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jocko87

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 6, 2009
12
0
I have 27" cinema display installed on my 1.1 mac pro. I can't get decent color or picture even though I installed a new video card. A Geek Squad guy installed the card and could not get decent images. I have tweaked the settings but not much improvements. The pictures have very dark colors and show no detail. Lines on an Excel Spreadsheet do not show up -- but print OK. Help
 
27" cinema

ATI RADEON HD 5770 1GB-ZML, the one recommended by apple. Not sure about the cord but it was also recommend by apple in order to be able to connect to my 1.1
 
27" cinema

So here I am stuck with a $1,000 display with no way to use it. Any suggestions other than buy a new computer?
 
According to barefeats, the 5770 works just fine with a Mac Pro 1,1 including all three outputs simultaneously.

http://www.barefeats.com/wst10g5.html

Something else is wrong. Are you running snow leopard and fully updated? Can you please look at the cable and tell us what it is and if there are any adapters? Have you tried the monitor on any other computers? Maybe the monitor is simply bad?
 
I have 27" cinema display installed on my 1.1 mac pro. I can't get decent color or picture even though I installed a new video card. A Geek Squad guy installed the card and could not get decent images. I have tweaked the settings but not much improvements. The pictures have very dark colors and show no detail. Lines on an Excel Spreadsheet do not show up -- but print OK. Help

Dont you know better than to have Worst Buy's geek squad install a video card on your mac?
 
1) snow leopard 10.6.7 (just checked to be sure I had the latest and I do)

2) bought "actual" apple 5770

3) cable came with monitor
(bought an "ATLONA, model AT-DP200, DVI to Mini DisplayPort Converter"
but geekster did not use it. Two of the 3 cables end are attached.)

4) Have not tried it on another computer but I can -- I have a 17" macbook pro

5) Didn't/don't know better about geeksters -- had to have somebody install it because I don't know how to do stuff like that.
 
Would you be able to take a picture with a camera of your screen? Its difficult to imagine what "can't get decent color or picture" looks like.

Also, you mention that you aren't using it, however you say you have a DP-200 converter. That is the WRONG converter to use for the 27" display, as you will be limited to 1080p with the DP200. You need a DP400 to get full resolution.
 
27" cinema

1) I don't really know how to do a picture but I'll describe it as best I can:
- lines are washed out for boxes for the "title" above -- can't see that there is
a box.
- Pictures have dark, dark colors such that you cannot make out clear
features of a person or see details of a landscape

2) I can get a resolution of 2560 x 1440, but too small and still bad color.

3) The AT-DP200 is not installed!
 
Last edited:
I understand that you're frustrated. I would be too if I had spent $1300 (card and monitor) for something that didn't work.

It's possible, but unlikely that something is wrong with the monitor or with the card.

To test the monitor:
-hook it up to another computer. That will require an adapter at the end of the cable that plugs into the computer. After you plug it in, you may need to adjust the contrast and brightness.

To test the video card:
-attach a different monitor to the card.

It's more likely that the monitor just needs to be calibrated. The setting for that is in System Preferences -> Display -> Color. Click on the calibrate button.

I'm not a big fan of Apple's calibrate program. Who thought it was user friend to say "don't look directly at the image, squint your eyes, and adjust the slider until you can sort of see the image but not really"? Sorry, i've gone off topic. Perhaps other people can suggest a better setup program.
 
If we are talking bad..as in awful...and this is a new monitor...good gawd return it while you still can.

Connecting a monitor to a computer and getting a decent picture isn't rocket science!

If we are talking bad as in...mediocre...then perhaps its just a calibration issue.

What are the options:
1. Bad monitor
2. Bad cable
3. Bad adaptor (if used)
4. Wrong, poor software settings

But out of the box if it's horrid...return it.
 
Have you accidentally turned on some Accessibility settings in System Preferences?


Syspref -> Accessibility

Worth checking out before you start returning things. :)
 
27" cinema

HOORAY, HOORAY, HOORAY!!! It is fixed!

I think it was the preferences settings that finally did it -- I had tinkered with "universal access." But I tried so many things I'm not really sure. My 1.1 does have a mini-port so the adapter was/is not needed -- just plugged it in.

I can't tell you how much I appreciate you guys jumping in to help me. I have been screwing around with this monitor for 4 months; getting more frustrated every day. But today is a GREAT DAY thanks to you all!

I have several more problems but those are for other threads. So don't go far away. :)

Thanks again and Cheers to you all.
Jocko87
 
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