mac won't activate monitor [reason found: Apple incompatible with Viewsonic VP201A!]

[matt9b]

just bought a new mac pro.

The thing goes to sleep after 30 mins and turns off my monitor. Then when I press the ESC key, the thing comes back on but doesn't turn my monitor back on. I have to get down on my knees and get behind the mac to pull the monitor cord out and put it back in a few times until it works.

Monitor works fine with all other systems. Its a viewsonic 21" VP201s

Considering the lack of response on this forum to my problems with this Mac so far I'm not expecting much.

Any ideas?

thanks and deeply appreciate any replies.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

just bought a new mac pro.

The thing goes to sleep after 30 mins and turns off my monitor. Then when I press the ESC key, the thing comes back on but doesn't turn my monitor back on. I have to get down on my knees and get behind the mac to pull the monitor cord out and put it back in a few times until it works.

Monitor works fine with all other systems. Its a viewsonic 21" VP201s

Considering the lack of response on this forum to my problems with this Mac so far I'm not expecting much.

Any ideas?

thanks and deeply appreciate any replies.

sorry about your previous questions... but anyway, I had a similar problem, my brand new monitor had a faulty power socket, so I had to jiggle the power cord into the back of the monitor for it to work (took hours ). so it seems to me like a loose connection. open up your mac pro and reseat the graphics card, as in take it out, put it back in firmly. Also, try another cable and check the connections of both ends of the cable, make sure it's a strong connection.

 

[matt9b]

sorry about your previous questions... but anyway, I had a similar problem, my brand new monitor had a faulty power socket, so I had to jiggle the power cord into the back of the monitor for it to work (took hours ). so it seems to me like a loose connection. open up your mac pro and reseat the graphics card, as in take it out, put it back in firmly. Also, try another cable and check the connections of both ends of the cable, make sure it's a strong connection.

I tried the monitor with a G5 powermac, same problem. In fact, its worse with the G5.

It can't be a power problem with my monitor as the LED remains lit, on standby.

It can't be a problem with the monitor as it works with ALL PCs I throw at it.

It can't be a problem with the apple macs as both the apple macs work flawlessly with my other 19" monitor.

I also find it unlikely that both the G5 dual and my brand spanking new apple mac pro from Apple have the same problem, so I'm assuming there's nothing wrong with the apple macs.

Therefore the cause must be an incompatibility between apple macs and the viewsonic VP201s 21" [gasp]

 

[portwes]

Me too!

I noticed no real answer to this question, so I add my similar problem:

Viewsonic VG2021 monitor does not awake right away after being asleep overnight. I have to push the on-off button about 20 times or around 10 minutes before it decides to fully awake. The desktop appears for a split second every other time I turn the monitor on and off. It is NOT a faulty power supply or a faulty switch! I'm pretty sure the problem is software-related.

This is on a G5 running 10.5.5. Strange thing is, on a different G5 here at work, the monitor worked perfectly. But I think it may have been running 10.5 or 10.4 (was there such a thing?). It is also nothing to do with the resolution selected in the system preferences. I've tried that already, no difference.

 

[Silencio]

Therefore the cause must be an incompatibility between apple macs and the viewsonic VP201s 21" [gasp]

One of my clients has had a VP201 for several years now. We've used it connected to a Rev A Dual 2.0GHz PowerMac G5 and, more recently, a Quicksilver G4 867MHz tower. Never had a problem with any of these setups.

Are you connecting the display to your computers via a DVI or VGA cable?

 

[matt9b]

One of my clients has had a VP201 for several years now. We've used it connected to a Rev A Dual 2.0GHz PowerMac G5 and, more recently, a Quicksilver G4 867MHz tower. Never had a problem with any of these setups.

Are you connecting the display to your computers via a DVI or VGA cable?

Been a while since my original post, and the problem remains. So, to answer your question, Silencio, it is connected via DVI.

I just bought another brand new Apple Mac Pro. I also had my Viewsonic VP201s replaced on the manufacturer's warranty, with all new leads. But, the same problem occurs. Everything in the chain has been replaced all leads and hardware, it's even a new flat with new electricity supply, everything, so my original suspicions appear to be confirmed. This monitor is incompatible with Apple Macs.

Of course viewsonic blame it on a faulty apple graphics card, but Apple blame it on a faulty viewsonic monitor. Since I have had both replaced, neither seems the likely cause. That's customer service for ya!

 

[gotzero]

Try running it with VGA. It could be a frequency issue that you just need to identify and change.

 

[matt9b]

Try running it with VGA. It could be a frequency issue that you just need to identify and change.

VGA is obsolete my friend, I have a new Mac Pro.

Regardless, I tried it with VGA on the G5 dual. Indeed the same problem exists.

EDIT: its also not as clean as DVI. But anyway, no VGA ports on the Mac Pro, only 2 DVI ports - not that I would want to use VGA, it isn't clean.

 

[matt9b]

Well, I've been on at Viewsonic for the past 5 years about this issue, and they just keep avoiding me! I just called them again, and they said "we'll get back to you shortly" LOL!

Shame as I spent good hard cash on this monitor and it has never worked for me, neither did the replacement. Bit of a waste of my cash really- could have bought something else.

Ah dear... I guess a lot of what happens to you in the world is down to luck. Might have to just count my losses and buy another new monitor. We'll see how patient I can be with this one.