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MBA and External Monitor Set-Up

S

stockcerts

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jun 29, 2007
1,299
29
Pensacola, FL
I'm sure there is a simple answer, but I'm a newbie with a MBA. I have a thunderbold to VGA adaptor plugged into my MacBook, but nothing is displaying on the external monitor. I didn't see any settings in displays that allow for this option.

Any suggestions? Thanks!!
 
P

Panch0

macrumors 6502a
Feb 23, 2010
684
9
Virginia
Check the input source on the Monitor. It may be showing it's HDMI or DVI inputs instead of VGA.

OS X should automatically detect the monitor.
In Settings/Displays
The General Tab displays the settings for the two monitors on the monitor they affect, so if you aren't getting anything on the monitor side, you won't see any settings there.
The Arrangements Tab is only shown on the Main monitor and should have blue squares representing each monitor.

I guess that a very old monitor might not be supported (based on available resolutions), but I've never experienced that so I don't know what it would look like.
 
Abazigal

Abazigal

Contributor
Jul 18, 2011
19,551
21,993
Singapore
What do you mean by nothing?

Just a blank screen? Any wallpaper?

It's possible your adaptor is faulty. Any way to try with another monitor?
 
M

molesworth_2

macrumors newbie
Aug 19, 2015
3
0
Abazigal said:
What do you mean by nothing?

Just a blank screen? Any wallpaper?

It's possible your adaptor is faulty. Any way to try with another monitor?
Click to expand...

It says "No mDP Cable. The display will go into Power Save Mode in 5 minutes" And the monitor does not show up in my displays preferences. Most confusing.
 
M

molesworth_2

macrumors newbie
Aug 19, 2015
3
0
Panch0 said:
Check the input source on the Monitor. It may be showing it's HDMI or DVI inputs instead of VGA.

OS X should automatically detect the monitor.
In Settings/Displays
The General Tab displays the settings for the two monitors on the monitor they affect, so if you aren't getting anything on the monitor side, you won't see any settings there.
The Arrangements Tab is only shown on the Main monitor and should have blue squares representing each monitor.

I guess that a very old monitor might not be supported (based on available resolutions), but I've never experienced that so I don't know what it would look like.
Click to expand...

It's a brand new monitor, so I don't think that's the problem. I'm stumped.
 
M

motrek

macrumors 68030
Sep 14, 2012
2,613
305
molesworth_2 said:
It's a brand new monitor, so I don't think that's the problem. I'm stumped.
Click to expand...

No need to theorize about what might be broken. Use the scientific method to figure it out. Get another computer and plug it in to the monitor to see if it works.
 
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