Support NeoGAF

[WordAssassin]

GAF is the last place I wanted to go with this because I don't want to bother people with my tech problems, but after scouring the web for 30 minutes and actually calling Dell for an hour to be transferred to 5 different stations to losing the line, I'm frustrated and exasperated.

I just bought my dad a 24-inch Dell LCD screen, the 2409W.

He has a Mac Mini with the following specs:

1.25 GHz Power PC G4
512 MB of DDR SDRAM
OSX 10.4.11

Until today it was hooked up to an older 17-inch Apple CRT Studio Display. The 2409W got here, I took it out of the box and plugged it into the Mini with the DVI cable and powered everything on.

Nothing.

I hit Google and Apple's forums, I've found people who have no problem with the Dell monitor on their Macs. Then the LAST POST of a thread on Apple's site said they couldn't get it to work with a Mac Mini, but it's from 2007 and nobody ever responded.

I've gone back and forth between the two monitors for almost an hour trying to calibrate the Mini for the Dell. I've used both the DVI cable included and the VGA cable with a DVI adapter for the Mini. Neither worked. At one point, while in system prefs, I was able to set the Mini to 1900x1080 at 60Hz, which still didn't work. I set it to 75Hz, and I got a message saying something to the effect of, "Please set your computer to 1900x1080 at 60Hz" on the screen. OK... So I go back to the CRT and I try to bring back the options, and they are ALL GONE. Now I only have standard display options with no Hz choices and no way to go above 1600x1200. And I can't ever get a picture to show up on the fucking Dell.


Help me and my dad, please, GAF. This is fucking ridiculous, I should be able to just plug the damn thing in and go. I opened the box at 11am today and it's now 1pm. Please please help me.

 

[Cheeto]

Check the dell monitor for a switch or setting between analog and digital modes... I don't know that specific monitor, but I've seen others have something weird like that.

 

[WordAssassin]

There's a switch on the side that lets you toggle through VGA, HDMI, and DVI, and it's set to DVI, but I get nothing. I'll turn on the computer, the screen will blink a few times, and then a message will appear telling me there's no signal and the monitor is going into sleep mode.

 

[DaCocoBrova]

What refresh do you have the Mac set to. 60hz is safe.

n/m

Got me stumped.

 

[NetMapel]

So you have that crap Mini-DVI to DVI cable that Apple uses, right ? Maybe you need to try a Mini-DVI to VGA cable instead. I heard some works and some don't for certain monitors. Also note that Mini Display Port and Mini-DVI are two different slots, yes ?

Is this what you have ? http://store.apple.com/ca/product/M9321G/B?fnode=MTY1NDA5OQ&mco=MjE0NTg3Nw

 

[AmishNazi]

It just works.

 

[btrboyev]

do macs output analog dvi or only digital? the cable dell gave you is probably an analog dvi cable.

 

[WordAssassin]

I'm using just a straight DVI cable, no adapters. It came with the monitor to my surprise. When I use the CRT Studio Display, I need to use a DVI-VGA adaptor, but with the Dell display I use just a DVI cable.

And yes, I've tried plugging the Dell in with the VGA cable and DVI-VGA converter. Nothing happens.

I'm running the Mini at 60Hz, but I get no HD options above 1600x1200, which is fucking strange because at one point I had a HUGE list of display options including the suggested (by the Dell display) 1900x1050@60Hz. Now I have none of the HD resolution options available to me. Yet even when I had the Mini set to that, it didn't work.

Fuuuuck this. What if I had just ordered a new Mac Mini and this Dell display together? I can't even use the Dell to calibrate it with the Mini. Thank God we have a second display but this is fucking ridiculous.

 

[Evlar]

Apparently the mini doesn't recognize the native resolution of the monitor when it's plugged in so it tries some other "safe" resolution automatically. The monitor cannot manage the "safe" resolution resulting in a blank screen.

You need to download SafeResX: http://www.madrau.com/html/SRX/About.html

I don't have the software myself but evidently it gives you the option to configure the precise resolution and refresh rate of your mini's video output. You're going to have to discover the native resolution of that display and use that precisely. You can also attempt using Remote Desktop to fiddle with the mini's settings while it is connected to the Dell display.

 

[WordAssassin]

Apparently the mini doesn't recognize the native resolution of the monitor when it's plugged in so it tries some other "safe" resolution automatically. The monitor cannot manage the "safe" resolution resulting in a blank screen.

You need to download SafeResX: http://www.madrau.com/html/SRX/About.html

I don't have the software myself but evidently it gives you the option to configure the precise resolution and refresh rate of your mini's video output. You're going to have to discover the native resolution of that display and use that precisely. You can also attempt using Remote Desktop to fiddle with the mini's settings while it is connected to the Dell display.

That says it works with Intel Macs, but my dad's Mini with a PPC... will it still work?


And yes, "It just works" has been running through my head for the last 3 hours. I don't know if I should call Dell again or Apple.... ughhh.

 

[BravoSuperStar]

Did the dell monitor ever say "out of range" or anything on it? This would indicate it is receiving a signal but for whatever reason can't display it. You could also maybe try going into the dell monitor settings and reset it back to factory settings?

 

[StopMakingSense]

Have you tried the display with any other computers?

 

[Evlar]

That says it works with Intel Macs, but my dad's Mini with a PPC... will it still work?


And yes, "It just works" has been running through my head for the last 3 hours. I don't know if I should call Dell again or Apple.... ughhh.

It offers a Universal Installer so it should work.

 

[WordAssassin]

Have you tried the display with any other computers?

Not yet, that'll be next.

I've installed the suggested display program and created a 1920x1080@60Hz setting and am rebooting the mini while plugged into the CRT. Let's see what happens.

 

[WordAssassin]

Ok, I set it to 1920x1080 at 60Hz.

Plugged it into the Dell.

The screen is going haywire. I can see, in brief flashes, the desktop, but it looks like it's super static-y, the screen is doubled if not quadrupled sometimes, it is going crazy. Then it goes black, and says the timing is not supported by the Dell monitor, and to please change my settings to, drum roll please,

1920x1080 at 60Hz.

What the fuck.

 

[NetMapel]

So what do you have connecting the mini and Dell ? A mini DVI to DVI cable ? Is it the analog or digital one ?

 

[WordAssassin]

So what do you have connecting the mini and Dell ? A mini DVI to DVI cable ? Is it the analog or digital one ?

It's a digital DVI cable. The Mini, when using a DVI cable, doesn't need any other adapters, as the only video port it has on the back is a DVI port. When I use the CRT Studio Display, I use a DVI-VGA connector and then a VGA cord, but when trying to plug into the Dell, I use just the DVI-D cable it came with.

 

[WordAssassin]

GOT IT MOTHER FUCKER!

I had to use the VGA cable with the DVI-VGA adapter, but it works now. What the flying fuck. I guess Dell sent me a bad DVI cable? Who the fuck cares, it's working now.

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who helped, especially Evlar with that program for forcing resolutions.

Oh man. So happy.

Now something that was just brought to my attention when plugging in speakers - for some reason the Mac Mini talks. For everything. Whenever a file is selected or a window opened, the Mac Mini's robot voice reads it all to me. What in the world is this and how do I turn it off?

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

Macs and PCs cant have sex with each other silly!!!

 

[swoon]

GOT IT MOTHER FUCKER!

I had to use the VGA cable with the DVI-VGA adapter, but it works now. What the flying fuck. I guess Dell sent me a bad DVI cable? Who the fuck cares, it's working now.

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who helped, especially Evlar with that program for forcing resolutions.

Oh man. So happy.

Now something that was just brought to my attention when plugging in speakers - for some reason the Mac Mini talks. For everything. Whenever a file is selected or a window opened, the Mac Mini's robot voice reads it all to me. What in the world is this and how do I turn it off?

it's trying to tell you that it is sorry. about everything.

(turn off voice over in uni. access)

 

[NetMapel]

GOT IT MOTHER FUCKER!

I had to use the VGA cable with the DVI-VGA adapter, but it works now. What the flying fuck. I guess Dell sent me a bad DVI cable? Who the fuck cares, it's working now.

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who helped, especially Evlar with that program for forcing resolutions.

Oh man. So happy.

Now something that was just brought to my attention when plugging in speakers - for some reason the Mac Mini talks. For everything. Whenever a file is selected or a window opened, the Mac Mini's robot voice reads it all to me. What in the world is this and how do I turn it off?

Hmmm... so it's Mac Mini DVI ---> DVI/VGA adapter ---> VGA ---> Dell monitor ? What a load of crap that you have to use a VGA adapter for this. You're no longer transmitting visual digitally and no HD either then ? I plan to buy a Dell monitor later on myself too for my Macbook Pro and this thread causes me some worries.

 

[AlexMogil]

My brother uses the 2407 and it works right out of the box. It sounds like it really could have been a bad cable unless the 09's added something.

 

[WordAssassin]

It's working beautifully now. I'm convinced it was a bad cable because I've tried a couple different resolutions now with the VGA and I'm having no problems at all. Bummer deal I can't do digital but I don't think my dad will notice or mind.

Thank you again everyone for your help.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Hmmm... so it's Mac Mini DVI ---> DVI/VGA adapter ---> VGA ---> Dell monitor ? What a load of crap that you have to use a VGA adapter for this. You're no longer transmitting visual digitally and no HD either then ? I plan to buy a Dell monitor later on myself too for my Macbook Pro and this thread causes me some worries.

I can't figure out what you're going on about at all. Dude just had a bad cable.