Macbook connection to Samsung T260

Hi All,

Total noob here and I did just search, just couldn't find an exact answer.

I just purchased a Samsung T260, and hooked it up to my Macbook with the cable provided by Newegg. The monitor is calling for a resolution of 1900x1200, (I found the maximum macbook resolution is 1920x1200), but when I go to preferences and displays the maximum available resolution is only 1600x1200. I searched and found that the maximum resolution for VGA on the macbook is only 1600x1200, I'm assuming this is the problem, is it likely that they included a VGA cable instead of a DVI cable and this is restricting my max resolution (sorry at work and can't check the cable). If so, do I just need a DVI-D cable and then more resolution options will show up on the display options?

Any help would greatly be appreciated

Steve

The NewEgg advertisement for your monitor shows that it comes with a VGA cable, DVI cable, USB, and power cable. Are you saying that there was no DVI cable in the box? You will of course also need an adapter cable from your MacBook to attach to the large DVI cable. (the type of adapter cable depends on which year model MacBook you have)

By using DVI you should be able to achieve the native resolution of the Samsung monitor.

Regards.

This is most likely a restriction on the resolution of your video card in your MacBook. A different cable type will not change this as it's a hardware limitation and has nothing to do with connectivity.

GPU's have limits as to the native resolutions they support, they will not go beyond that. You can always find out the make of the card (you didn't post your model) and verify it with the manufacturer and/or Apple.

I too have hooked up my MacBook to a TV and I found that what wmprice is saying is correct. My MacBook simply does not have the maximum resolution that my TV does. If you lower the TV's resolution to that of the MacBook's then you should be fine.

To the last two responders:

Please take note of what the OP stated in his post:

I just purchased a Samsung T260, and hooked it up to my Macbook with the cable provided by Newegg. The monitor is calling for a resolution of 1900x1200, (I found the maximum macbook resolution is 1920x1200), but when I go to preferences and displays the maximum available resolution is only 1600x1200. I searched and found that the maximum resolution for VGA on the macbook is only 1600x1200, I'm assuming this is the problem, is it likely that they included a VGA cable instead of a DVI cable and this is restricting my max resolution (sorry at work and can't check the cable). If so, do I just need a DVI-D cable and then more resolution options will show up on the display options?

Click to expand...

If he is correctly stating the capable resolution of his MacBook, (he didn't mention model year) then his machine should be able to display the native resolution of the Samsung.

Regards.

Hi all,
has there been an solution to this? I got also a Samsung (SyncMaster 2433) who's resolution is 1900x1200. I'm using a Mini Display to DVI adapter to connect to my MacBook (2 months old) with NVIDIA GeForce 9400M. However, the max resolution I can select for my external display is 1600x1200. Anything I can do to change this to 1900x1200?

There seems to be an issue introduced in 10.5.7 and above. Not everyone was affected, but there were many reports. Some users had one Mac affected but not another. Two things to try.

First is a PRAM reset.

The second is install SwitchResX. Go to the "Timing Parameters" settings and checking "Use Simplified settings", and then change the drop-down menu from "GTF" to "CTV-RB".

However, even the System Preference - Display preferences pics on the Samsung site showed a max resolution of 1600x1200. Item 2 seemed to work for a great many.

Thanks for the answers! PRAM reset helped there.

bobtomay said:

The second is install SwitchResX. Go to the "Timing Parameters" settings and checking "Use Simplified settings", and then change the drop-down menu from "GTF" to "CTV-RB".

Click to expand...

Can't seem to find this. Do I need to have purchased SRX to get access to this settings menu?

On the left side - highlight the external monitor
On the right side - goto the Custom Resolutions button
Click the + at the bottom

There you'll find the Use Simplified settings

If you find SRX useful, please register for their continued support.

Nope, that didn't do it. The additional mode just doesn't work if the EDID hasn't come through for some reason.

The resolution's fine as long as enough time has passed for the computer to have gotten the EDID stuff. I look at what it gets when things are haywire, and it's all but empty. On the other hand, when it works well it's got what it looks like it should.

There must be a value somewhere that's responsible for the amount of time that the OS waits for EDID to be received. Adjusting this might help things.