Powering a 16:10(1440x900) External Monitor with a Macbook GMA 950

[qacjared]

So I bought a really nice HDTV that works just great. I thought that since I have a macbook that can power a 23" ACD it should be able to handle my HDTV. So I bought apple's mini-dvi to dvi adapter and a DVI to HDMI cable. I hooked things up to discover that the macbook wouldn't list the proper resolution and the closet it would get would be 1280x720.

So then I thought hey my 17" iMac has the same processing chip and powers a 1440x900 display so maybe I can put it in mirror mode. So I did and it skewed the both screens. and gave me black bars on the top and bottom on my built in screen even tho it said was at the 1280x800 native resolution which is clearly wasnt showing.

So I am wondering is there any way to use my HDTV with my macbook with its full 1440x900 resolution under Tiger like my 3 year old ubuntu box with integrated graphics does out of the box?

My HDTV
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889107041

 

[chscag]

Without swapping out the graphics chip, probably no way to achieve the native resolution of your HDTV. I'm currently powering an external Samsung with a native resolution of 1680x1050 but my MacBook is using the GMA X3100.

Your Ubuntu box probably has a dedicated graphics card. Right?

Regards.

 

[qacjared]

Without swapping out the graphics chip, probably no way to achieve the native resolution of your HDTV. I'm currently powering an external Samsung with a native resolution of 1680x1050 but my MacBook is using the GMA X3100.

Your Ubuntu box probably has a dedicated graphics card. Right?

Regards.

No its integrated
besides the macbook was advertised as being able to power a 23" ACD which is 1920 x 1200.

 

[Eidorian]

1920 x 1200 on Intel integrated for basic applications is a piece of cake. Anything involving 3D rendering is another story.

 

[qacjared]

1920 x 1200 on Intel integrated for basic applications is a piece of cake. Anything involving 3D rendering is another story.

oh of course. I know its possible since both my macbook and my 17" iMac have GMA 950s and my external display is 1440x900 just like my iMac. Infact if I could get it to output a mirror at 1280x800 id be happy. It just is not giving me the right aspect ratios.

 

[xraydoc]

oh of course. I know its possible since both my macbook and my 17" iMac have GMA 950s and my external display is 1440x900 just like my iMac. Infact if I could get it to output a mirror at 1280x800 id be happy. It just is not giving me the right aspect ratios.

Try an app called Switch Res.

 

[qacjared]

Try an app called Switch Res.

yea I cant figure it out

 

[Luigi239]

That is the problem with mirroring, both displays must be set to the same resolution, if they were not at the same resolution then they would not be "mirror" images of each other. What you want to do is display spanning, which is an option is System Preferences. (Don't have my external monitor attached to tell you exactly how). This will keep moth monitors at their native resolutions, and allow you to drag windows and content in between them. Keeping the native resolution of each monitor with display mirroring is impossible.

 

[qacjared]

That is the problem with mirroring, both displays must be set to the same resolution, if they were not at the same resolution then they would not be "mirror" images of each other. What you want to do is display spanning, which is an option is System Preferences. (Don't have my external monitor attached to tell you exactly how). This will keep moth monitors at their native resolutions, and allow you to drag windows and content in between them. Keeping the native resolution of each monitor with display mirroring is impossible.

That would be great except for the fact that I cant get the macbook to do spanning at 1440x900 or anything less clear at the same aspect ratio.