Dual monitors on the FX 5200

Question

Dual monitors on the FX 5200

Hello all

I have spent a number of days reading everying I can find posted and nothing seems to answer my issue

Having just converted from the PC and I'm a bit new at all this tiger stuff.. The only thing I miss is dual monitor 😟

Issue
=====
Trying to use two DVI monitors on a FX 5200, either monitor connected to the ADC to DVI connector (brought from the apple shop part number T2795G/A) is blank.

Both LCD DVI monitors are IIyama PLH 540 1600 x 1200

Nothing is displayed if I boot with a monitor connected to the ADC connector using the adapter.

I have reset the PRAM and SMU?? (I think thats the correct term)

I do get two monitor windows system prefs > display

Also if the monitor connected to the ADC connector via the adapter is turned off the display is removed from all the relevent sections.

Also about this mac > hardware > Graphic/Displays is shown below

GeForce FX 5200:

Chipset Model: GeForce FX 5200
Type: Display
Bus: AGP
Slot: SLOT-1
VRAM (Total): 64 MB
Vendor: nVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID: 0x0321
Revision ID: 0x00a2
ROM Revision: 2060
Displays:
PLH540:
Resolution: 1600 x 1200 @ 60 Hz
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Supported
Mirror: On
Mirror Status: Hardware Mirror
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
PLH540:
Resolution: 1600 x 1200 @ 60 Hz
Depth: 32-bit Color
Core Image: Supported
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: On
Mirror Status: Master Mirror
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks for your help

Miles

G5 1.6 1.25GB 80GB Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Posted on Aug 1, 2006 2:54 PM

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Answer 1

ds store

Level 7

30,855 points

Aug 5, 2006 1:48 PM in response to miles_campbell

The GeForce FX5200 is a very weak graphics card, it most likely can't handle two displays at those resolutions.

As you can see in this page the card you have

http://www.barefeats.com/rad9800s.html

And to add insult to injury, the Radeon 9800 Pro Special Edition is weak compared to the ATI X800

http://www.barefeats.com/radx800.html

So perhaps a upgrade to the ATI X800 Mac Edition is in order, you can move this card to another PowerMac G5 with AGP video slot like the Dual 1.8 and Dual 2 Ghz (dual processor, not dual core processor) machines.

The Dual Core and Quad PPC G5's have done away with AGP. So if I was planning on keeping the Single 1.6 Ghz I would get a ATI X800 right away. AMD has bought ATI and the future of video cards for Mac's from this company is very uncertain. (Apple has switched to Intel processors)

OR forget all this and simply wait until Monday or so for a announcement of new Intel processor based Mac Towers to arrive. And upgrade your whole machine, video card etc at once.

http://appleintelfaq.com/

Learn how to clone that boot drive, will save your bacon one day.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2765117&#2765117

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Answer 2

Aug 7, 2006 11:08 PM in response to miles_campbell

Hello ds store

Thanks for your help on this, just still a little confused :~

This all started from a comment in this spec list on the original G5! http://support.apple.com/specs/powermac/PowerMacG5.html
Which clearly states that it will handle two displays!!

Comments from your post

All the bench marks quoted are for 3D rendered apps, I only really use 2D stuff a browser and email and alike, therefore bit of a waste of £220.

I have also tried reducing the resolution of the displays, which does not help 😟

Off to the Genius bar next to see if they can help

Will keep you posted

Thanks very much

Miles

G5 1.6 1.25GB 80GB Mac OS X (10.4.7)

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Answer 3

Aug 8, 2006 10:20 AM in response to miles_campbell

Hello

Well after sitting at the genius bar today and feeling an idiot after a very helpful chap plugged an Apple 20" DVI display into the ADC to DVI adapter and guess what it WORKED!!

So my iiyama monitors are not so mac compatible after all.

So the summary so far, the ADC socket analog and DVI outputs are fine and the adapter works. Therefore it must be the monitor!

I borrowed a friends G5 with a ATI 9650 with 2 x DVI and all worked fine 🙂 So there's something funny with the ADC output and the iiyama PLH 540's ...

iiyama are tomorrows call..

Will keep you posted

Miles

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Answer 4

Oct 10, 2006 1:19 PM in response to miles_campbell

Hello All

Just a little note to say the issue is resolved..

I throw the FX5200 in the bin and found a ATI 9650 on ebay and resolved the issue. Plugged the IIyama's in and away we went 🙂

Please note all IIyama users
These don't seem to work with an DVI to ADC adapter, also IIyama support sinks.. They just don't answer emails and are not interested on the phone!!

Thanks for all your help

Miles

G5 1.6 1.25GB 80GB Mac OS X (10.4.7)

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Answer 5

Oct 10, 2006 1:24 PM in response to miles_campbell

Issue closed

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Answer 6

Oct 10, 2006 8:35 PM in response to miles_campbell

Maybe the display uses the analog video signals from the DVI port. The DVI ports on Mac graphics cards are DVI-I, which has both digital and analog video signals. ADC ports also have both, but the ADC to DVI adapter only passes the digital. Try the ADC to VGA adapter, and use the VGA input on the display.
<http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wo/2.RSLID?mco= 1F691F88&nplm=T5566LL%2FA>

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Answer 7

benji888

Level 1

18 points

Oct 16, 2006 12:45 AM in response to miles_campbell

Just to note, it must be the monitors, because I have no problem running two monitors with the FX 5200. I have a Dell 20" widescreen and a Samsung 20" widescreen both DVI (one via ADC-DVI adapter).

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Answer 8

Oct 23, 2006 1:31 PM in response to benji888

Can i ask what ADC -> DVI adapter you are using, and what monitor it's on?

I just got 2 Samsung 204T 20" LCDs, and I read that the Dr. Bott adapter doesn't work with samsung. So now I'm all nervous that I am going to have problems finding the right adapter.

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