Max resolution on extrenal display using MacBook. Have I maxed out!?!?!

Question

Max resolution on extrenal display using MacBook. Have I maxed out!?!?!

I just purchased an Acer AL2016W wide screen 20" monitor to use as a second display (or mirroring). It may not be quite as nice as an Apple Cinema Display but is one heck of a screen for the price.

The monitor suggested 1680 x 1050 res. but this is not even an option on my display settings on the MacBook.

The options for both screens are:

MacBook

640 x 480
640 x 480(stretched)
800 x 500
800 x 600
800 x 600(stretched)
1024 x 640
1024 x 768
1024 x 768(stretched)
1152 x 720
1280 x 800

Acer AL2016W

800 x 600, 72 Hz
800 x 600, 75 Hz
832 x 624, 75 Hz
1024 x 768, 60 Hz
1280 x 800, 60 Hz**
1280 x 960, 75 Hz
1280 x 1024, 60 Hz
1280 x 1024, 75 Hz
1360 x 768, 60 Hz
1600 x 1200, 60 Hz

The resolutions setting ** on the Acer (1280 x 800, 60 Hz) is the only one that fillls desktop to the porper proportions on the Acer monitor. It is a lot more faded and grainy than other higher settings including the maximum setting of 1600 x 1200, 60 Hz (which is very crisp). Unfortunately all higher res settings occupy a small portion of the screen and have blackend borders around the edges.

I don't know if this is possible but I would like to be able to set the resolution as high as possible on the Acer such as 1600 x 1200 or the recommended 1680 x 1050 and fill the entire screen with the desktop. Am I mssing something? Is this possible? Am I limited by the physical geometry or the MacBook's graphics card?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks to everyone who may write in. Cheers.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.7), 1GB RAM, 120 GB HD

Posted on Sep 7, 2006 6:13 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 7, 2006 6:20 PM in response to Nu2MacWontGoBack

You can't go past the max resolution on the MacBook.

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Answer 2

mmike70

Level 2

324 points

Sep 7, 2006 7:08 PM in response to Nu2MacWontGoBack

Are you using the mini dvi to dvi connector? I've heard that you need to use dvi to get the most resolutions out of the macbook,

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Answer 3

Sep 7, 2006 7:15 PM in response to mmike70

I forgot to mention that I am using a vga adapter as this is the only option for the monitor. Is that part of the problem?

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Answer 4

tylenol

Level 1

10 points

Sep 7, 2006 8:03 PM in response to Nu2MacWontGoBack

I don't know if this is possible but I would like to
be able to set the resolution as high as possible on
the Acer such as 1600 x 1200 or the recommended 1680
x 1050 and fill the entire screen with the desktop.
Am I mssing something? Is this possible? Am I
limited by the physical geometry or the MacBook's
graphics card?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks to everyone who may write in. Cheers.

I have had no problems getting 1680x1050 with my dell 2007WFP over a dvi connection. I'd be surprised if it weren't possible over the VGA connection too, but I don't have the adaptor so I can't try it (I have gotten this resolution over vga on a g3 ibook with screenspanning doctor though; I didn't have to do anything special for it to appear). So it should work -- sorry I can't offer any advice.

By the way, if 1680x1050 is the recommended resolution, you probably can't do 1600x1200 -- lcd monitors are usually fixed resolution at whatever resolution they recommend. They can do smaller resolutions only by interpolating (this is the source of the graininess you observe) or using just part of the screen, and I dont see how they could do higher resolutions at all usefully, since there just aren't enough pixels.

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Answer 5

namke

Level 1

40 points

Sep 8, 2006 2:05 AM in response to ricosuave413

You can't go past the max resolution on the MacBook.

The OP isn't exceeding the resolution (the maximum supported size of an external display is 1920 x 1200 according to the specifications) simply requiring a resolution which isn't on the list... I think what is needed is some way of telling the macbook that the external display has a specific resolution (1680x1050).

I'm thinking of getting a (different) Acer display, which has a native resolution of 1440x900 - this doesn't appear in the list of resolutions on the MacBook either, which is why I'm reluctant to part with any money until I know how to make it work properly!

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Answer 6

namke

Level 1

40 points

Sep 8, 2006 2:20 AM in response to namke

Oooo.... just read (page 66 of the macbook manual) that whilst the max. resolution is 1920x1200, that is only attainable over DVI - the maximum VGA resolution is 1600x1200.

So yes, in answer to you question below, it does seem like VGA is the problem.

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Answer 7

Sep 8, 2006 3:42 AM in response to tylenol

Ok. I have read through everyone's posts so far and some seem to think DVI is the answer and others have pointed out that it should work with VGA and that the MacBook can handle it.

I undertsand that the aspect ratio has something to do with it as well and that since my Acer screen is a different geometry that it will not display the same as my MacBook screen. I want to highlight namke's point that my external display resolution, even with VGA, is quite good. It is just not the right geometry, shape or aspect ratio.

This is what I want to fix. I will be happy with any resolution higher than 1280 x 800 if it will fill the Acer screen properly.

Does anyone know the answer to namke's quote "I think what is needed is some way of telling the macbook that the external display has a specific resolution (1680x1050). "

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Answer 8

tylenol

Level 1

10 points

Sep 10, 2006 1:37 AM in response to Nu2MacWontGoBack

Just to make sure, are you running in screen spanning mode as opposed to mirroring mode? (uncheck "mirror displays" in the arrangement tab) And you have clicked on the "detect displays" button while in screen spanning mode? It occurred to me that no one asked about the basics, and mirroring mode will limit the resolution of the external monitor (and sometimes while mirroring I get larger modelines in the display tab, where selecting them doesn't do anything, but makes it look like it might have changed resolution).

By the way, the aspect ratio of your external monitor and your macbook screen are the same (1.6:1) so if the external monitor is really at 1280x800 there shouldn't be any blank space.

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Answer 9

Sep 10, 2006 2:48 PM in response to tylenol

Hey Tylenol.

Thanks for the post. That was half the problem. Funny thing is I stumbled accross this result accidentally and was really happy to see that when I mirrored the displays it was a totally different story than when I added the display as secondary...Almost.

The way it finally worked for me was reading through another post and I leanred something equally amazing and impressive about OS X.

Forgive me if others knew the following but it was new to me; when you set up a second display you can obviously slide the monitor arround to set up the arrangement, but......

you can click and drag the white bar to make the secondary monitor your main screen (along with menus bar and dock). Killer tip!!!

I did this and it totally changed changed the resolution possibilities. I am now running full resolution at 1680 x 1050. Now I have no reservations about buying this monitor. Thanks to everyone who wrote in!

Cheers,

Ian

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