Does anyone know what cables I need to get the highest resolution between my new Mac Pro and an Eizo CG275W monitor and Eizo CG211 second monitor? I've tried a thunderbolt cable and only get 1920x1200. My monitor is capable of 2560x1440. A bit off. I've also tried HDMI and various adaptors on a DVI cable. Has anyone else had this problem?
Mac Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2)
It all depends on the video card you have in your Mac Pro. Without info on the system (model yeasr, video board, OS version) only basic advice can be given.
In the end, you need to know what interface the monitor has to support full resolution and what your Mac can offer. Only the new (late 2013) Mac Pro has Thunderbolt.
Post back your system specs
This is my Mac
And my main monitor is as previously mentioned an Eizo CG275W, which has 3 ports: DVI-D, Display Port and Mini Display port.
For single link the specs say: 2560x1440, Single link 10 bit, 60Hz vertical
For dual link the specs say: 2560x1440, Dual link, 30Hz vertical
My second monitor, the Eizo CG211 only has 2x DVI-I input ports but I'm not too fussed if the resolution isn't that high as this monitor is really only used as an extension for my app palettes.
Does this help any?
You need to tighten up your terminology in order to specify exactly the things you need, and get good results.
You do not generally use a US$50 ThunderBolt cable to connect a display. Mini DisplayPort is a simple cheap cable that is a subset of ThunderBolt, and plugs into Thunderbolt on the computer. Mini DisplayPort can be freely converted to Displayport -- it is only a re-wire, not a conversion.
Your first display can be connected with a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort, or a Mini Displayport to DisplayPort. There is no conversion, and if you cannot get full resolution you have probably not configured it properly.
--------
DVI displays wider than 1920 wide require a converter to Dual-Link DVI, so called because the three pairs of data conductors are doubled to reduce overall data rates to reasonable rates. This conversion requires non-trivial electronics, and these are sold as ACTIVE, powered adapters. Apple's version sells for US$100, MonoPrice has a slightly different adapter for about US$70. Both require additional power from a USB pigtail.
Dual-Link DVI cable MUST have all the pins in the grid present. Single-Link DVI may have the center columns de-populated. (blue in the diagram below)
DVI-I is a computer OUTPUT that provides BOTH digital DVI-D and Analog VGA signals on the connector at the same time. The VGA signals are the four pins around the blade at the end of the connector plus a few from the Grid (Salmon-pink below) There are no DVI-I cables nor any DVI-I display inputs that I am aware of.
image courtesy Wikipedia
.
The Eizo CG211 is 1600 x 1200, so needs only a single-link DVI adapter, suxh as
<http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/B/mini-displayport-to-dvi-adapter>
Thunderbolt to Displaport cables are available. Do not mistake Display port for HDMI. They look alike, but the DisplayPort is asymmetrical. It will support the full resolution of 2560x1440 and on the old continent costs less than $10...
Thunderbolt and mini displayport cables will plug into either a Thunderbolt or mini displayport. However, the cable are not interchangeable.
You can get a cable with a mini displayport plug on one end and a displayport plug on the other end. The only difference between a mini displayport and displayport is the size, There are electrically the same.
Mac Pro resolution issues
