External monitor help

I need help with figuring out how to get my external monitor to display properly with my mac.

Hardware:

mid-2012 11" Macbook Air
- 1366 x 768 (native) at 16:9 ratio, 1152 x 720 pixels and 1024 x 640 at 16:10 ratio, and 1024 x 768 and 800 x 600 at 4:3 ratio.

HP 22BW Monitor (HP - Pavilion 21.5" IPS LED HD Monitor)
- 1920 x 1080 maximum resolution


Connection: mini DP to HDMI adapter - HDMI cable to monitor


I can set up the external as extended and switch content over to it just fine and I can also mirror the content just fine. The problem is with resolution. None of the resolution choices listed for the external for adjustments allow the screen to appear normal. None will allow the full screen from the Mac to display on the external (full screen mode). They all have the top, bottom, and/or sides chopped off. I have to have the content in a "window mode" and size it to fit the the allowed real estate on the screen.

My goal is to use the external monitor with the mac in clamshell mode. But, I cannot get there if the top toolbar for various apps is missing and I won't be able to control the apps.

Any idea what I am doing wrong? Is it that I am using HDMI and should be using DVI or perhaps the VGA connection?

Thanks for any help guys.

Vipor said:

HP 22BW Monitor (HP - Pavilion 21.5" IPS LED HD Monitor)
- 1920 x 1080 maximum resolution

Click to expand...

You told us the max. resolution of your external monitor. What's its native resolution?

- Nick

I just did a quick search...and for some reason all the "tech specs" for this monitor (multiple websites) list that this monitors max. resolution as 1920 x 1080.

The confusion is...a monitors max. resolution is not always its native resolution. And for the best visual quality...you want to use a flat panel monitor at its native resolution.

- Nick

Hi Nick. Sorry for late reply. I'm at work.

I did a quick search as well and found this one site stating:


Native Resolution 1080 x 1920 Pixels

Maximum Resolution 1080 x 1920 Pixels

HP 22bw Computer Monitor Energy Star profile | FindTheData


Not sure how legit that site is though. I'l keep searching for more.

If the native resolution is 1920 x 1080...then that's certainly the resolution to use for best quality.

From what you posted above...it sounds like you're doing everything well concerning attaching the external monitor...and setting it up in extended desktop mode.

One more thing to check is...many monitors have their own set of settings...which are accessed via the buttons on the monitor. Check your monitors instruction manual on how to access these settings. If there's anything related to the resolution...make sure it's on 1920 x 1080...or "auto-detect"...or something like that.

- Nick

Thanks. I don't think I did that step. I'll check when I get home.

Thanks again.

Fingers crossed that this fixes things.

- Nick

Hi Nick.

Well, I searched all the menus on the External looking for a resolution setting of sorts and found nothing. However, I did fix my issue.

Turns out there is a setting (called Underscan, pic below) that I had not messed with as I had no clue what it was for. After moving the slider to the right, I saw that it kinda zoomed the whole desktop out. Awesome.

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All set now.

Thanks for the help.

Interesting...I haven't seen that slider before.

Congrats on figuring it out.

- Nick