cdorr1979

Q: Macbook Air External Display issue

Have an acer external HD display hooked up by Thunderbolt to HDMI.  The display was hooked up to a windows machine before and had absolute clarity and a great picture.  Now hooked up to Macbook Air i have the macbook going out at 1080P and the display at 1920 X 1080 and the picture is just not clear as before.  I have looked the display options and cannot find a fix. Any suggestions on how to get the external display to pick up a clearer focused picture that the Windows PC had on it before?  Have upgraded to Mavericks and its a brand new macbook air

MacBook Air, OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 30, 2013 12:13 PM

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Q: Macbook Air External Display issue

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  • by sterling r,

    sterling r sterling r Nov 1, 2013 2:13 PM in response to cdorr1979
    Community Specialists
    Nov 1, 2013 2:13 PM in response to cdorr1979

    Hey there cdorr1979,

     

    It sounds like your external display is not as clear as you expect when connected to your Macbook Air. I suggest these steps from the article named:

    Apple computers: Troubleshooting issues with video on internal or external displays

    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1573

    When using an external display be sure to check the following:

    1. If you're using an Apple notebook, confirm the AC power cable or adapter is securely connected to the computer and the cable providing power to the display is also secure. It is always good to have your notebook connected to AC power when an external display is in use.
    2. Confirm display adapters are fully seated in their respective connections and that they are supported models and for the computer and display. Refer to these articles to assist you with adapter compatibility and further configuration information:
    3. Remove all display cable extenders, KVM switches, or other like devices and retest to determine if the issue is resolved.
    4. Try unplugging the video adapter or cable and then plug it back in.
    5. If more than one video adapter is in use (or "daisy-chained"), troubleshoot by using only one adapter.
      • Example: A mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter connected to a DVI to HDMI adapter is an unsupported configuration because there is a series of adapters in use.
    6. If available, try using a different display and or adapter (or use a different connector by using DVI instead of VGA, for instance).

    Reset the system
    You can reset the Mac's parameter RAM and SMC.Reset the resolutionStart by resetting the Mac's parameter RAM. If the display does not come up, was previously set to an unsupported resolution, and still results in no video:

    1. Start up in Safe Mode.
    2. From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
    3. Choose Displays from the View menu to open the preferences pane.
    4. Select any resolution and refresh rate that your display supports.
    5. Restart your computer.

     

    Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

    All the very best,

    Sterling