Mac Pro + u2311h Problems

[mrt209]

I just got my u2311h monitor for my mac pro yesterday and so far I'm having some issues with it.

The screen appears to be "grainy" and the text is fuzzy and hard to read. The screen also flickers a bit and its giving me headaches. I've tried using different cables, but that didn't fix it. Also, for some reason I'm having troubles waking the computer from sleep since I started using the monitor.

Since quite a few people here are using the u2311h, do any of you have/had the same problems and is there anything I can do to fix it? Or should I request a refund/replacement?

Thanks for your help!

[erictooth]

I've had a problem like this before with an external monitor on my MBP, where OS X was using a weird refresh rate (or weird timings for the front/back porch, etc).

Try making sure that in the display options it's set to 1080p and the refresh rate is at 60hz (or try switching it to 50hz and back to 60). Otherwise, I don't really have enough experience with Macs to help troubleshoot it more than that.

Nice monitor by the way!

[mrt209]

Originally Posted by erictooth

I've had a problem like this before with an external monitor on my MBP, where OS X was using a weird refresh rate (or weird timings for the front/back porch, etc).

Try making sure that in the display options it's set to 1080p and the refresh rate is at 60hz (or try switching it to 50hz and back to 60). Otherwise, I don't really have enough experience with Macs to help troubleshoot it more than that.

Nice monitor by the way!

I doubled check and all settings are fine, so no problem there. I'm going to wait and see if any of the u2311h owners here have the same problem, but leaning more towards the monitor being defective.

Thanks for your help though

[Heilage]

Hm. I've heard of several issues with Dell monitors on Macs of different kinds (a thread in the Mac Mini section had some detailed analysis of what happened).

If you have Boot Camp installed, does it occur there too? We sort of came to the conclusion that it was a driver issue...

[walterwhite]

A review from amazon.com of the monitor you are talking about...
This is a very good monitor. Especially if you can get it for $250 or less. A great bargain for a 23" IPS widescreen LCD monitor. But it's not without some problems & shortcomings though. There are some backlight bleeding at the edges which may not bother the average user but will definitely bother those who does alot of photographic work. The color gamut is only 82% which means it cannot produce all the colors demanded of it, making it unsuitable for professional photographic, graphics design, video work or even serious non-pro users. It also has been found to have a slight tint at one side of the screen. Not noticeable unless viewed at an angle. Of course, being an IPS monitor, it has no color shift and a much wider viewing angle. If not for the limited color gamut, slight tint and backlight bleeding, it would've been a great monitor. Clearly, Dell intended this monitor for the non-pro user market as it is not up to the standards of, say, their U2410 monitor. Still, for the average user who will mainly do web serving, use office apps or play games and watch videos, it is a great choice.

I would say you get what you pay for... More expensive monitors will have more benefits, features, and fine points.

[mrt209]

Originally Posted by Heilage

Hm. I've heard of several issues with Dell monitors on Macs of different kinds (a thread in the Mac Mini section had some detailed analysis of what happened).

If you have Boot Camp installed, does it occur there too? We sort of came to the conclusion that it was a driver issue...

Yeah I also read it might be a driver issue, however I have the same problems when using windows 7... although its a bit better.

I think I'm just going to call Dell on monday and ask for a refund or if they have any solution to the problem.

[goMac]

Sounds like the monitor is defective. I'd RMA it.

[Mackilroy]

Text is always fuzzier on non-Apple monitors with OS X. That's extremely easy to fix, though the flickering is not.

[goMac]

Originally Posted by Mackilroy

Text is always fuzzier on non-Apple monitors with OS X. That's extremely easy to fix, though the flickering is not.

This is generally because most non-Apple monitors are lower quality... (Note that I said most, I've worked with a few non Apple monitors that are just as sharp, but generally you'd have to shell out the same amount of cash you would have for a cinema display in the same size range.)

[Mackilroy]

Actually, it's because of sub-pixel antialiasing, which is something Apple enables by default on monitors they produce, and by default is disabled on third-party monitors being used with OS X.

To enable it, you just launch Terminal and type (or copy-paste) this:

defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2

[goMac]

Originally Posted by Mackilroy

Actually, it's because of sub-pixel antialiasing, which is something Apple enables by default on monitors they produce, and by default is disabled on third-party monitors being used with OS X.

To enable it, you just launch Terminal and type (or copy-paste) this:

defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2

Edit: Huh. Apple blames the other manufacturers:
http://blog.jjgod.org/2009/08/18/sno...-lcd-displays/

[Vylen]

Originally Posted by goMac

Edit: Huh. Apple blames the other manufacturers:
http://blog.jjgod.org/2009/08/18/sno...-lcd-displays/

Of course they would.

[mrt209]

Thanks for the replies, tried defaults -currentHost write -globalDomain AppleFontSmoothing -int 2 and helped a bit, although fuzziness is still noticeable, especially for bold words, like on apples website.

I decided to call Dell earlier tonight and was on the phone for over 30 min. They just kept on redirecting me to other departments... First I talked to tech support and they said the graininess/flickering isn't normal and that I would get a refund or replacement, but had to talk to sales first. Sales told me to talk to tech first, then tech said no I should talk to sales, and then it went on like that :P

Going to call them again on Monday during the day.

[Mackilroy]

Odd, are you using VGA or DVI? DVI will always provide sharper image quality.

Also, for the command to work, you either have to reboot or log out – one of the two, I forget which.

You might try -int 1, some people are having better luck with that.

[mrt209]

Originally Posted by Mackilroy

Odd, are you using VGA or DVI? DVI will always provide sharper image quality.

Also, for the command to work, you either have to reboot or log out – one of the two, I forget which.

You might try -int 1, some people are having better luck with that.

Using DVI, and did try both -int 1 and 2 and rebooted after each time... Do you know if there are any u2311h drivers for mac?

[Mackilroy]

I don't think so, not for OS X - I have an older Dell monitor (2009 WFP Ultrasharp) and I've never had to install drivers of any sort.

[mrt209]

Originally Posted by Mackilroy

I don't think so, not for OS X - I have an older Dell monitor (2009 WFP Ultrasharp) and I've never had to install drivers of any sort.

k, thanks. Well I'll try calling Dell on Monday again and then I'll either try a replacement or maybe I'll just have to spend the extra money for a ACD.

[mrt209]

Does anyone else have the same problem were when you wake the computer from sleep it and its been cold for a while, it crashes. Started happening since I got the u2311h...

[mrt209]

Got the 27" ACD... WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW

I had a 27in iMac before but the ACD looks even better, or maybe its just because I had a crappy screen in between :P Has some backlight bleed but not too bad, not worth the hassle of exchanging it.

Getting a full refund on the u2311h.

[strausd]

Originally Posted by mrt209

Got the 27" ACD... WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW

I had a 27in iMac before but the ACD looks even better, or maybe its just because I had a crappy screen in between :P Has some backlight bleed but not too bad, not worth the hassle of exchanging it.

Getting a full refund on the u2311h.

Nice! I got a 24" display and a u2311h and have not had a single problem with it. Everything has been working fine on it, no text problems and no sleep problems. Sounds like a bad one out of the bunch to me.

[Freyqq]

sounds like a defective monitor. VGA is the one with the potential fuzziness problems if not properly calibrated. DVI should be sharp.