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How to set dip switches for DB15-VGA adapter

E

esdempsey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 10, 2006
5
0
Thanks to advice I received at this forum, I purchased an inexpensive DB15-VGA adapter to allow me to hook up an old powerbook 540c to a Windows monitor.

The problem is, the adapter arrived in the mail today; it has 10 dip switches; I have no idea how to set those dip switches. I don't even know where to ask or who to ask how to set the dip switches for a
CyberVision C70 17" monitor.

The little "instruction sheet" has choices for IBM monitors or NEC monitors with different sub-tables depending on whether it is PAL or NTSC or VGA or blah blah -- I am very confused.
 
F

FullmetalZ26

macrumors regular
Jun 12, 2006
159
0
It should only require you to pick a screen resolution (832x624, 640x480, etc.) and that should take care of it. The switches for signal type you mentioned should be set to VGA. That *ought* to take care of it. However, keep in mind that some of these adapters are picky about which monitors they work with. I had one made by RasterOps for my Quadra 950, and it would only work with Trinitrons (I'm assuming because of Sync on Green.) Anyways, good luck.
 
E

esdempsey

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 10, 2006
5
0
setting dip switches the hard way

Thanks for the suggestion about screen resolution -- I'll think about that and see if I can figure out plan B.

Plan A has been to methodically and perpetually do every permutation that has a likelihood of working.

So far I have discovered that setting dip switches 2-3-5 to ON will give me the desktop with most of the icons off-screen because they are too high [therefore, all I see is the Trash icon at the upper corner rather than the lower corner].

Perhaps this nugget combined with figuring out how to reset screen resolution will lead to a screen I can work with.
 
M

Makosuke

macrumors 604
Aug 15, 2001
6,662
1,242
The Cool Part of CA, USA
The advice given is good, but also remember that your monitor probably has some "position" adjustments (or something of the sort). If a setting appears to give you a good picture, but it's not centered, remember that the monitor may well be able to pull it back to the center using its own adjustments.

This might have already been obvious for you, but just thought I'd mention it.

I guess Sony just made better adapters (or monitor electronics)--my old Trinitron came with one, and there were no dip switches--it just worked at whatever resolution the computer spit out.
 
norwaypianoman

norwaypianoman

macrumors regular
Dec 16, 2008
241
90
Norway
esdempsey said:
...setting dip switches 2-3-5 to ON will give me the desktop with most of the icons off-screen because they are too high
Click to expand...

This helped me to finally get a desktop with my
performa 450 music studio
with viewsonic 22" Wide monitor.

Thanks. You saved my weekend, esdempsey.
 
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