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exernal monitor + macbook pro

A

allcass

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 1, 2011
1
0
Hi,

I just bought my first mac; a 17'' macbook pro!
Now im trying to use my Samsung Syncmaster 2253LW as an external monitor. It works but the resolution is bad and everything seems blurry. The resolution is set at maximum (1680 by 1050). I plugged it using the mini displayport to VGA adapter. It could also be plugged with the DVI adapter, but the salesman at apple store told me I wouldnt be able to see any difference in image quality by using either the VGA or DVI adapter so I got the VGA. Was he right? Is there anything I could do to get a better image quality with that monitor?

Thanks for your help!!

(sorry for the obvious typo in the title!... cant seem possible to edit)
 
Last edited:
I agree. I would have went with DVI anyways. If they were the same, one wouldn't exist.
 
I got a generic Mini DP to VGA adapter on amazon, and the image was blurry on my external monitor, which supports both VGA and DVI.
I've been using this monitor with my PC and the image has always been crystal clear with VGA. It was also set to native resolution, I double checked.
So now I'm returning the cable to amazon, and thinking about a mini DP to DVI solution. Any suggestion besides the overpriced Apple branded?
 
ctbear said:
I got a generic Mini DP to VGA adapter on amazon, and the image was blurry on my external monitor, which supports both VGA and DVI.
I've been using this monitor with my PC and the image has always been crystal clear with VGA. It was also set to native resolution, I double checked.
So now I'm returning the cable to amazon, and thinking about a mini DP to DVI solution. Any suggestion besides the overpriced Apple branded?
Click to expand...
Monoprice makes good quality, cheap stuff. Have had my MDP -> DVI adapter for about a year and a half now with no problems.
 
NikFinn said:
Monoprice makes good quality, cheap stuff. Have had my MDP -> DVI adapter for about a year and a half now with no problems.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion. But it looks like the mini DP side of the plug is very bulky, would that block the other plugs?
 
salesman why u not know difference between vga and dvi?????

If you still can, return the VGA cable and get the DVi. It won't be a Bluray quality image, but it will be significantly better than VGA.
 
ctbear said:
Thanks for the suggestion. But it looks like the mini DP side of the plug is very bulky, would that block the other plugs?
Click to expand...

I personally have never used firewire (the port to the left of MDP) but I constantly have something plugged into the usb port (right of the MDP) with no problems at all.
 
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+3
 
The guy at the Apple store had no idea what he was talking about. You should exchange the VGA and get the DVI.
 
stonyc said:
salesman why u not know difference between vga and dvi?????

If you still can, return the VGA cable and get the DVi. It won't be a Bluray quality image, but it will be significantly better than VGA.
Click to expand...

What? That doesn't make any sense.

Digital is Digital. DVI/HDMI/Displayport...it's all the same image quality. The difference is in the details. HDMI is basically a DVI video signal with the ability to carry audio on the same cable as well. Display port is DVI with more bandwidth availible for higher resolution displays.

"Bluray quality image" doesn't mean anything at all either. Bluray can store anything from 420p to 1080p. And if you're sending a 1080p signal over DVI it's going to look exactly the same as it would over HDMI or DisplayPort.
 
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Derango said:
stonyc said:
salesman why u not know difference between vga and dvi?????

If you still can, return the VGA cable and get the DVi. It won't be a Bluray quality image, but it will be significantly better than VGA.
Click to expand...

What? That doesn't make any sense.

Digital is Digital. DVI/HDMI/Displayport...it's all the same image quality. The difference is in the details. HDMI is basically a DVI video signal with the ability to carry audio on the same cable as well. Display port is DVI with more bandwidth availible for higher resolution displays.

"Bluray quality image" doesn't mean anything at all either. Bluray can store anything from 420p to 1080p. And if you're sending a 1080p signal over DVI it's going to look exactly the same as it would over HDMI or DisplayPort.
Click to expand...

Half True, just to get this straight, blu ray is not good quality, it is not bad either, Blu Ray just is a type of medium to store video on. HDMI and Display Port have much higher bandwidth then DVI, however until 4k displays are released this extra bandwidth is unused. There are some other minor advantages of Display port and HDMI over DVI, but not in terms of quality, the main difference is HDMI can carry audio as you stated.
 
I just received a MiniDP to DVI cable from amazon that goes straight from the laptop to the external screen. The image is absolutely great and I think this is a keeper.
No adaptor needed either.
Link here
(I ordered from Cable Matters, if that makes a difference...)
 
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Like Allcass (post 1), I hooked up to a Samsung monitor ( SyncMaster 906BW), using an Apple mini-display-port-to-VGA cable . . . bummer.

When I made the connection, my MacBook Pro immediately changed to a significantly lower resolution (!?!), and the image on the external monitor was noticeably worse than the one on the laptop.

The monitor owner's manual says "dvi cable sold separately" so I assume I am not stuck with VGA.

So my two questions, amigos, are: (1) what cable(s) do I need to get a good picture, and (2) what can I do about the automatic resolution change?

My thanks.
 
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I know this might sound stupid but are you using the monitor to mirror your mbp or do you have it set up where you have the monitor as your main screen and you have you mbp in closed?
 
I bought the same cable from Amazon, works great.

ctbear said:
I just received a MiniDP to DVI cable from amazon that goes straight from the laptop to the external screen. The image is absolutely great and I think this is a keeper.
No adaptor needed either.
Link here
(I ordered from Cable Matters, if that makes a difference...)
Click to expand...
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I bought a mini DP to HDMI cable from the Apple Store to hook up my 2011 MBP to an external monitor and the picture was garbage; more like an analog picture (VGA!), the picture didn't even fill the screen which would explain why it was so poor. Bizarre, given that HDMI is digital. Swapped the cable today for a mini DP to DVI adapter and plan to test it later. Hoping it isn't a problem with the MBP...
 
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