macbook: hassles with Dell 2005FPW and KVM switch

[idiwa]

Dunno if I'm making a school boy error with this or not. Not been using Macs that long so go easy on me. cheers. Ive searched the forum but not found a similar post.

Ive got a Macbook and a PC set up with a Belkin OmniView Soho serives KVM switch (USB/VGA) running thru a Dell 2005FPW monitor. Now the PC runs fine at 1680 x 1050 (the max res for the DELL) but the mac is not showing the desktop properly. When i use screen mirroring it truncates the image and clips off the top and bottom.
Mirroring on running full res 1680 x 1050 (purple areas are wasted space)

Mirroring on running full res, this time its centred the image.

If i turn mirroring OFF it will show the extended desktop at the correct 1680 x 1050. extended desktop/ Mirroring off

The Dell has its own controls that run a Auto Adjust under Image settings, but this does sweet FA. I've defaulted to factory settings on the DELL and still no joy.

The mac does recognise the Dell in the display prefs and shows its max res as 1680 x 1050.

Any ideas whats going wrong?

Just to point out the cables used my the KVM are belkin VGA/USB cables and ive swapped them over to make sure one is not dodgy. Ive ran the Macbook via the KVM switch and as a direct connection to the DELL and it still has the same errors.

thanks again.

 

[idiwa]

Nothing like answering my own question. I should have had mirroring turned off then put it to sleep and ran in clamshell mode. Like i said im new to macs but im loving them more each day.

move along, nothing to see

 

[DougJrS]

The display that you have also has mutiple inputs. Connect the Mac with the DVI cable and then connect the PC with the VGA cable. Then use the buttons on the front of the monitor to switch the input.

BTW - you can also do PIP on that monitor so you can see both screens at the same time.

Doug

 

[idiwa]

That still leaves me with 2 keyboards and mice Doug. Anyway like i posted I worked it out anyway. cheers.

 

[Digidesign]

The display that you have also has mutiple inputs. Connect the Mac with the DVI cable and then connect the PC with the VGA cable. Then use the buttons on the front of the monitor to switch the input.

BTW - you can also do PIP on that monitor so you can see both screens at the same time.

Doug

PIP doesn't work for DVI and VGA. It'll let you do any of the other inputs + DVI or VGA, but not DVI and VGA at the same time.