34" Wide Screen / 2009 MacPro Problems

[Barry Johns]

So I recently upgraded my studio monitor, previously I had a 29 inch widescreen monitor, I now have a 34 inch widescreen monitor. My stock video card with my 2009 Mac Pro, had no problems achieving max resolution on the 29 inch widescreen, but simply will not do it on the 34 inch widescreen.

The best I'm able to get is 1080P with that monitor using my current stock video card. I've tried every adapter known to man, and none of them have worked properly. I just don't understand why it works fine on a 29 inch widescreen, yet won't with a 34 inch widescreen?

This is the monitor I'm trying to make it work with.

http://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-34U...rawide-monitor

All I'm trying to get the monitor to display is its max resolution of 2560/1080, according to the specs of the video card, it should be capable of doing that, but for some reason I can't get it there. I end up with 1080P, stretched, so I'm not able to get as much of the ProTools screen as I should be able to get the same way I'm able to get with my LG 29 inch widescreen.

If I need to put a different video card in my computer I'm fine with that, however I don't want to spend a Ton of money on it.

Any solutions, possibly video card recommendations?

[SigFriedChicken]

I did some quick Googling and saw some people mentioning a similar problem when using the HDMI ports on their Macs. They resolved the issue by using the displayport instead.

[TVPostSound]

Barry,

Is it the OEM grey card?

I have an extra ATI 5770 for sale!!

But check your cable first, make sure its compliant.
Not sure you'll get 2560 using DVI to HDMI adapters.

[panamajack]

Originally Posted by Barry Johns

So I recently upgraded my studio monitor, . . . My stock video card with my 2009 Mac Pro, had no problems achieving max resolution on the 29 inch widescreen, but simply will not do it on the 34 inch widescreen.

. . . All I'm trying to get the monitor to display is its max resolution of 2560/1080, ?

According to the LG web page, that monitor is HDMI v 1.4. I have an 2009 Mac Pro Nehalem that came with a Nvidia GT120. I have two monitors hooked up, but the 2560 monitor requires a dual link DVI special cable. Looks like there is only one connection, an HDMI, on that LG monitor.

I have a 3840 x 2160 4K monitor that works on an early 2015 MacBook Pro. It will do 60Hz on the thundberbolt port, but only 30 Hz on the HDMI port. I think that 2015 MacBook Pro has an HDMI 1.4 port.

You could likely get a different monitor which will work with your card (Mac video cards are kind of pricey). I have a 2010 Mac Pro with the ATI 5870. Even though it has two Mini Display ports and a DVI, only the DVI port will drive the 3860 monitor (and only at 30Hz). The display ports will drive a 2560 x 1080 monitor (which I pulled off a PC to test) and will also drive an Apple Cinema type monitor (2560 x 1440). I bought a QVS active converter mini DP to HDMI and it is driving a 2560 x 1440 monitor okay now. A similar Accel active DP to HDMI converter is also available.

[Ray Lyon]

Originally Posted by Barry Johns

If I need to put a different video card in my computer I'm fine with that, however I don't want to spend a Ton of money on it.

Any solutions, possibly video card recommendations?

I had the same problem finding a vid card for the 34" Samsung monitor I now use with my PT rig. The card I'm using is the NVIDIA GTX 960... runs on the internal power supply so it won't intefere with an HDX card power supply if you have one... go to http://www.macvidcards.com/store/p78..._and_4_GB.html for more info. HTH!

[noah330]

I also have an LG widescreen.

Mine wouldn't work HDMI until I downloaded this little piece of shareware called SwitchResX and now it's awesome.

http://www.madrau.com/

It took a couple restarts and stuff, but I LOVE the widescreen.

I got mine on Black Friday. GC didn't have anything good so I went into Best Buy, where I never shop. They were blowing them out - and they even had a ProTools session on the demo video.

Best thing I ever did for mixing and editing.