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connecting a macbook pro to ACD = Crappy quality?

G

gothamm

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 18, 2007
844
3
I was at the local best buy and noticed a macbook pro connected to a 23" ACD. Right off the bat i noticed that the MBP's screen was MUCH crisper and clearer that the Apple Cinema Display it was hooked up to. I didn't notice whether it was hooked up via DVI or VGA. I am planning on getting on buying an ACD to hook up to a MBP but from what i saw, the connection causes a decrease in image quality. This is kind of disappointing =/


can anyone shed some light on this?
 
gothamm said:
I was at the local best buy and noticed a macbook pro connected to a 23" ACD. Right off the bat i noticed that the MBP's screen was MUCH crisper and clearer that the Apple Cinema Display it was hooked up to. I didn't notice whether it was hooked up via DVI or VGA. I am planning on getting on buying an ACD to hook up to a MBP but from what i saw, the connection causes a decrease in image quality. This is kind of disappointing =/


can anyone shed some light on this?
Click to expand...

This has nothing to do with an ACD 23".

I have a MBP connected to a 23" ACD and sometimes a 30 -- the image quality is stunning.

Was a Worst Buy problem for sure.
 
FJ218700 said:
the best buy geniuses probably had the wrong resolution set on the ACD
Click to expand...

Agreed, I hace my mbp hooked up to a dell 2407 (24") and 2007 (20") screens and they look fantastic. Apple uses the same panels as dell so I don't expect anything less from the ADCs. Sounds like a config issue.
 
Why would the connection be anything but DVI? MacBook Pros have it built in as standard!

Regardless, this definitely sounds like human error. From what I've heard, Best Buy is run by people who could burn ice cream...?
 
so clarity-wise, the monitor should be the same as the MBP's display?
 
What were the brightness settings like on the MBP and the ACD? Also remember MBPs are LED backlit now, might make some difference.
 
jnc said:
What were the brightness settings like on the MBP and the ACD? Also remember MBPs are LED backlit now, might make some difference.
Click to expand...

did not notice the brightness settings. I guess the mbp screen was a lot sharper and crisper than the ADC. the ADC looked pixelated.
 
gothamm said:
so clarity-wise, the monitor should be the same as the MBP's display?
Click to expand...

Should probably be better than the MBP display.

The high res 17" that I have is a bit sharper due to higher pixel density per screen size, but the 15" display would probably be about the same or slightly less sharp.

Both displays should be exceptionally clear.

Anything other than this is definitely either 1) human error, or 2) defective product.

The ACD's are of outstanding color, sharpness, clarity.

gothamm said:
I guess the mbp screen was a lot sharper and crisper than the ADC. the ADC looked pixelated.
Click to expand...

This is not normal.

An ACD WILL NOT LOOK PIXELATED.

You have nothing to worry about with this purchase.

This was some sort of fluke, for sure.
 
I use a 15" MBP and a 23" ACD. The 23" display looks great. Only problem is with how small the 15" screen is when sitting next to the 23" display.
 
The image on an ACD30 off of a MacBook Pro is brilliant, but if you plan to run it in clamshell mode, be prepared for it to howl like a Harrier preparing to land on deck every time you encounter a piece of Flash on the Web or try to run a video.
 
netdog said:
The image on an ACD30 off of a MacBook Pro is brilliant, but if you plan to run it in clamshell mode, be prepared for it to howl like a Harrier preparing to land on deck every time you encounter a piece of Flash on the Web or try to run a video.
Click to expand...

Why is that? Ram, gpu? That's a setup I was looking into instead of a Mac Pro. You've got me all worried :(
 
jnc said:
Why is that? Ram, gpu? That's a setup I was looking into instead of a Mac Pro. You've got me all worried :(
Click to expand...

It will do that specifically for flash because flash on OS X is horribly implemented. Seriously, on a 1GHz G4, Safari will use the entire processor (as will firefox) if you are playing a simple flash game. On a 1.83GHz Core Duo, it will use around 80%+ of my CPU (OS X measures each core as 100%, so I have a total of 200% CPU usage available).

So, it isn't RAM or GPU thing, it is a flash thing.
 
I plan on getting a 23" ACD to run off of my 17" MBP next week. I also plan to run it in closed lid mode, but here's the catch: with the MBP running, hook up the ACD. Then close the lid. Then click the mouse or hit a key on the keyboard to wake the MBP back up. Now, open the lid back up on the MBP. The internal display is still off, but it allows the laptop to cool and ventilate as normal.

I did this all the time with my old studio display and 15" powerbook. The only hitch is if you restart the laptop with the lid up, the display re-activates. No big deal really though.
 
I run my MPB in clamshell all the time to a 23" ACD. The display is beautiful and the computer is fine.

It was probably running 1440x900, or even better, a resolution that was not 16x10
 
altoption said:
I use a 15" MBP and a 23" ACD. The 23" display looks great. Only problem is with how small the 15" screen is when sitting next to the 23" display.
Click to expand...

Which ACD are using? Can u provide a link to it?

or anyone else have a 23" hooked up to a MPB?
 
on777 said:
Which ACD are using? Can u provide a link to it?

or anyone else have a 23" hooked up to a MPB?
Click to expand...

I run a 23" ACD off of both a 15" and 17" MBP.

The quality is the Best of the Best in terms of resolution and color.

My brother in CT runs the same. This is perfect match in terms of technology match.
 
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