I used to have a mac Mini that connected so effortlessly to the monitor and allowed the full resolution (1920x1080). But I'm trying to do that with my MacBook (as I recently sold my Mini) and I'm unable to get it to do what I want to. I have Snow Leopard. It would not allow me to do anything until I updated the OS. The monitor was not recognized at all. Except I noticed when I plugged it in, the macbook screen would flash...so I figure it's recognizing something. But in display settings, detect display wouldn't show anything, neither would restarting. That is, until I updated Snow Leopard.... Anyone know why this might be? And now that I've been able to get something on the display, I'm still not at all satisfied. The resolution is terrible. It will not allow me to choose anything other than the resolution on my macbook screen, but over 23" it just looks terrible. Not only that, but the Macbook screen stays on. I want the mb screen to go off, and full resolution be on the external monitor. I can choose another option for an extended desktop but that's just ridiculous. I have no desire for anything like that. Why won't this connect up to an external like the Mini did so well?
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Can't get MacBook to connect properly to Samsung external monitor XL2370
- Thread starter polliwog
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When you do that, it goes to extended desktop. That's even worse
So how do you wanna use it?
MIRROR DISPLAY does what it does say, it mirrors the internal display. And as that display has a lower resolution than the external, you will get the result you get.
Or you use it in CLAMSHELL mode, as I linked to in my earlier post. Or you drag the menu bar to the external display.
I have the same monitor and connect it to my 13" uMBP. How I connect it is in this order: connect my usb keyboard and mouse, plug in my ethernet cable, plug in the power cable, and finally my mini displayport to dvi adapter. You have to close the lid on the Macbook to get full resolution on your monitor. You can't have full resolutions on your monitor and Macbook at the same time. You also have to have the power cable plugged in. Hope that helps!
Update:
One thing I learned last year was that in order for a Macbook to properly display to an external display is you have to have it connected (via Display Port-VGA/DVI/HDMI Adapter & Cable) to the monitor before starting up the computer. If you do this, it seems (at least for me) to always seems to detect the external display and display properly to it (according to your Display settings in System Preferences). If you plug it in while the computer is booting or after, you really encounter problems.
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Oh, and it doesn't seem to matter which external display (it's not exclusive to the Samsung XL2370). It seems to be with any external display. So, connect the display before booting!
One thing I learned last year was that in order for a Macbook to properly display to an external display is you have to have it connected (via Display Port-VGA/DVI/HDMI Adapter & Cable) to the monitor before starting up the computer. If you do this, it seems (at least for me) to always seems to detect the external display and display properly to it (according to your Display settings in System Preferences). If you plug it in while the computer is booting or after, you really encounter problems.
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Oh, and it doesn't seem to matter which external display (it's not exclusive to the Samsung XL2370). It seems to be with any external display. So, connect the display before booting!