I'm trying to use an Acer 22" P221WD monitor on our eMac, because the main screen is not working reliably anymore.
At boot time I get a "Input Not Supported" message on the monitor -- the computer seems to boot fine, though.
Any idea what the problem is and how to fix it?
I know the monitor and cables are OK as the Acer works fine with my MBP.
The eMac and VGA adapter also work as I get an output on an older 19" Viewsonic monitor.
I thought of a mismatch in resolution, but the Acer seems to handle 1024x768 fine from the MBP.
Thanks in advance for any idea of what to try next!
The external monitor must be able to sync to one of these settings:
640 by 480 138 Hz
800 by 600 112 Hz
1024 by 768 89 Hz
1152 by 864 80 Hz
1280 by 960 72 Hz
You'll notice these literally mirror the internal settings on the eMac.
From the Acer specs, your monitor only supports these resolutions:
1024*768 60Hz
1024*768 70Hz
1024*768 75Hz
1152*864 75Hz
1280*960 60Hz
1152*720 60Hz
1280*1024 60Hz
1280*1024 75Hz
So, that would explain why the old Viewsonic works with your eMac, why the Acer works with your MBP, and, unfortunately, it also explains why the Acer doesn't work with your eMac.
Happy Mac'ing?
Dan
Thanks, that explains it.
May I ask where you found all these specs? I tried finding the resolutions supported by my Mac without any luck -- so I'd really like to know where you found all this information!
Thanks!
The Apple specs I found from the Apple Support page. First I chose eMac from the Product chooser on the left, then, on the eMac support page, you can pick either "About the eMac VGA port" or "About eMac external ports and connectors" from the articles listed at the bottom of the page. This is the one I used:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3021?viewlocale=en_US (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3021?viewlocale=en_US)
The Acer specs are from Acer's support site.
Being an ex-eMac owner, I knew just where to look, as I had this same question and I don't recall if the answer was in the little teeny user guide or not - I don't think it was...
Happy Mac'ing!
Dan
Thanks Dan, you are a wealth of information.
I haven't completely ruled out the possibility of "down-sync'ing" as hinted on the Apple support site (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3014) but it sounds more likely that the monitor will be going back to the shop soon.
Maybe this is a sign that it is time for a significant upgrade for the eMac.
Cyril,
Those scan converters are usually very expensive, but I can't say I've shopped for one recently. The ADC adaptor from Apple, for example, is around $200 or so. eMac screens are pretty expensive to replace as well, so maybe an "older" style of LCD screen would work - one that still has the 4:3 dimensions and supports those "odd" frequencies - check the used stores and SA or Goodwill.
Happy Mac'ing!
Dan
ps: your Acer manual hints that you can fudge the frequencies a little for "manual" settings, but the PDF file I was looking at was almost un-readable - you may want to have a look as I couldn't read it all.
I had a look in the manual but could not make out much out of it.
Are SA/Goodwill good places to find computer stuff? I would never have thought of checking there.
Yes, SA/Goodwill are GREAT places to find odds and ends, and sometimes, complete units, and the stock is always changing. Big CRT monitors seemed to be quite plentiful last time I was there. You can find vintage Macs, not-too-vintage PCs, peripherals, cables, and sometimes, software!
Dan
ps: the early bird gets the worm - there are "pros" who cherry-pick through the stock, but the stock also changes pretty quickly, weekends are crazy at my local SA!