Upgraded late 2009 Macbook connecting to external HD monitor help please

namelessme001 · Oct 1, 2015

Hey guys.

So last year I bought a "new in box" old stock of a white unibody macbook that was never used still in plastic, etc. Great buy I thought for 300$

It's worked pretty well. I upgraded both the RAM and the HD. 8 gigabytes and 500 gigabytes respectively.

I got on ebay this week after I bought a used vizio 720 monitor from this guy on craigslist for like 30$, nothing amazing just 20 inch screen and HD display. Thing powers on and all the different modes seem to work when using the remote to switch to them.

So I got on ebay and bought a normal mini port to HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable. They both arrived today.

I connected everything properly while macbook and monitor were both off. Turned on, go into display settings, nothing. I will provide the exact macbook model I have as well as links to the specific adaptor I purchased and the monitor I am trying to plug it into, this way you guys can help me as best you can with the proper info.

So here is my macbook model number.

MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) W80082TC8PW (the specs of this model just say mini display port, not specifically mini display to DVI or anything). Plus I have read people using these to connect with HDMI etc so I do not believe it is this.

The monitor I am attempting to use with this, which seems like it is in fine condition is this
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PBMOQM/?tag=macforums0e4-20

The HDMI and mini port to HDMI converters I purchased on ebay are these, specifically. The mini display port adapter listing says it is compatible with normal macbooks so.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Displa...ook-AIR-PRO-/251649457286?hash=item3a9779fc86

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PREMIUM...-1080P-SALE-/301468519750?hash=item4630ec8d46

Running yosemite btw.

Thank you, graciously, in advance for any help that gets my monitor up and running.

Quinten · Oct 2, 2015

After reading this i can only think of the monitor being faulty or the cable. Perhaps do you have another way of testing the monitor? Another laptop or desktop maybe,

namelessme001 · Oct 2, 2015

namelessme001 said:
Hey guys.

So last year I bought a "new in box" old stock of a white unibody macbook that was never used still in plastic, etc. Great buy I thought for 300$

It's worked pretty well. I upgraded both the RAM and the HD. 8 gigabytes and 500 gigabytes respectively.

I got on ebay this week after I bought a used vizio 720 monitor from this guy on craigslist for like 30$, nothing amazing just 20 inch screen and HD display. Thing powers on and all the different modes seem to work when using the remote to switch to them.

So I got on ebay and bought a normal mini port to HDMI adapter and an HDMI cable. They both arrived today.

I connected everything properly while macbook and monitor were both off. Turned on, go into display settings, nothing. I will provide the exact macbook model I have as well as links to the specific adaptor I purchased and the monitor I am trying to plug it into, this way you guys can help me as best you can with the proper info.

So here is my macbook model number.

MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) W80082TC8PW (the specs of this model just say mini display port, not specifically mini display to DVI or anything). Plus I have read people using these to connect with HDMI etc so I do not believe it is this.

The monitor I am attempting to use with this, which seems like it is in fine condition is this
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PBMOQM/?tag=macforums0e4-20

The HDMI and mini port to HDMI converters I purchased on ebay are these, specifically. The mini display port adapter listing says it is compatible with normal macbooks so.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Displa...ook-AIR-PRO-/251649457286?hash=item3a9779fc86

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-PREMIUM...-1080P-SALE-/301468519750?hash=item4630ec8d46

Running yosemite btw.

Thank you, graciously, in advance for any help that gets my monitor up and running.

The guy who sold me the monitor is gonna stop by with his PS3 to make sure it's not the monitor. But I notice one thing. Usually (in past versions of osx), when you plug a monitor in, the mac automatically detects the displays. I have scoured google a little bit and noticed that individuals with yosemite have been experiencing an issue with the OS detecting displays.

Therefor I am wondering if that could possibly be it......

There's absolutely nothing wrong with the laptop despite it being a late 09 model. Like I said when I got it it was an office sale thing, where it was in a sealed box for like 4 years never used. Therefor brand new old stock.

Quinten · Oct 2, 2015

It is very unlikely it is the laptop. I have a late 09 one and a mid 2010 one both of wich work perfect with a second display using an mini-display to Hdmi cable. Maybe you got a faulty cable? Let me know if the monitor works and perhaps it is a possibility to upgrade to 10,11 to rule out the os problem

namelessme001 · Oct 2, 2015

Quinten said:
It is very unlikely it is the laptop. I have a late 09 one and a mid 2010 one both of wich work perfect with a second display using an mini-display to Hdmi cable. Maybe you got a faulty cable? Let me know if the monitor works and perhaps it is a possibility to upgrade to 10,11 to rule out the os problem

Thanks.

Do you mean upgrading to El Capitan? How is that OS so far? Don't we, the every day users, usually have to wait a couple of months for them to iron out the kinks?

Yea I am seeing if it is a faulty display port first, to rule that one out completely. El Capitan, haha what a funny name, but I actually didn't know they released a new OS till like, yesterday. I saw the keynote portion on the new iphone release but missed the new osx release.

How is it?

Quinten · Oct 2, 2015

I must say so far so good! (On my mid 2010 Macbook that is) I don't see performance changes though my machine already was pretty smooth. In short it is not very different from 10.10. Let me know how your test turn out im very curious. Greets

namelessme001 · Oct 2, 2015

Quinten said:
I must say so far so good! (On my mid 2010 Macbook that is) I don't see performance changes though my machine already was pretty smooth. In short it is not very different from 10.10. Let me know how your test turn out im very curious. Greets

Okay before upgrading I just need to ask one question. When I first upgraded to Yosemite about a year ago it was after they had experimented with it a few months and meshed out, amongst other things, the wi fi issues. Is there any wi fi issues with this version? I ask because Wi fi is unfortunately my only method of connecting to the internet because it's included with my monthly rent. I don't have a cable connection if it fails.

Thanks.

Quinten · Oct 3, 2015

my wifi works just as well as in yosemite don't think this wil be a problem

namelessme001 · Oct 3, 2015

Quinten said:
my wifi works just as well as in yosemite don't think this wil be a problem

And you think this could possibly fix it? BTW Apples download servers are slow lately.

Quinten · Oct 3, 2015

Fix your internal display port? No there is no way a hardware problem is fixed by a new os. But have you tested the monitor and cable? I don't think it is the display port it's either the cable or monitor

namelessme001 · Oct 4, 2015

Quinten said:
Fix your internal display port? No there is no way a hardware problem is fixed by a new os. But have you tested the monitor and cable? I don't think it is the display port it's either the cable or monitor

No, I mean do you think it could fix the issue of monitor not showing up in display options if it isn't actually the port or the monitor at issue?

namelessme001 · Oct 4, 2015

Quinten said:
Fix your internal display port? No there is no way a hardware problem is fixed by a new os. But have you tested the monitor and cable? I don't think it is the display port it's either the cable or monitor

Okay so when I go to display options and press the option key "detect displays" does appear, but when I press it nothing happens.

The other weird thing is that when I go to "scaled" under resolution it only shows two options TILL I plug the external display in, then it shows multiple options, none of which seem to make the computer come onto the monitor screen.

Interesting, at least I am somewhere as opposed to nowhere.

Quinten · Oct 4, 2015

So you are sure the monitor works?
Maybe a last ditch solution is try and wiggle the cable a bit see if that helps

namelessme001 · Oct 4, 2015

Quinten said:
So you are sure the monitor works?
Maybe a last ditch solution is try and wiggle the cable a bit see if that helps

The monitor turns on, switches through every 'mode' with the remote like it should, however, the screen is blue due to lack of input.
Tomorrow the guy who sold it to me is stopping by with his playstation and we will get to the bottom of this.

namelessme001 · Oct 5, 2015

Quinten said:
So you are sure the monitor works?
Maybe a last ditch solution is try and wiggle the cable a bit see if that helps

So I was finally able to run the update and install El Capitan. If nothing else my computer seems to be running more smoothly in several ways now.

After a bit of research I stumbled into a post where someone mentioned that monitor difficulties could be due to firmware needing updating.

However, apple never released a firmware update for this particular mac, though they released one for all models directly before and directly after.

I may in effect be out of luck if that is the issue.

I shall see.

Quinten · Oct 6, 2015

Hmh Mine works perfectly with a second display. I don't understand the issue here

namelessme001 · Oct 23, 2015

Quinten said:
Hmh Mine works perfectly with a second display. I don't understand the issue here

I think it was the monitor, I sold it back to the guy. That monitor worked with video game consoles but apparently not computers. Both using HDMI. Apparently. Have yet to test it on another monitor yet.