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2560x1600 on MINI GeForce 320M (using DELL 30 yup)

dophineh

dophineh

macrumors member
Original poster
I've used my trusty Dell 30 for many moons now with my dual g5, my hackintosh with dvi, & my mbp 17" with dvi.

But recently I've connected it to my new mbp with (mini-dvi) and now a mid-10 MINI with the NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphix card and I can only get 1280x800, which, in short... is NOT OKAY. 😡

So I've done searching here and on google but cannot find any direct answers. Can the Mini with the NVIDIA GeForce 320M card display a DVI 30" monitor at 2560x1600 (1?) using the HDMI to dvi converter??, or (2?) only with the mini-port? 😕

I have the HDMI converter hooked up to the 30" now with no joy 1280x800 (NOT :apple:KAY).
 
dophineh said:
Can the Mini with the NVIDIA GeForce 320M card display a DVI 30" monitor at 2560x1600 (1?) using the HDMI to dvi converter??, or (2?) only with the mini-port?[/B] 😕
Click to expand...

Apple spec sheet says the HDMI port is limited to 1920x1200. If you want more than that, you need to use the Mini-DisplayPort with the appropriate adapter.
 
dcoulson and Hellhammer are correct.

I am in fact using a 30" dell with a Mac Mini 2010 through the mini-display port. I am using the Apple mini-displayport to dual DVI adapter with firmware version 1.03. I originally had firmware 1.01 but had intermittent blurring, snow and random flashes. It was replaced at the local Apple store as an exchange.

The HDMI out can only do 1920x1200 no matter what sort of adapter you get.
 
I went to the apple store awhile ago (the one on Bolyston here in Boston), and asked them what I needed. I gave them all the specs and they sold me a Mini-DisplayPort to DVI converter. But it's only capable of 1280x800. So I'm guessing it's not Dual-Link. GRRRR.

I plugged the dell 30" in via HDMI on the Mini using the HDMI to dvi converter and it's only letting me use 1280x800 as well. No 1920x1080 even.

So frustrating.

How can I tell if the DVI to mDP converter I have is dual link or not?

All the recent software updater updates have been installed, so I'm assuming this is not a firmware issue.
 
dophineh said:
How can I tell if the DVI to mDP converter I have is dual link or not?
Click to expand...

277px-DVI_Connector_Types.svg.png
 
Hellhammer said:
277px-DVI_Connector_Types.svg.png
Click to expand...

Unfortunately that doesn't work since both single and dual link adapters have all pins occupied.

Easiest contact point (as usual with these type of questions), Apple!

Single Link:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MTA4MzU1NTE

Dual Link:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB571Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MTA4MzU1ODY


However, depending on your Dell monitor, the much easier and cheaper solutions might be a simple miniDP to DP adapter (20 bucks on monoprice).
 
Transporteur said:
Unfortunately that doesn't work since both single and dual link adapters have all pins occupied.

Easiest contact point (as usual with these type of questions), Apple!

Single Link:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MTA4MzU1NTE

Dual Link:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB571Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MTA4MzU1ODY


However, depending on your Dell monitor, the much easier and cheaper solutions might be a simple miniDP to DP adapter (20 bucks on monoprice).
Click to expand...

Ok, so I was sold the single link one. I asked apple themselves... as in the smiling faces at the apple store. I gave them all the specs of my setup and they sold me the single link. They f***ed me man!!! I refuse to pay $100 for the clunkly looking setup. All I need is a dual link dvi to mini display port converter or adapter (or are those the same), right?
 
dophineh said:
All I need is a dual link dvi to mini display port converter or adapter (or are those the same), right?
Click to expand...

There are third party adapters out there, but they go for $80 as well and look just like the Apple one.

But again, which Dell do you have? There might be a nicer DP only solution.
 
Transporteur said:
There are third party adapters out there, but they go for $80 as well and look just like the Apple one.

But again, which Dell do you have? There might be a nicer DP only solution.
Click to expand...

How about this bad boy: http://cgi.ebay.com/6FT-MINI-DISPLA...131?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f045bab43

Not sure which Dell 30" model I have, does it say it anywhere on the display housing?

I bought it in January of 2007. I've run 2560x1600 without any flaws on my dual link dvi graphics cards (G5, hackintosh, older MBP) with no adapters or converters or any of all that bobcrapery
 
2007 would be the 3007WFP, so yes, you're stuck with DVI.

Hard to tell if the $11 adapter works. Usually, DualLink adapters require power (that's why most of them require an additional USB port) and the auction doesn't tell the supported resolutions. My bet is it doesn't support 2560x1600.

Might be worth a shot, though, provided you can send it back if it doesn't work.
 
Transporteur said:
2007 would be the 3007WFP, so yes, you're stuck with DVI.

Hard to tell if the $11 adapter works. Usually, DualLink adapters require power (that's why most of them require an additional USB port) and the auction doesn't tell the supported resolutions. My bet is it doesn't support 2560x1600.

Might be worth a shot, though, provided you can send it back if it doesn't work.
Click to expand...

Hmm, yea. probably won't work then since it doesn't have the additional hardware and power. I'm not willing to pay so much for an adapter/converter/power box thingy. $80?

What are the benefits of the mini display port vs. the old dual link dvi ports (other than it's literally more compact)?
 
dophineh said:
What are the benefits of the mini display port vs. the old dual link dvi ports (other than it's literally more compact)?
Click to expand...

Smaller, audio support and more bandwidth (with results in higher resolution, display daisy chaining and 3D displays).

If you're not willing to pay the 80 bucks for an adapter, you have to look out for a new monitor that supports either miniDP or DP, as there is no way to modify your existing 3007WFP to support DP.
 
Transporteur said:
Smaller, audio support and more bandwidth (with results in higher resolution, display daisy chaining and 3D displays).

If you're not willing to pay the 80 bucks for an adapter, you have to look out for a new monitor that supports either miniDP or DP, as there is no way to modify your existing 3007WFP to support DP.
Click to expand...

Or I'll find the jankiest dankiest ghetto azz solution. Ebay --> used (baby puked on). I will let you know what I do.

I'm already 30$ in the hole because I trusted the smiling faces at the apple store. No idea where the receipt went. Oops.
 
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