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Trainwreck707

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 26, 2008
89
0
I have an early 2008 Mac Pro with the 8800 GT video card and a Sony Trinitron Multiscan 200 GS monitor. Ever since the computer arrived I have had a really annoying problem. When I shut it down or put it to sleep for an extended period the resolution switches to 800x600. I have to click the "Detect Displays" button several times a day to get it to display its native resolution.

I took it in to a local Apple shop (not an Apple retail store) and they said they could not find a problem and charged me $45 since Apple Care does not cover problems that they can't find.

I was hoping someone else had a new Mac Pro w/ an 8800 GT hooked up to a CRT and could confirm that they aren't having any problems. I don't have a second monitor to compare to and am curious if it could be my monitor rather than my video card.

Does anyone have any advice or a related experience for me before I take it back to the shop and risk being charged again?
 
Personally, it really sounds like a problem with the display; MacOS relies on certain codes being sent from the display to tell it what resolutions are available. If the display isn't sending these codes, then the Mac doesn't know what to offer and defaults to a "safe" resolution and refresh rate. It may be that when the display goes to sleep, it takes time for these codes to be resent when it wakes (or that they change somehow when its in low-power mode).

You can force certain resolutions with SwitchRes X (http://www.madrau.com/) though I haven't used it in a long, long time.
 
switchres X works great with my macbook to connect my 1080p tv as macbook doesnt allow 1920x1080? as default :confused:
 
When I shut it down or put it to sleep for an extended period the resolution switches to 800x600.

I have s similar problem (although it's not really a problem in my case) with a Sony Trinitron monitor -- but only after this monitor has been switched off (after shutting down the comp -- btw, an old G4, not a MP). If the monitor was in a stand-by mode, everything is normal.

sash
 
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