Problems with TV Resolution Through Mini DVI-HDMI!

[BadHabit]

Hi, I am hoping someone can help me with this problem please.

Ok, my first problem...

I have been trying to hook my Macbook to my Samsung 40" HDTV using a mini dvi to hdmi cable. At first when I connected this I would get the options for 1080i & 1080p etc but with these selected the picture wouldn't fill the whole screen & would leave a black box around the edges which was annoying.

Anyway, I tried to mess around with the resolution settings to see if I could fix this but I got nowhere and now I havnt even got the 1080p option in my display preferences? Is there a reason why I can't see these options anymore?

I have my Macbook playing through my TV at the moment. In the display menu it gives 2 lists, one says display which is set to 1024x768 60Hz & the other says Color LCD which is set to 1024x768 (stretched). It used to give me an option for 1080p but doesn't anymore which is strange? Mirroring is turned on.

This setting is ok for now but I really want the 1080p setting without the black box around the edges & I don't really want to pay for any programs either.

Can anyone help me with this?

 

[ftaok]

I have been trying to hook my Macbook to my Samsung 40" HDTV using a mini dvi to hdmi cable. At first when I connected this I would get the options for 1080i & 1080p etc but with these selected the picture wouldn't fill the whole screen & would leave a black box around the edges which was annoying.

It sounds like you need to select the proper screen settings on the TV (and perhaps on the Mac). On the TV, you would need to select the appropriate zero-overscan mode (I think Samsung calls it "JUST" mode). On the Mac, you could try selecting/deselecting the Overscan button in the Display System Pref.

Anyway, I tried to mess around with the resolution settings to see if I could fix this but I got nowhere and now I havnt even got the 1080p option in my display preferences? Is there a reason why I can't see these options anymore?

See below

I have my Macbook playing through my TV at the moment. In the display menu it gives 2 lists, one says display which is set to 1024x768 60Hz & the other says Color LCD which is set to 1024x768 (stretched). It used to give me an option for 1080p but doesn't anymore which is strange? Mirroring is turned on.

Mirroring is probably why you've lost your selections for 1080i/p. By default, Mirroring will limit the available resolutions to the smaller of the two monitors, which in your case is 1280x768. Turn off mirroring and you'll probably get back your 1080 resolutions (as well as ones like 1600x900, etc).

 

[Flynnstone]

It sounds like you need to select the proper screen settings on the TV (and perhaps on the Mac). On the TV, you would need to select the appropriate zero-overscan mode (I think Samsung calls it "JUST" mode). On the Mac, you could try selecting/deselecting the Overscan button in the Display System Pref.

I was going to say the second part.

Do other TV's have settings like "Just" mode?
I have a 60" Sony LCOS. I haven't found any thing like that, but could be hiding?

 

[ftaok]

I was going to say the second part.

Do other TV's have settings like "Just" mode?
I have a 60" Sony LCOS. I haven't found any thing like that, but could be hiding?

In my experience (which is not vast), most Rear-Projection TVs do not have zero-overscan modes. It seems to be found mainly on LCDs and Plasmas. I have no idea why, just what I've noticed.

NOTE - I haven't really looked at RPTVs in a long time (4 years). At the time I bought my flat screen, zero-overscan wasn't that common of a feature on any TV; none of the RPTVs I looked at had that feature. These days, connecting a Mac/PC to a TV is becoming more accepted and just about all LCDs/Plasmas have zero-overscan. Perhaps RPTVs have this feature now as well.

I don't know what Sony calls their zero-overscan mode. Sharp calls it dot-by-dot. Samsung and Panny call it Just Mode.