What is the maximum resolution of Mac OS X leopard in a single display?

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What is the maximum resolution of Mac OS X leopard in a single display?

I've tried to connect my old Power Mac G5 with a Radeon 9600 (128MB VRAM) to my monitor LG 21:9, which has a resolution of 3440x1440 using a DVI to HDMI adapter cable.
I Thought configure it as 1920x1080.
Surprisingly, the monitor correctly displays the desktop at full resolution (3440x1440) which was unexpected. Refresh at 30Hz but a full 3440x1440 with a single lane DVI output from the card. Maybe the signal fit into the bandwidth at that low refresh.

The trouble is another thing that i think is software related: I can't select with the pointer nothing right the to the first 2560 pixels position on the screen (from 2560 to 3440). Even when i move the windows to that position, they "disapeer" in that virtual limit, but i can see the menu bar, the desktop and the disks on the right.

Is more like if Leopard (10.5.8) could not handle desktop resolutions greater than 2560 in a single monitor. ¿Is a limit in that sense, or maybe a hardware related issue (the graphic board can't handle that)?

The strange is that the desktop is shown at full resolution (3440x1440@30Hz) and there is not flickering and another tipical issues when is not a supported res. It appears to be that the window server or anything else can`t handle that (for that time in 2005) unusual resolution.

Maybe Apple added greater resolutions support in newer Mac OS X versions? It's a mistery for me. I haven't found any info abut this.Obviously can't try because Leopard is the latest system on PowerPC.

Sorry for my bad english.

Posted on Oct 9, 2015 3:29 AM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

238,997 points

Oct 9, 2015 10:47 AM in response to Jorge_Ruiz

2.0 DP (PCI)	Video Card:	Radeon 9600
VRAM:	128 MB
Primary Max Resolution:	1920x1200
	Secondary Max Resolution:	1920x1200
	Display Connectors:	2 single-link DVI
2.3 DP (PCI-X)	Video Card:	Radeon 9600
VRAM:	128 MB
Primary Max Resolution:	1920x1200
	Secondary Max Resolution:	1920x1200
	Display Connectors:	2 single-link DVI

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/powermac_g5/faq/powermac-g5-adc-ports-dvi- ports-resolutions-supported.html

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Answer 2

Jorge_Ruiz Author

Level 1

8 points

Oct 10, 2015 11:08 AM in response to BDAqua

Thank you.

Yes, they are the official specs, I already know them.

However, you can set higher resolutions with SwitchRes, subject to compliance with it fits the bandwidth.

For example, I have not had any problems in setting a 2560x1440 at 40Hz (instead of 60Hz, to fit the bandwidch). It works flawlessly, and 2560x1440 is a lot more than 1920x1200.

The trouble begins when the horizontal resolution is superior to 2560, and it seem to be a software limitation of Mac OS X, not a hardware limit.

In other words: even though I had a graphics card with full support for 3440x1440 resolution, the Mac OS X lepoard (10.5) is not prepared to work with. That is the question. I don't have the confirmation if 2560x1440 max res for display is really a software related limit of leopard (and previous systems).

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

238,997 points

Oct 10, 2015 11:21 AM in response to Jorge_Ruiz

it seem to be a software limitation of Mac OS X, not a hardware limit.

Exactly. I know you can get it higher than official, but as with all useful hacks, it may not be what the OS is expecting... anyway, I think your evidence proves your assumption that it's the SW, either OSX or the Video Card's SW. 🙂

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