Monitor Resolution Problems

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After connecting a Samsung P2450 monitor to my MacBook, Late 2009 model, the maximum resolution the system will allow me to choose is 1024 x 768. The monitor is capable of full 1080p. I have searched everywhere to no avail. Help please! I am running OS X Lion. I am also running in extended mode.
 

bobtomay

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Your Mac's Specs
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
What adapter and cable are you using? You got them from where?

You have tried both checking and unchecking Mirror displays in the Appearance tab?
 
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Adapter is official Apple one, cable was included with monitor. I have tried a different cable that has successfully performed this operation countless times as well.
 

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
What adapter and cable would they be? As in: VGA, DVI, HDMI...

You have tried both checking and unchecking Mirror displays in the Appearance tab?
 
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Sorry, didn't see that. Yes, I have tried fiddling with every setting, tried third party apps to allow custom resolutions, uninstalled those, and tried methods such as closing my MacBook and then plugging in the display and waking it via bluetooth peripherals.

VGA.
 

bobtomay

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Depending on what you did while in those 3rd party apps, they can keep the resolution you set in the app even after it has been deleted.

Do a SMC reset, then try it again.

Make sure you have gone to the appearance tab and unchecked Mirror displays. Then see what resolutions you have available for the monitor. Make sure you're adjusting the monitor resolution and not the MB.

Still not working - this is the 2.26 Ghz unibody late '09 model MB? - I'd recommend giving up analog and go digital anyway, spend the money and get a mdp to DVI or mdp to HDMI cable - for about $10 or less you've now left analog behind.
 
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The app I used had a function that should have reset it back to normal settings. However, I shall try an SMC reset. Does this reset any settings that I will have to reset?

I love Monoprice and was actually looking at this earlier. You recommend changing to digital then?

Thanks for all of your help.
 

bobtomay

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SMC reset should not affect any of your preference settings. It will reset the video among other things to default.

My personal recommendation is to always use digital when that option is available - especially from a computer made in the last 8-10 years. I have not used VGA at home since the very first introduction of DVI.

Without having multiple adapters/cables laying around for you to experiment with, and seeing that this is a Samsung, I'd just go with DVI. I've seen just way too many issues with their monitors via both VGA and HDMI while being rarely reported with DVI. With a new cable at about $10, it's certainly worth the money at attempting to save the headaches.

They are one of the only monitor manufacturers out there that are still putting out drivers for their monitors when the OS and graphics drivers should have been handling everything for the past 10 years at least. And of course, they only put those drivers out for Windows.

(I've got a PM this morning from another member having your same issue, using VGA on a 2 yr old Samdung and can only get it to use the 1024x768.)
 
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I see. I shall try the SMC reset and failing that I will order the DVI cable.

I have found other instances of this on forums and corners of the Internet but no one seems to know how to fix it.

I appreciate all of your help. Thank you.
 

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