Mac Mini DVI-HDMI 1080p - overscan problems

[fuzzy23]

Tried to first resolve my problems using this forum's posts:-

How to Get 1080P, not 1080i, out of the Mac Mini.
This is the tough one. When you go to the Displays control panel on the Mac Mini (Leopard, Mac OS X 10.5), you are given lots of video choices. However, the maximum resolution says 1920×1080 (interlaced) at 60Hz. What gives? I’m not sure, but it seems like a bug. The secret is to enable the checkbox that says “Show displays in menu bar”. If you do then, a displays icon appears in the menu bar. Click it to get a drop down menu of all display resolutions. Interestingly, there are now two 1920×1080 options, which are labeled identically. Choose the other one! You’ll now be driving full 1080P (confirmed by the Vizio).

I’ve searched the web, and this issue is tricky enough that lots of people complain about the lack of the ability to drive 1080P from the Mac Mini. Most of the debates seem to argue that it depends on the TV. I don’t buy it. I think the issue is a bug in the Mac OS display detection in DVI/HDMI scenarios that is somehow hiding the 1080P option. Either that, or the Mac Mini for some reason thinks that 1080P is too much for it for some other reason, and the drop-down menu is missing that filter to remove it from the list.

Hi Everyone.
I’Ve just purchased a mac mini 2Ghz and connected it to a Samsung LS40A556P via DVI-HDMI cable. My problem is a large black border around the display. Any help on the configuration needed to achieve full screen res 1920x1080p would be a God send. Thanks in advance
Andy
PS I have tried the above

Hi Matt,
Open Preferences, then Displays. Then click on the “Options” tab/button near the top of the window and make sure the “overscan” box is checked. That’s how to get rid of the black box around your picture. Let me know if this helps or if you have any other questions.
Nick

 

[fuzzy23]

FYI, the above did not work! Below is a mention of what all i have tried doing:-


Mac Mini mid-2007 connected to Onkyo HT-R380 (AV receiver) connected to LG 42SL90QR (42″ LED). Found the two 1920×1080 options using the displays option in the menu bar and tried using both. TV onscreen display says both using 1080p @ 60Hz. Hardly noticeable difference in quality. My problem is in both options my menu bar is out of the screen. When put to 1360×768, the menu bar and bottom of the dock returns to normal viewing, however image quality is certainly reduced. I can’t seem to find the “overscan” option.

Oops! Forgot to mention – Mac Mini is connected to the Onkyo AV Receiver via a XtremeMac HD DVI-HDMI cable and the AV Receiver is connected to the LG LED TV via a Hive HDMI-HDMI cable.


More interesting stuff! Connected the mini direct to the TV to see if it was the AV receiver that was the trouble, still no luck but some more failed attempts at various methods.
The 1920×1080 option in the Display options has completely disappeared from both the menu bar display drop down as well as accessing it normally through system preference. Instead its been replaced by an option of 1080p. It also now allows me to choose my refresh rate in Hz – 24, 30, 50 (PAL) and 60 (NTSC). It also allows me to toggle the “overscan” option. All this being when accessing it through the system preference. When using display from the menu bar drop down the options are called 1080p (Television) thrice and 1080p (PAL Television) once. All it does really is change the refresh rate.
I’ve tried almost every combination of settings and have only managed to achieve the following:-
a) 1080p is always easily achieved
b) Under the 1080p option with overscan selected the menu bar and the bottom of the dock are cut and so not viewable in my TV screen.
c) With overscan not selected there is a black border roughly 1.5 inch thick on each side of the displayed desktop screen effectively reducing my 42″ LED to a mere 39″.
d) Selecting 720p still results in a perfect sized image albeit in a lower quality resolution.

 

[fuzzy23]

Haven't heard anything back from that forum in a while. I've had great help here before so thought I'd ask you lot for some advice. Any help would be great. Cheers!

 

[bobtomay]

And your question is?

If your question is what to do about the overscan issue, read the following: post 2, item 2.

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/other-hardware-peripherals/193239-connecting-your-mac-your-tv.html

 

[fuzzy23]

How do I use it on 1080p and yet not have to choose between the two options of;
a) no menu bar & bottom of dock
b) a 1.5 inch border around the screen image

Can't it fill the screen up just right on 1080p?

 

[bobtomay]

Read the link above.

 

[fuzzy23]

Sorry! Ok, I'll look into the User Manual for the TV in order to see if the overscan from the TV itself can be turned off. I couldn't find it upon normal inspection. Also getting SwitchResX in case it doesn't allow me to turn it off from the TV. Thanks for your help. Will get back to you with results or obstacles...

 

[fuzzy23]

Found the link for the User Manual...
LG Product Support for 42SL90QR

 

[fuzzy23]

Got it working! LOL! Hard to believe how easy sometimes somethings can be!!! All I had to do at the end of it was TV settings, Picture settings, Aspect Ratio, and change it from 16:9 to a mode the LGs have known as "Just Scan" which sorted everything out! Thanks heaps for pointing me in the right direction.

 

[fuzzy23]

FYI, ended up connecting the Mac Mini to the AV receiver via DVI-HDMI and the AV receiver to the TV via HDMI-HDMI. Sound is connected from the Mini to the AV receiver via a 3.5mm to TOSLink cable by XtremeMac. I only recently just discovered that by doing so the Mac Mini (mid 2007) can output 5.1 surround sound in DTS and Pro Logic II. Or so I've been told. Either way, the home theatre sounds excellent through the mac mini. Very happy chappy!

 

[bobtomay]

Yeah, there are so many brands and each one using a little different name for the same thing, as a hobbyist without physical access to a great many of them, about all I can do sometimes is get you pointed in the right direction. Glad you got it working - it's always nice when a plan comes together.

A couple of things to note pertaining to 5.1 from a Mac - I believe your Mac will pass thru both DD and DTS 5.1 from 5.1 sources via optical; such as DVD, some of the iTunes rented/purchased content, etc.

For stereo sources - like most of your music - You'll use the Pro Logic II capabilities of your receiver to simulate 5 channel sound from your 2 channel sources.