mirroring multiple displays on a G4

[elskeptico]

This is a DP 1.25 GHz G4 with the dual drive doors. According to the manual and everything I've read, it is supposed to be able to play out to two displays simultaneously. The video card has both ADC and DVI connectors. I've got a Apple Cinema Display on the ADC port that I've been using for months. On the DVI port, I'm trying to hook up a BenQ video projector to display at the same time. It's not working.

On startup, the projector shows the Apple logo and spinning circle. The Apple display doesn't show anything on startup. Eventually, the projector goes to a default screen and says "DVI not supportive" and the Apple display shows the desktop and mouse pointer, but no icons and no way to do anything. It stays this way until I unplug the DVI projector. If I start up with just the projector plugged in, seems to display correctly. But I need both to work at the same time.

Sorry..I know it's a long post. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[Dreadnought]

open the systemprefs and go to the screenutility. Then detect screens (don't know how this is exactly called in English, my os is in Dutch...). Also go to (still in the screen app) the next tab and below you see a little box with turn on synchronice view, click this on!

It should work. Or else try to do get it work with two screens. If this works, you could disconnect one screen and then hook up the projector

 

[Muskie]

open the systemprefs and go to the screenutility. Then detect screens (don't know how this is exactly called in English, my os is in Dutch...). Also go to (still in the screen app) the next tab and below you see a little box with turn on synchronice view, click this on!

It should work. Or else try to do get it work with two screens. If this works, you could disconnect one screen and then hook up the projector

synchronicle view is mirror displays. check that box. and yes, dreadnought, it is "detect displays" in english.

 

[elskeptico]

I've tried the "detect displays" thing and it does nothing. I have not seen any tab for checking any options. Thanks for the help...any other clues?

 

[Dreadnought]

There must be a checkbox in the second tab. Else if you have the pref icon of the screen in your upper menubar, click on it and select the second line (still only got it in Dutch). It is something like "turn synchronice view on".
BTW I have os 10.3. If you have an earlier version it might be a bit different. But look for something that is called synchroniced in the screen preference app. Else do a help search on it in your menubar.

 

[Muskie]

I missed the part where you said that it told you "DVI not supportive" I suppose this means that either the hardware is incompatible (your computer/graphics card, and the projector), or you need to update some software. Check www.versiontracker.com for any software updates or patches. It seems like its most likely a software problem because, as you said, it shows the apple symbol upon startup.

Good luck

 

[elskeptico]

I checked Apple's website to download the latest firmware, and I was up to date. Other than that I am running the latest 10.3. I checked ATI's site and they directed me to the Apple website for firmware updates. As fas as I can tell, all soft/firmware is up to date. What other software can there be? For the projector?

 

[Muskie]

I checked Apple's website to download the latest firmware, and I was up to date. Other than that I am running the latest 10.3. I checked ATI's site and they directed me to the Apple website for firmware updates. As fas as I can tell, all soft/firmware is up to date. What other software can there be? For the projector?

Yes. Since all of your OS software is up to date, then hopefully there is just a driver or something else that the projector needs. If its not that, then I have no idea. Sorry

 

[elskeptico]

long cable the culprit?

Well the projector is out for warranty service, so I can't really test until Friday probably. But I thought of something. We're using a really long DVI cable for this (I think it's 30 ft). The AV tech guy that acquired it said it was the longest one he could get. A shorter cable isn't an option, as the projector is mounted away from the computer.

But could this be the problem? I kinda figure it wouldn't be because the signal is supposedly digital, which I don't think loses much "strength" as distance increases. I might be wrong....

Has anyone sucessfully mirrored to a video projector with DVI? Any shared experience could be helpful.

If I can't fix it with the forum's help, who should I call to work on it? Call Apple's tech line and pay the $50? A local Mac expert?