Poor resolution when plugged into 1080p 32" TV

Been following this thread with interest.

In the next few weeks I was going to buy a mac mini (i5,late 2012 model) and use it to run Logic pro 9 express.

I currently have an 6 year old Emachines VGA monitor which I will replace later in the year for a higher a resoloution model.

So in a nutshell,is it only the hdmi to hdmi connection that has problems and the thunderbolt to VGA is ok?

Really dont want to purchase without being sure of that.

Thanks for any help.

What worked for me mac mini 388 in order to get more smooth fonts, was to:

- on the mac mini side: run resolution: Best for display, (refresh rate 60hz), no underscan on the mac side with hdmi connected

- on the tv side (samsung led TV series 7) use hdmi 1 as read in various posts and call it PC. On the samsung hdmi3 it did not work out in the same way. And under tools (picture size : 16:9)

- what also worked was mini displayport 2 hdmi connect.

Thank you T Bone68, it solved my problem.

I just purchased a Mac Mini 2,5 GHz (early 2013) and connected it straight to a Samsung SMB2330HD (as detected by Mac OS X) using the HDMI Port 1 on the monitor/TV.

And indeed, very blurry font, despite a good picture and video quality.

I then followed your advise and it immediately fixed the font issue.

When you select the "PC" entry, it looks like applying a kind of predefined configuration that fixes the text characters.

I haven't upgraded my Samsung to the latest firmware as it wasn't required.

So Good Job T Bone68 ! ➕

Same worked for me connected to a Samsung HDTV.

Installed all required updates, Did the advanced colour calibration and then amended HDMI port on TV to PC.

Text and images are now very clear. Good job someone spotted that one ;)

I had the same problems, did hours or fiddling, trying different cables and research and finally solved the problem in the final 30 seconds. By the way it also solves the problem of the monitor flashing and no signal indication.

I'm no techie, just a guy who's been using mac's for 30 years and in that time, apart from a broken screen, never had a problem I couldn't fix myself.

Anyway my summary...

My equipment - mac mini 2011 i7. Samsung P2470 monitor.

1. Not all monitors behave in the same way for the same given signal, the higher the quality, the less tolerent they seem to be.

2. Using a TV as a monitor is not the same as using a monitor as a TV. Non-HD TV's will give much poorer quality images off a computer. Would you pour a $500 bottle of wine into a coffee mug just because that's what you had around?

3. Unless it's an integrated design from one company, eg. apple computer/apple monitor, every manufacture of computer/monitor can not keep 'in sync' with each other, even if there is a recognised standard. When my monitor was designed, I don't think thunderbolt and mini display ports were around.So incompatability is a common thing. What's good for the goose isn't always palatable to the gander.

4. Assuming we are using monitors and not TV's, some manufacturer's - my Samsung included - expect that the computer signal will come from the PC/DVI socket and the TV picture will come from the antenna or HDMI socket and not vice-versa. But the PC socket is not the one we want to use.

5. The HDMI 'handshake' through the HDMI cable is different from a TV signal than a computer graphics signal, therefore this can give rise to the poor quality graphics and text a lot of people are experiencing.

6. The biggest revelation is that there are 3 main types of DVI cable and some will work on some computers, some on some monitors but not all will work with every system You can see them here http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html

The fix...

1.If you want to output from the HDMI socket on your mac, use the white HDMI to DVI cable that came with the computer and then use the correct male to male DVI cable into your montor. Note: IT HAS TO BE THE RIGHT KIND OF DVI cable. For the mac it's a DVI-D dual link but for your monitor it will vary according to your monitor type (Digital or Analogue?) and age. Hence a cable that works on your PC or old monitor might not work on your mac or new monitor. Easiest method if you don't know which one, is to buy, beg or borrow the different types.

I'm sure it will work without messing with colour and sharpness settings but try different resolution options in your monitor preference pane.

2. If you want to output from the mini display port on your mac, exactly the same thing applies. There is a second short white MDP to DVI cable that came with your computer. Use this as above with the CORRECT DVI cable.

Incidentally, the flashing some people are experiencing on their monitors seems to come from the MD port, try the HDMI port instead.

Good luck.

Incidentally, the mac mini i7, with AMD graphics and SSD (solid state drive) is a wonder to behold. It's boots up in 11 seconds, opens apps instantly and processes faster than you can believe. It's the first computer (after many I've owned) that I no longer have to stare around the room waiting for it to do it's thing.

I recently purched the mac mini i7. I have a Dell HD display at home for the PC that I temporarily hooked up to the mini via HDMI and the resolution and text was super clear and crisp. Wanting to run both the pc and mac mini at the same time on the same desk, I went out and purchased the ViewSonic VX2453MH-LED (24" LED monitor).

http://www.viewsonic.com/us/monitors/23-24/vx2453mh-led-vx2453mh-led.html

I experienced the same issue as a lot of people above with poor text quality and even ghosting on some web pages (connected via HDMI to HDMI - same as PC and the Dell monitor). I attributed the issue to the monitor either being poor quality or just too large. I boxed it back up and was planning on taking it back to the store today.

After reading all of these posts, I wondering if I should purchase the correct DVI cable and use the HDMI to DVI connector that came in the mac mini box. Any idea if this will correct my problem and if Apple stores sell it? Which one is the 'correct' DVI cable?

Thanks!

Well like I say, I'm no techie bit IMHO if the Mac mini works well with the Dell display there is no fault with the computer. And the the viewsonic is a good monitor - it's HD and at 24" is not too big to produce clean crisp text. My Samsung is 24" and very sharp now that I've wired it correctly.

My suggestion is give it a go before you take the monitor back. Use the HDMI to DVI connector and try it with a DVI cable. I reckon you need a DVI-D dual link. Have a look at the difference in the pins here...

http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html

Let me know how it goes.

Thanks for the advice!!! Quick tech question as I'm not super familiar.

My monitor doesn't have a DVI connection, only two HDMI inputs and a VGA input (15-pin mini D-sub (VGA) / HDMI x 2).

The only thing I can find that isn't online is a Manhattan HDMI Male to DVI-D Male dual link cable. If this cable into the monitor via HDMI and then into the apple supplied HDMI to DVI connector, will this work?

http://www.microcenter.com/product/333270/HDMI_Male_to_DVI-D_Male_Dual_Link_Cabl e_6'_Black

Hello Bike-turkey

I just want to say that these quickfixes or hints in this thread didn´t work for my samsung HDTV or samsung monitor. And, as opposed to you, I have been using pc´s for 30 years. And I don´t quite agree with what you´re saying technically.

This is my first mac, and it´s a nice computer. But it is really strange that it´s output HDMI-HDMI doesn´t work properly/better.

And I´m picky, I know that. I am an artist, a painter, and maybe I should have even more expensive monitors with better connections than just HDMI or VGA, but anyhow - this is what I have and I don´t understand why the image isn´t sharper. Many mac users don´t seem to (see?) complain about the difference I´m experiencing with artifacts, and the lack of pixel per pixel sharpness usint HDMI-HDMI (most just seemed to try DVI instead and happily go on with their lives). But as a PC user, I´m used to fiddling around with settings until things work correctly, and sadly, on my mac mini I can not make it work. And sadly I don´t have DVI on any screen.

My ten year old pc, that sounds like a vacuumcleaner, puts out a much nicer image using the old VGA port to my new Samsung monitor, or Samsung HDTV. It puts each pixel where they´re supposed to be, and the image is clear and kind of soft (probably due to the analog signal) and very nice to rest your eyes on.

However, having tried every trick in this thread and updating everything possible, even my HDTV software, I can not get at perfect signal using HDMI-HDMI on my mac. And, the monitor doesn not have a DVI input, nor my HDTV. Both are full-HD 1080p. I have tried it all. Every setting on the mac, every meny on the monitors.

After running the monitor calibration program, I can use my monitor, the picture is ok but not good/clear. Not even my friends complain when they look at it, unless I point out the problems to them. But the fact is, it´s not a clear picture. Not as clear as my laptop pc, stationary pc, or Playstation3. They all produce a sharper image, using either HDMI or DVI.

And for some reason, any other product, much cheaper than an Apple computer, works just fine with HDMI. And I don´t think that users should have to bother about using the exact right cable (hdmi 1.3 or 1.2 or whatever) when basically every other manufacturer seem to have products that just work. I have tried different HDMI cables also, works with everything but not the mac mini.

And that means, yes I get a picture, but artifacts around the text, and not pixel per pixel sharpness. Of course it´s possible to adjust the image on the monitor or HDTV to make it look as good as possible, and nearly good. But it´s not sharp.

You are right and it is very poor it doesn't just work. I have various HDMI devices and all work perfectly with no adjustment on our samsung HDTV (1080p). The only one with problems is the Mac mini. Windows devices, DVD players, satellite box, digital content / streamer all work perfectly at 1080p.

The Mac mini now works much better after adjustment to the TV and the mini mac but it is not perfect. Apple need to sort this out properly as it is a very common issue, unless they don't consider the Mac mini suitable for HDMI output o hdtv's.

OK, OK, I think I've solved it. Once again, I'm no techie but I hate not solving a problem, so I dug deeper,learned Korean last night and found thid solution - it's free and takes one minute.

As I thought originally, the problem stems from the Samsung expecting a TV signal in the HDMI port so you have to tell it it's a computer signal.

Go from the Mac HDMI socket to the Monitor HDMI socket with an HDMI cable.

Go to the Samsung input/source button on the remote and on that screen select tools.

Select 'edit name'

Scroll down to PC and press enter. It should now read HDMI - PC

Under apple 'system prefs - displays, select your monitor pref - mine is 1080p

and... BINGO, it should work.

If it works for you guys, I accept gifts of beer and public praise with no problem.

You probably would've saved yourself a lot of time, hassle, and Korean if you had read through this discussion board first. That solution has been mentioned several times including on the page just prior to this one :)

The problem with this solution is that not everybody has a Samsung TV, and a lot of TV's (mine in particular, Dynex) don't let you rename these inputs. I don't know the technical stuff behind this solution, but considering other devices work just fine on the same TV's without the same type of intervention, the issue appears to be on Apple's side, and they still haven't addressed it.

i cant understand how apple can nail it in my mac book pro 13" and miss it on the mini. My new pro is laser sharp on any of the (6) HD TVs I have in the house. (2)Samsungs, Panasonic plazama, Orion, Dynex, Sharp, seeing this display on a 65" plazma is unreal.

How in the **** cant they get this graphic/video package that is in this freakishley small laptop in to the mini???!!!!!

I agree with xboxremote. I own and have worked with several Macs and this problem always involves a Mac with MiniDisplay Port (ie. both Mac Minis and MacBooks) connected to a HDMI display. (Regardless of MDP->HDMI cables or MDP->DVI->HDMI adapters.)

The fuzzyness people mention in this thread is due to OS X not outputting the correct resolution. When you use underscan (or overscan, for that matter) you are scaling the output and therefore lose the 1:1 pixel ratio and thus, the sharpness. This has nothing to do with post-processing on the display, although you can compensate for the symptomes with it.

What I don't understand is why this issue usually appears on previously working setups/configurations.

Sadly, I don't have a solution that hasn't been mentioned before in this thread;
1. Set the signal type to PC instead of AV in the display's on-screen menu.

2. Use option (alt) while clicking "scaled" when selecting resolution in the display settings in OS X. Sometimes this doesn't show the desired (and sometimes previously working) resolution.

3. Just disconnect and reconnect the cable and pray to Jobs that the OS will renegotiate the connection and set the correct resolution. This used to work quite often, years ago on a MacBook5,1 but the last year it never worked.

I have also seen two cases with flickering external displays. This seems specific for certain Macs (from 2008-2010) with MDP (connected to DP or VGA/D-SUB). Once the issue appears it seems to get worse over time. For my MB5,1 the issue started with a Dell display at work. One complete reinstall later, the issuel was still there. After a couple of months I connected it to a Samsung and a Benq I had previously used for years without this issue (the Samsung had the scaling problem mentioned above) and it too had started to flicker. Reconnecting usually works, but not always.

I find it strange that these issues have been around for sometime and there still is no official word on it, other than option-clicking the scaled resolutions...

Good luck, everyone!

This one worked for me. Using HDMI to HDMI connection on base Mac Mini 2012 to Samsung TV.

On your Samsung TV

1. Go to menu.

2. Select Input

3. Edit name

4. Go to HDMI/DVI

5. Select PC or DVI PC

6. Exit Menu

7. Go to System Preference

8. Select Displays

9. Select for Best for Display or

You can play around with scaled and select the resolution that you think will work best for you. Im using 1360 x 768

I think there is a need for you to edit the name of the of the connection used in the HDMI port. I noticed that other resolutuion options appeared only when I chaged the name to PC or DVI PC.