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Macbook Pro Won't Give Highest Resolution for External Monitor

S

SFD

macrumors newbie
Original poster
May 19, 2010
5
0
I have a Macbook Pro 13 inch 2010 model hooked up to a NEC Multisync EA231 WMi external monitor. The monitor is supposed to have a resolution of 1920 X 1080, but my computer only recognizes 1600 x 900 as the highest resolution. I've tried both mirrored and extended desktop, and I've also hooked up the monitor through a DVI adaptor and through a displayport cable. An Apple support person suggested using a dual-link DVI adaptor, but according to the Apple site this shouldn't be necessary for 1920 x 1080 resolution (I've also heard that it's a buggy piece of hardware). Any suggestions for getting optimal resolution?
 
If you mirror it than it wont support the full resolution properly. There should definitely not be any issue displaying to 1900x1080 via minidisplay port to dvi adapter. Where did you get your adapter?

As for dual-dvi, that's not correct, you only need dualdvi cable for resolutions above 1920 × 1200 (understands why ppl make fun of the support ppl)
 
I have the same problem whether I used a mirrored screen or an extended desktop arrangement.

I got the DVI adaptor from Apple, and I got the minidisplay port to display port cable from Circuit Assembly. As I said earlier, both work the same way, with 1600 X 900 the top resolution available, even though the monitor's native resolution is 1920 X 1080
 
I'm a New Mac user ...

I think you will only get the full monitor resolution if your laptop screen is closed AKA clamshell mode ( the MBP is sleeping). and u wake it up using an external keyboard or mouse ???

any mac experts out there..
 
SFD said:
I have the same problem whether I used a mirrored screen or an extended desktop arrangement.

I got the DVI adaptor from Apple, and I got the minidisplay port to display port cable from Circuit Assembly. As I said earlier, both work the same way, with 1600 X 900 the top resolution available, even though the monitor's native resolution is 1920 X 1080
Click to expand...

"Mirrored" can only produce at most the same resolution as your MBP.
Dual-link DVI is absolutely definitely not needed. Single-link DVI like the cheap Apple DVI adapter works up to 1920x1200 or 2048x1152.

If you use the monitor item in the menubar, that only displays the last three resolutions that you have used; you'd need to open System Preferences->Display to see all available resolutions. Can you see a setting for a frequency, like 60Hz or 80Hz? If yes, it could be that with higher frequency the resolution gets limited, so choose a lower frequency.

Apart from that, I'm stumped. 2006 MacBook works just fine with 1920x1200 monitor.
 
Mirrored definitely will not work as others have said already. That said, I'm using a 1920x1200 monitor as external with clamshell closed and it works fine. It also works fine as an extended monitor. I'm using a standard apple MDP->DVI adapter.

The only thing here I can see is that your monitor has 1920x1080 resolution. But it should allow for that...

My idea would be asking NEC...
 
Thanks for your responses, everyone. I have used my monitor with the clamshell closed, and there's only one frequency available (60 Hz). I've also tried calling the NEC support people, but they seem utterly clueless about Macs.
 
SFD said:
Thanks for your responses, everyone. I have used my monitor with the clamshell closed, and there's only one frequency available (60 Hz). I've also tried calling the NEC support people, but they seem utterly clueless about Macs.
Click to expand...

Frequency of 60Hz is fine, why do you mention it? But still you couldn't use the 1920x1080?
 
No, that doesn't appear as one of the options. Only 1600 x 900 and lower.
 
Dreven79, that utility works! I had called Apple support twice about this problem without them telling me about it, and I'm sure if I called another 20 times I still wouldn't have found out. It really makes a big difference.

Thanks so much!
 
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