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The mystery that no one can answer...[Situation Escalating]

adamvk

adamvk

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 29, 2008
1,308
0
Phoenix, AZ
I've posted this in Dell's forums as well as Hard forums and no one has an answer or knows what to do...so please help me!!!!

Copied from Dell Forums:

I have a Macbook Pro that I use to connect to my Dell U2410 via a Mini-Display Port-DVI cable. I've been using it flawlessly for about a month now. However today suddenly when I was using it for a split second I got that grainy "signal lost" type screen and then the screen went blank. So the first thing I tried was switching to the other DVI port, which also didn't work. However I used a friends computer and used an HDMI cable, and the monitor worked fine. So I assumed it was a problem with my Mac/and or cable. I brought my Mac and cable to another friends computer, and I attached my Mac via the same Mini-Display Port-DVI cable and it worked perfectly fine on his monitor...So what would the problem be? I'm very confused...Would it be possible that both DVI ports broke at the same time?
 
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If you've concluded that your mac still outputs video over MiniDisplay port, then the issue must surely lie with the monitor?
Can you not test the monitor with another DVI-type input? If it has 2 dvi ports, they both probably are connected to the same type of controller (I'm guessing?)
 
my guess is that both dvi ports are on the same board/controller and that got fried.

So far this is what we eliminated
1.) Your macbook pro is fine since it works, so its your monitor now.
2.) Your monitor's HDMI works.
3.) Your DVIs dont work with your macbook pro.

the LAST test is to see if your DVI ports work with another computer. If it does then the problem could just be with drivers, if it doesn't work then your ports are dead. I am guessing in your monitor that the ports are on the same board/controller and it got damaged or fried somehow

good luck buddy
 
Ok Thank you very much for your help everyone...I'll try to get someone that has a Mac and test it on my monitor via MiniDisplay Port...I REALLY REALLY hope that my monitor isn't broken...it's a $600 monitor that's 2 months old and out of warranty since I bought it refurbished...

edit:

Also two more things...

1) The Mac does recognize the monitor. It does the "blue" screen thing (only on the Mac display) when I plug it into my monitor. Also in system preferences it recognizes it as a Dell U2410. I can also drag my mouse off of the Mac screen and onto the Dell display...but of course the mouse doesn't show up on the Dell one..

2) I bought a Minidisplay Port-HDMI cable from Monoprice so hopefully if the DVI ports are dead I'll be able to use it via HDMI.
 
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adamvk said:
Ok Thank you very much for your help everyone...I'll try to get someone that has a Mac and test it on my monitor via MiniDisplay Port...I REALLY REALLY hope that my monitor isn't broken...it's a $600 monitor that's 2 months old and out of warranty since I bought it refurbished...

edit:

Also two more things...

1) The Mac does recognize the monitor. It does the "blue" screen thing (only on the Mac display) when I plug it into my monitor. Also in system preferences it recognizes it as a Dell U2410. I can also drag my mouse off of the Mac screen and onto the Dell display...but of course the mouse doesn't show up on the Dell one..

2) I bought a Minidisplay Port-HDMI cable from Monoprice so hopefully if the DVI ports are dead I'll be able to use it via HDMI.
Click to expand...

interesting, are you extending your desktop so that it displays on both the laptop screen and monitor? maybe you just somehow set the display to only show on your laptop
 
neondrgns said:
interesting, are you extending your desktop so that it displays on both the laptop screen and monitor? maybe you just somehow set the display to only show on your laptop
Click to expand...

Yea its "extended" of course I don't see anything...

phairphan said:
Since your monitor has a DP connection, why don't you just connect it via DP, no conversion required? mDP to DP cable: < $5
Click to expand...

Yea although that's cheaper an HDMI cable is worth the extra few dollars because then I could plug my Mac into televisions...Display Port isn't used very often.
 
adamvk said:
Yea its "extended" of course I don't see anything...



Yea although that's cheaper an HDMI cable is worth the extra few dollars because then I could plug my Mac into televisions...Display Port isn't used very often.
Click to expand...

Crazy idea, use the DisplayPort for the monitor and the HDMI for the TV.
 
So also I realized that both of my external hard drives and my phone can't connect to my Mac, they don't show up in Finder...

I'm testing now to see if they work on another computer....

This Mac is only a month old, maybe it's defective? My "7" key is also dimmer than the rest. :)
 
Neo-Tech said:
Run Apple Hardware Test using the Install DVD or Applications DVD, I forget.
Click to expand...

Thanks...I'll try this now and post back with the results.

Also one of my hard drives DOES start connecting, but when I try to do a backup via Time Machine it gives me this message:
 

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Ok it says that there are no problems...I even did the extended test...

So now what? My other hard drive that doesn't work on my Mac now works on my PC, by the way.
 
I have the same monitor with a Mac mini. Never had any problems.
I use a mini-displayport to displayport adaptor from monoprice without any problems except slight delay on boot compared to an iMac or Apple Cinema Display.

Couple of things:

You didn't mention if the time machine, hard drives, and iPhone are connected through your Dell USB hub or straight to the computer?

Also, is the Dell input set to automatically scan or did you manually pick the input source?

I find it strange that Dell gives the U2410 a 3 year warranty when purchased new but not if it's purchased refurbished? Since this monitor has only been shipping since about Aug 2009, the original owner would still have 18 months warranty. If Dell doesn't stand behind it's refurbs for 1 year, then that means that they do not have a lot of confidence in their own products and repair services.
 
spacepower7 said:
I have the same monitor with a Mac mini. Never had any problems.
I use a mini-displayport to displayport adaptor from monoprice without any problems except slight delay on boot compared to an iMac or Apple Cinema Display.

Couple of things:

You didn't mention if the time machine, hard drives, and iPhone are connected through your Dell USB hub or straight to the computer?

Also, is the Dell input set to automatically scan or did you manually pick the input source?

I find it strange that Dell gives the U2410 a 3 year warranty when purchased new but not if it's purchased refurbished? Since this monitor has only been shipping since about Aug 2009, the original owner would still have 18 months warranty. If Dell doesn't stand behind it's refurbs for 1 year, then that means that they do not have a lot of confidence in their own products and repair services.
Click to expand...

My external hard drives are normally connected to the Dell U2410, but they also don't work when plugged directly into the Mac. The input source is set to either DVI1 or DVI2 whichever one I have it plugged into.

And I didn't buy it directly from Dell, which I'm guessing is why it only came with a 30 day warranty. I found it on Cyber Monday for only $400 on a slightly shady site, but it was $200 cheaper then I was planning on spending so I jumped...in retrospect that may have been a bad idea though....
 
adamvk said:
The Mac does recognize the monitor. It does the "blue" screen thing (only on the Mac display) when I plug it into my monitor. Also in system preferences it recognizes it as a Dell U2410. I can also drag my mouse off of the Mac screen and onto the Dell display...but of course the mouse doesn't show up on the Dell one..
Click to expand...

That would indicate the DVI connection may not be bad - but that there is a setting that got changed that's preventing it from working with the Mac. I'd try cycling through the settings on the Dell with the Mac connected and see if it works on a different setting. I'd also try different resolution settings for the Dell on the Mac.
While it could be a bad DVI port from what you said I'd first look for a configuration problem.
Some other considerations - is the monitor connected to another cable such as HDMI at the same time as you are trying to use the DVI input? If so, unplug any other cables from the monitor, turn it of an on and retry the DVI connection.
 
So my MiniDisplay Port-HDMI cable came today. And...it works!!! I can use my Dell U2410 again...but my external hard drives still don't show up in finder or at all...
 
So 2 odd things to try.

I've had problems with my external HDs on my macbook pros, due to a not tight connection. When you plug in the drives does the usb cord feel solidly in? If not, I like to take the cable out and push down on the plug end a little which makes it tighter and then plug it back in to the macbook. This has solved my HD not recognized or disconnection issues. I can draw a diagram if you need.

Next your video, if the dvi works with another computer on that monitor, one thing that could have changed is the display resolution/frequency. I have accidentally changed it before and had it not work with the monitor, and since the macbook remembers that monitor and settings, it keeps trying to use those even when you can't see it. But when you use the HDMI adapter on the same monitor it is recognizing it as a different monitor and will use default settings. Like I said, if the DVI input works with another computer, it's likely a settings issue that your macbook is remembering about that monitor via DVI. If the DVI input on that monitor does not work with another computer, then the monitor is at fault. You can try plugging in the monitor and changing your mac to mirror mode, and change some of the resolution/frequency settings and see if the monitor starts displaying images.
 
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