - 09:05 AM, said:

If converters such as the Belkin AV360 are updated to provide Thunderbolt compatible output, will a PS3 or XBOX 360 game console connected to an iMac with Target Display Mode enabled see 1080p on the 21.5-inch iMac and 720p on the 27-inch iMac? Ha!

Quote

Headmelt.

Thunderbolt is essentially an extension of the processor bus through a fast bus designed to access the outside world. For this reason one can not simply treat it like another monitor connection format. Obviously inside the iMac the Thunderbolt chip is designed to allow the redirection of the Display data in the Thunderbolt packets to the iMac display. Which data from which port to be used on the monitor is probably set in the preference panel under either Displays settings or a Thunderbolt setting.

As for other devices being able to send out Thunderbolt packets of display information it is my understanding that currently the Thunderbolt chips require Intel processors (maybe even Sandy Bridge and later) to communicate with. This implies to me that it will be a long time before we see any inexpensive devices which can take a monitor output from another device (like an XBOX, PS3, or even an older computer) and convert it to be usable in Thunderbolt format.

Please note that I said inexpensive (which I consider to be less than $50). In the future someone might create a chip/solution which could grab DVI/HDMI (or even Composite/VGA/Analog) formated monitor data and then repackage it in a format that could be transmitted on the Thunderbolt bus in packets which a 3rd party program would be accessing to display on the iMac's monitor as its own window, but that would be different than driving the iMac's monitor directly. A solution like this would probably cost at least $100.

Older iMacs CAN be used as a second display.
I think I learned this tip from this magazine, but SCREENRECYCLER
lets you connect iMac via Ethernet ports.