Mac Mini and Display Problems

I can get screen shots but how do I post them here (they are pdf files)? Thanks

Tc

TangoCharlie said:

I can get screen shots but how do I post them here (they are pdf files)? Thanks

Tc

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Its my conclusion that the Mac Mini video cards are rubbish!! I had a look at a mini is a shop today. it was linked to a large Apple digital monitor and the quality (or lack of it) was the same as mine!
Black text just isn't sharp, it's fuzzy and blurrey! For example, on the bar at the top of our screens featuring the Apple, the text appears out of focus.
Especially when compared to other Macs and PC's!
Guess it's just a feature of the Mac Mini and one that gives me a head ache and bug eyes! Guess I've come toa halt and am stuck with it!
Tc

Text is kinda blurry & grayish color on this website. But other sites are OK.

1.25GHz Mac Mini w/ 1GB RAM running Tiger

The Mac Mini has known issues with video output. The DVI/VGA port doesn't put out a VESA-spec signal when it should. It's voltages are beneath spec, and in some cases aren't high enough for some monitors to even accept as a valid signal.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=mac+mini+dim+vga+problem

ped said:

The Mac Mini has known issues with video output. The DVI/VGA port doesn't put out a VESA-spec signal when it should. It's voltages are beneath spec, and in some cases aren't high enough for some monitors to even accept as a valid signal.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=mac+mini+dim+vga+problem

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Well mine is as good as it's gonna be.

Having looked at the expensive Macs it seem none of them are particularly sharp. The shadowy, greyish text appears to be a Mac characteristic! Believe me, I've done a lot of research into this!

Tc

TangoCharlie said:

Well mine is as good as it's gonna be.

Having looked at the expensive Macs it seem none of them are particularly sharp. The shadowy, greyish text appears to be a Mac characteristic! Believe me, I've done a lot of research into this!

Tc

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What I was mentioning above wasn't a subjective characteristic; it was an objective measurement of the voltage put out by the Mac Mini's VGA port. It's beneath VESA specs where it should be, and where every other video card or output device is specced at. It's a flub on Apple's part, IOW, and they should fix it. There's no reason an excellent machine like a Mac, and a user who has paid to own one, should allow this to go on. I want my Mac Mini to have as vibrant of output as my PC at a minimum.

Ex_PC_Puke said:

Try looking at ZD net -- mainly PC based - but they review alot of stuff -- its what I used to pick my monitor - they had some good things to say about a couple of BenQ panels

Is there any way you can do a few screen shots - ok - bad - worse - so we can see what you're seeing ???


http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/

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I have been browsing the forums here latly, Im getting a macmini here shortly and have been seeing which monitors work with what specs, I see you picked up a Samsung 730b, I saw them at bestbuy, I was wondering if I got the 1.25 version if it would mess up? I see you got the 1.42, Otherwise I was goign to go for a dell 17".
Is the 1.42 a big diffrence on multiple apps? or is the memory the issue for that, Im getting 512 of ram with it, I was at a local apple store today, and fooled around with the 1.25 with 512 and it was pretty cool, tiger was pretty neat.
Would I need to get a DVi cable for the monitor, and if so what would be a good one to get....?

I can recommend the V7 Monitors, very cheap and bright enough. they scored highly in a recent review of Mini's monitors!

Tc

V7?

TangoCharlie said:

I can recommend the V7 Monitors, very cheap and bright enough. they scored highly in a recent review of Mini's monitors!

Tc

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Never herd of V7, were can I get one fast? a 17"?

v7

NKJV28 said:

Never herd of V7, were can I get one fast? a 17"?

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Well I checked out newegg and saw one.... built in speakers.

What do I need to look for to make sure it is a digital monitor? does D-sub mean its digital.....

NKJV28 said:

Well I checked out newegg and saw one.... built in speakers.

What do I need to look for to make sure it is a digital monitor? does D-sub mean its digital.....

Click to expand...

Try here..

They are certainly cheap here in the UK. Not sure about the US although this is an American site...
http://www.epinions.com/Monitors--reviews--video_seven

Tc

Well it is an adjustment issue for most PC> mac switchers:
Since OS X uses smoothing throughout the system, images appear less clear or 'sharp' on mac's since you can't see the jagged edges that text has on XP. As for the blackness of text, this seems an issue with the way mac-forums specifically is displayed: On all macs the text is the greyish colour you're describing, on the PC's I've used it seems a lot darker...

Aptmunich said:

Well it is an adjustment issue for most PC> mac switchers:
Since OS X uses smoothing throughout the system, images appear less clear or 'sharp' on mac's since you can't see the jagged edges that text has on XP. As for the blackness of text, this seems an issue with the way mac-forums specifically is displayed: On all macs the text is the greyish colour you're describing, on the PC's I've used it seems a lot darker...

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I am on a PC as I post this with XP SP2 and the latest Firefox. The text on Mac-Forums looks gray. It does not look black like a lot of other sites. I do notice some difference in Safari compaired to the PC on some sites but it's not that noticible, at least not to me.

Maybe it's an Internet Explorer vs. Firefox/Safari issue then?

I remember Schweb once answering a question about the text here saying it was gray looking. Not sure. I think IE looks the same here as Firefox.

I just checked in IE latest version in XP, Looks the same as Firefox. Tried other sites and it looked black.

dtravis7 said:

I remember Schweb once answering a question about the text here saying it was gray looking. Not sure. I think IE looks the same here as Firefox.

I just checked in IE latest version in XP, Looks the same as Firefox. Tried other sites and it looked black.

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IM using XP right now and the text looks gray... IM on Mozilla suite browser.

Mini cables

NKJV28 said:

IM using XP right now and the text looks gray... IM on Mozilla suite browser.

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OK say I get a mini, and my LCD has a dvi-d, what kind of cable do I need to connect to my mini? I herd someone say I need at DVI-dto DVI-I, cause the minis got a DVI-I input?
Im confused already lol.
Thanks for your help.... :dummy:

Dvi

NKJV28 said:

OK say I get a mini, and my LCD has a dvi-d, what kind of cable do I need to connect to my mini? I herd someone say I need at DVI-dto DVI-I, cause the minis got a DVI-I input?
Im confused already lol.
Thanks for your help.... :dummy:

Click to expand...

So do I need a dvi-d to dvi-I adptor to hook my dvi-d LCD up to the mini? this is confusing.....

If so can you supply a link to were I could find one? thanks, oh BTW Icant hook up a dvi-d to dvi-d cable to the mini can I?
thanks again....

Aptmunich said:

Well it is an adjustment issue for most PC> mac switchers:
Since OS X uses smoothing throughout the system, images appear less clear or 'sharp' on mac's since you can't see the jagged edges that text has on XP.

Click to expand...

This just isn't true. XP uses the same font-smoothing in the form of ClearType. I have my PC and my Mini plugged into the exact same monitor (two VGA inputs) and I simply switch between them and can see the dimness of the display on the Mini. It's obvious.

And on the VESA spec and the Mini's failure to meet it:

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/mac_mini_dim_video.html

"Mac Mini Owner Reports on Dim Analog Video
Last Updated: 6/30/2005


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This page has reader feedback from users of Apple's Mac Mini regarding the issue if dim (or low contrast) Analog video. There's a thread at Apple's forums where Mini owners originally reported dim (analog) video w/VGA adapters/displays. I'm not sure if it's a uniform issue (in all Minis) or just certain builds but a reader said according to german Ct magazine (print version) tests, the analog video output level was below 530mV (below VESA standards) See bottom of page for links to other Mac Mini related articles and docs. "

Any more updates on this problem.

Hi,

I bought a Mini Mac last week and a new Samsung LCD TV, and had these poor display problems.

I assumed it was because of the TV, so took it back and swapped it for an HP monitor - same problem.

Is there a definitive answer to this poor display problem?

I've tried an HDMI to HDMI cable and also the HDMI -> VGA cable to no avail.

I'm off to the Apple store tomorrow for a workshop, so I'll ask there as well.

Nick