Max VGA resolution

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can vga cables not support 1080p @ 60hz? I was under the impression they could. I used a minidisplayport to vga adapter and then a nice vga cable to my tv, which is 1080p @ 60hz, over the weekend and I couldn't get any picture unless I used a lower (and consequently 3:4) resolution. I know my mac can output at that resolution because the option was available when I plugged the cable in.

Any thoughts?
 
C

chas_m

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"Get a better quality cable" is the short answer. VGA cables can support that resolution, though you'll get a much better picture using HDMI or DVI if that option is available to you.
 

bobtomay

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15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Has nothing to do with your Mac or the cable. The allowed resolutions are going to be determined by the capability of the VGA input on the TV you have. A great many of the older TV models (as in a great many HDTVs older than 1 or 2 years old) put a VGA connection there as an afterthought.

You will need to open up the Owners Manual for your TV and read the section that tells you what resolutions it will accept through it's VGA port. Many of the first and second gen models that even had VGA displayed nothing higher than 800x600 or 1024 x 768 through that port.

Some of these will not accept PC input through their HDMI port and/or have no option for a separate audio line in with HDMI. Opening your owner's manual is the really the only way of determining the best options for your model TV.
(If it's one of the (what I call) throw away TVs, like Westinghouse, Polaroid and others, the info may be missing and you end up having to figure it out by trail and error.)
 
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dcow
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I was afraid that might be the case =/ I will look though. I have a Sony Bravia so it's definitely not a throw away tv. Maybe I'm just unlucky enought to have one that doesn't support 19**x1080
 

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