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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Unbelievable problems with new monitor and powerbook

Unbelievable problems with new monitor and powerbook
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PKblue
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Join Date: Feb 2004
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Aug 12, 2005, 09:03 PM
 
I am ready to tear my hair out and dump Apple completely!

I just bought a new monitor (an Acer AL2032W 20") which is a great piece of technology (except it doesn't have a headphone jack - idiots!)
HOWEVER
do you think I could get it to work with my Powerbook Al G4 1.33 ?

Problem 1: the list of offered resolutions does not even include my monitor's native one - 1680 x 1050 (the same as Apple Cinema display!) so I can't even evaluate how good the monitor is! Ridiculous.

Problem 2: Acer provide no Mac OS X drivers for their product - terrific! (Not Apple's fault, but is a common problem and makes it harder to stick with Apple because their OS is hardly supported)

Problem 3: Apple are great if things work, but when they don't work it is next to impossible to get any help on the matter!

Problem 4: I have a bluetooth Apple keyboard and I can't get it to make the Powerbook come out of sleep mode so I can use it with the lid shut
The option to "Allow bluetooth devices to wake this computer" etc is GRAYED OUT in the System Pref and nothing I can do will activate it - and there is nothing on the Apple Support pages that I can find that explains why this option is not available - frustrating!

So looks like I will have to send this monitor back for a refund as I can't get it to work properly with my Powerbook. This is very disappointing as it is one of the few monitors available that allow me to plug my Xbox into it as well.

Not a happy camper at the moment!

I will hate going back to Windows, but not sure I can stand the inflexibility of Apple anymore.

sigh
     
Kyros
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Join Date: Jan 2005
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Aug 12, 2005, 09:07 PM
 
Most of those problems sound like it's the display's fault, not the computer's. As for the Bluetooth devices not waking up the computer and clamshell mode not working, I don't have any experience in that so I can't help you there.
g4/1.5 GHz 12 inch powerbook / 1.25 RAM / 80 gig / Superdrive / 10.5.6
g3/400 MHz Pismo / 640 RAM / 40 gig / Combo Drive / 10.3.9
     
COOJ
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Aug 12, 2005, 09:49 PM
 
I dun know the problems about the monitor, but for the bluetooth one...

are you using a 3rd party USB bluetooth connector? if yes, then you cannot wake up your macintosh with other bluetooth devices...
     
ibook_steve
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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Aug 12, 2005, 10:25 PM
 
Wow. First post and you decided to come here to vent. Nice.

Problem 1 and 2: As I answered very recently in another post, available resolutions have nothing to do with software. Monitors don't typically have or need special drivers, except maybe in the Windows world. The computer detects what resolutions are available through hardware. If in the Displays preferences, the display's name is something like "Color Display" instead of the actual name of the product with only default resolutions available like 640x480, 800x600, and 1024x768, your Mac is either having a problem talking to the monitor to get the correct resolutions or this monitor is weird and does not provide its available resolutions to your graphics chip. Check this stuff first. Also try hooking up the display to another machine or your machine to another display to make sure each side is working properly.

Problem 3: Simply not a problem. You are venting. Support pages can only go so far for unique problems. Forums like this and Apple's can help a lot more.

Problem 4: Did you pair your keyboard to the computer properly? If it is and the option is still grayed out, try removing the pairing from the Bluetooth Devices preferences and re-pairing the keyboard with your computer (Set up Bluetooth Device). If it still doesn't work, check for a Bluetooth firmware update on the Apple web site. Your machine may not have the most current Bluetooth firmware. Oh, and look, I found it for you:

http://www.apple.com/support/downloa...updater12.html

It would problably show up when you do a software update as well.

Just chill. You get more flies with honey.

Steve
     
Andy8
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hong Kong
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Aug 12, 2005, 11:52 PM
 
Which model Powerbook are you using, 12", 15" or 17"?

Are you using a DVI-I connection between your screen and PB or are you using a VGA - DVI connection?

Why would you want a headphone jack in your screen, when your PB has a perfectly good one.

Try a 20" Dell widescreen, they use excatly the same LG panel as the apple ACD does in the 20", and it is way cheaper.
     
PKblue  (op)
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Aug 13, 2005, 07:24 AM
 
Right, thanks for the replies. Apologies for "venting" but it is out of frustration. I don't normally post as I don't normally encounter any issues I can't fix myself.
I think you are suggesting that I haven't researched this issue? Well I have, I've searced high and low for answers before posting (but yes, I should have waited a few minutes to calm myself :o)

Problems 1 &2: I'm not sure that what you say is entirely correct. I thought that the drivers do play a part in what resolution is displayed. The hardware has native resolutions but software/drivers influence other resolutions through interpolation. The problem here is that because there is not an up to date driver in the OS and Acer haven't made one available for Mac (they have for XP - surprise), the monitor is reporting itself as an incorrect or generic device. It is frustrating that there is no way around this until Apple release an update or they easily allow 3rd party manufacturers to write Mac OS drivers (let's not go there!). It's just very disappointing for users.
btw I don't have another system to test it with.
and I have checked that my graphics chip (Radeon Mobility 9700) can display 1680 x 1050

Problem 3: yes, a little harsh, but most of Apple's support is simplistic and dopey and very rarely acknowledges when things go wrong. As you say, you need to rely on forum groups such as this one.

Problem 4: I do have the up-to-date bluetooth drivers. I checked this first. (btw...I have built in bluetooth, not using a D-Link to answer another poster's question). I have tried re-pairing etc to no avail. Perhaps the moon is in the wrong cycle? ;o)

Ah, someone else has informed that someone else with this monitor has had problems displaying it's native resolution with a G5 and a different graphics card. So it does seem the issue lies between the monitor not communicating properly to the Mac OS (or the Mac OS can't interpret it properly).

The problem is, I am not going to use a monitor outside it's native resolution if I don't have to - no doubt Apple will release an update, but there is no guarantee, so I have to decide whether to send it back during the return period and get my money back. A shame - it's a lovely monitor.

I'm using a PB Al 15" w Rad Mob 9700 via DVI connector.

Oh, and I want/need a headphone socket on the monitor because there is more attached than just the PB - eg Xbox. If I want to play a game at night or something, I want decent sound without waking the building (hence headphones). It is quite a silly oversight on Acer's part not to provide an option of bypassing it's speakers on a device that is more than a computer monitor (btw, this device in Europe has more connection options than the US version).

Looks like I might to check the Dell out. People seem to be using these monitors ok with Mac OS.

Thanks for helping.

PK

Right, thanks for the replies. Apologies for "venting" but it is out of frustration. I don't normally post as I don't normally encounter any issues I can't fix myself.
I think you are suggesting that I haven't researched this issue? Well I have, I've searced high and low for answers before posting (but yes, I should have waited a few minutes to calm myself :o)

Problems 1 &2: I understand what you’re saying, but I thought that the drivers do play a part in what resolution is displayed. The hardware has native resolutions but software/drivers influence other resolutions through interpolation. The problem here is that because there is not an up to date driver in the OS and Acer haven't made one available for Mac (they have for XP - surprise), the monitor is reporting itself as an incorrect or generic device. It is frustrating that there is no way around this until Apple release an update or they easily allow 3rd party manufacturers to write Mac OS drivers (let's not go there!). It's just very disappointing for users.
btw I don't have another system to test it with.
and I have checked that my graphics chip (Radeon Mobility 9700) can display 1680 x 1050

Problem 3: yes, a little harsh, but a lot of Apple's support can simplistic and dopey and very rarely acknowledges when things go wrong. As you say, you need to rely on forum groups such as this one.

Problem 4: I do have the up-to-date bluetooth drivers. I checked this first. (btw...I have built in bluetooth, not using a D-Link to answer another poster's question). I have tried re-pairing etc to no avail. Perhaps the moon is in the wrong cycle? ;o)

Ah, someone else has informed that someone else with this monitor has had problems displaying it's native resolution with a G5 and a different graphics card. So it does seem the issue lies between the monitor not communicating properly to the Mac OS (or the Mac OS can't interpret it properly).

The problem is, I am not going to use a monitor outside it's native resolution if I don't have to - no doubt Apple will release an update, but there is no guarantee, so I have to decide whether to send it back during the return period and get my money back. A shame - it's a lovely monitor.

I'm using a PB Al 15" w Rad Mob 9700 via DVI connector.

Oh, and I want/need a headphone socket on the monitor because there is more attached than just the PB - eg Xbox. If I want to play a game at night or something, I want decent sound without waking the building (hence headphones). It is quite a silly oversight on Acer's part not to provide an option of bypassing it's speakers on a device that is more than a computer monitor (btw, this device in Europe has more connection options than the US version).

Looks like I might to check the Dell out. People seem to be using these monitors ok with Mac OS.

Thanks for helping.

PK
     
   
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