Video projector (Toshiba TDP MT500)- no signal

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Video projector (Toshiba TDP MT500)- no signal

Hello-

I have a problem with my external display (it's a toshiba MT500 video projector). It works fine with my iBook G4, using a DVI-VGA adapter, so I assumed it would be the same with my new MacBook, but alas no...

I called Toshiba, who were incredibly rude and patronising, and basically told me that they can afford not to care about the Mac users among their customers, as they are such a minority (which, by the way, makes no economic sense, as they also have a much higher buying power, proportionally, but nevermind...), and that there had to be a problem with my laptop.

The thing is, there is nothing wrong with it! it recognises the projector just fine, and does everything it should do. I tried it with my brand new iMac and it's exactly the same. I have tried every possible combination of turning on and off the MacBook and the projector, selecting all the different input on the projector, but nothing worked, the projected image remains blue, with no signal.

Please help!

PS: I connected it with a mini DVI-VGA adaptor, which I bought at my local Mac centre.

MacBook 2GHZ Mac OS X (10.4.8)

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Jan 30, 2007 2:39 AM

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Answer 1

BSteely

Level 5

7,643 points

Jan 30, 2007 7:10 PM in response to Rejane

You say you have tried every combination of of turning on and off, selecting different inputs on the projector, etc. But what you haven't said is if you tried different resolutions and refresh rate settings. So, have you?

When it works with the iBook, what are the settings for resolution and refresh? I don't see why, if those were matched with the new MacBook, it wouldn't work the same. If it doesn't, then I would begin to suspect you got a bad adapter.

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Answer 2

Rejane Author

Level 1

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Feb 5, 2007 6:12 AM in response to BSteely

Thanks for the tip, but I've tried that too (every possible combination) and it just doesn't work 😟 I don't have the iBook anymore, but it was basically plug and play, no settings needed.

I've also tried the adapter to plug in my MacBook into an external monitor (on a PC at work), and it worked perfectly fine straight away, so there can't be anything wrong with it...

Any other idea?

I'd be really grateful!

MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

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Answer 3

BSteely

Level 5

7,643 points

Feb 5, 2007 10:06 PM in response to Rejane

What happens if you turn on mirroring? Maybe the blue you see is nothing more than the extended desktop and not really a failure to display anything as is being supposed.

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Answer 4

Rejane Author

Level 1

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Feb 6, 2007 9:02 AM in response to BSteely

yep, I've tried that too... still doesn't work...
the projector shows a blue screen, with "searching DVi-D" in the bottom right hand corner, and stays like that for up to an hour (after which I gave up and switched it off...).
The really weird thing is that it seems like it does recognise the source, to a certain extent, because if I go into the "display format" menu, which is set to 4x3 by default, and select "source format", it displays the blue screen in the macbook's widescreen format!?
:-s

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Answer 5

BSteely

Level 5

7,643 points

Feb 6, 2007 9:31 PM in response to Rejane

You said in your original post that you are hooking up using the Mini-DVI to VGA adapter. If the projector is "searching DVI-D", it's looking for the wrong kind of signal. You either have to get the projector searching for VGA or else you need to connect to the projector using a Mini-DVI to DVI adapter and a DVI-D cable.

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