How to display 2560x1080 on external monitor (Acer B296CL) from MBP?

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How to display 2560x1080 on external monitor (Acer B296CL) from MBP?

Hi Everyone,

I just switched from PC to Mac, and tried to use my external monitor from before. This is an ultrawide 21:9 29" Full HD (2560 x 1080) Acer monitor. It works perfectly with my PC for a year. Good resolution.

http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/professional-model/UM.RB6AA.001

Now I tried to connect it with my Macbook Pro (2014 mid) using HDMI to HDMI. From the display setting, it shows 2560X1080, and 60Hz, but it did not look right, the text and pictures are blurred and the windows stretched beyond the screen.

I went to bestbuy and got a mini Display port to HDMI adapter, and then tried miniDP ->HDMI->HDMI. It did not work as well.

Also try SwitchResX, not work for me.

Anyone had experience like this before? And what should I do? Should I tried miniDP to display port directly?

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Sep 1, 2015 2:41 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 1, 2015 3:38 PM in response to martinzheng

You cannot "stack" adapters.

If it has DisplayPort, use a Mini DisplayPort (subset of ThunderBolt) to DisplayPort cable, and you will get the best picture possible, because the only conversion is the size of the connector.

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Answer 2

martinzheng Author

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Sep 1, 2015 4:11 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks Grant.

So miniDP to DP should be better than HDMI to HDMI? Isn't that true that HDMI is more advanced than DP (not miniDP)?

What do you think about using miniDP to dual link DVI adapter, then DVI to DVI? I have read something about it and it seems to work better for high resolution large screen (quote from Apple "Use the Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter to connect your Mac to a 30-inch display that includes a DVI connector, such as the 30-inch Apple Cinema Display HD, and enjoy the ultimate widescreen canvas with a resolution of 2560 by 1600 pixels. ")

Thank you for the suggestion.

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Answer 3

Sep 1, 2015 5:12 PM in response to martinzheng

Apple does not sell a DisplayPort display, or the cables.

"They only recommend what they sell in the store."

... and they only train their people on what they sell.

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Answer 4

martinzheng Author

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Sep 5, 2015 3:15 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Hi Grant,

I got a displayport to Dual-link DVI cable, and it works perfectly. But I still tried to get a "cheap" solution by getting an mini displayport to displayport cable from Monoprice. It arrived today and I tried, now the window width is correct, no stretching out, but the text and pictures are blurred and shining somehow.

Any suggestions?

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Answer 5

Sep 5, 2015 6:05 PM in response to martinzheng

Is the brightness too high?

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