Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

MacBook Pro with external monitor problem, please help a noob!

Hello

Just bought my first Mac, a MacBook Pro 15" 2.93 which is gorgeous but it has one problem with is driving me mad. I cannot get it to work with my external monitor.

I have a Hyundai 24" wide screen 1920 x 1200 monitor which is basically a Samsung screen in a different box. I cannot get the MacBook to run at anything more than 1920 x 1080, that his the highest option it offers me even though it identifies the monitor correctly. This is causing the monitor to flicker dreadfully and is unusable.

I am running the MacBook plugged into the mains with a mini-DVI adapter and the lid down. It seems to all be set up correctly.

Can anyone help

Many thanks

R

Posted on Mar 19, 2009 10:28 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Mar 19, 2009 11:11 AM

That's odd, alright. It should detect the native resolution of the display and use that. If you leave the MBP open and go into System Preferences > Displays (with mirroring OFF in the Arrangement tab), can you drive the external at 1920x1200?

You might also try a PRAM reset: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

As a last resort, you could use SwitchResX: http://www.madrau.com/
19 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Mar 19, 2009 11:11 AM in response to ReggieUK

That's odd, alright. It should detect the native resolution of the display and use that. If you leave the MBP open and go into System Preferences > Displays (with mirroring OFF in the Arrangement tab), can you drive the external at 1920x1200?

You might also try a PRAM reset: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

As a last resort, you could use SwitchResX: http://www.madrau.com/

Mar 20, 2009 4:06 AM in response to ReggieUK

You might try the following, though no gurantees:

Go into Displays preferences and put a checkmark in the box for "Show displays in menu bar"

Under the resulting minature display icon that shows up in the menu bar along the top right of the screen, drop down it's menu and select "Number of Recent Items" and set it to 10.

Now drop that menu a second time and you should see up to 10 different resolution choices for the Hyundai. Hopefully one of them will be the one that has been missing (1920 x 1200).

Mar 20, 2009 4:13 AM in response to ReggieUK

Those seems to be pretty old threads, four updates back in the Mac OS, and using older hardware. Based on your CPU speed, you must have one of the new MBPs with the Mini-DisplayPort video out. You stated, +"I am running the MacBook plugged into the mains with a *_mini-DVI adapter_* and the lid down."+ Can you clarify? Which video adapter are you actually using? Mini DisplayPort to single-link DVI? Mini DisplayPort to VGA? If the latter, have you applied the Mini DisplayPort to VGA Firmware Update?

Mar 20, 2009 10:46 AM in response to ReggieUK

I have a 24" Dell 2405 - neither the MDP to dvi or MDP-dual link will make it work. Apple is aware of this and these problems have been well-documented in these forums. It appears that although they suggest that connecting to any display is a snap, there are in fact major compatibility problems.
You can try a MDP to vga adaptor - even though that really isn't an acceptable solution, as these things should drive our displays, just like the last generation of MacBook Pro's did. Good luck. A lot of us are waiting for the answer.

Mar 21, 2009 4:22 AM in response to bluztoo

Hello, after 5 dead video chip on my old MacBook Pro, Apple kinly changed it with a brand new MacBook Unibody, well its really wonderful, but i've got a strange problem.

With the old MacBook Pro i used an external Hyundai W240D with DVi using the native resolution of 1920*1200.

So i bought a MiniDP > DVi adaptor but the Unibody only provide the resolution of 1920*1080… So everything looks stretched, i've try to set up a new account, reset everything i could Pram you name it with no success…

Any luck ?

I'm so glad to be not alone… And so disapointed too…

MacBook Pro with external monitor problem, please help a noob!

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.