Intel Mac Mini and Alis 1024x1024 Plasma.

[Kahuna]

My new mac mini came last night and I didn't have much of a chance to play with it other than plugging it in. There is a major overscan issue and I can't even see the dock or menu bar.

I did download Switchres X and had a quick fiddle, but no luck. Has anyone used this program to get the output of the mini sorted on an Alis panel? I'll have a good look over the weekend, but thought someone may have the relevant settings already sussed.

Thanks,
K

 

[Spoonhead]

Does this link help?

http://www.hdbeat.com/2006/03/03/new-macs-connecting-to-hdtvs-they-just-work/



Spookily we have similar equipment and I have been looking at getting the mac mini duo.

How have you got on with it?

What spec did you go for? Any extra ram?

Will you be using it to show HD material, if so will you be using front row or VLC?

Regards


Gazza

 

[hornydragon]

You cant bypass the inernal scaling in an ALIS panel and hence you cant adjust the overscan. dont try and feed it 1024x1024 1024x768 will geberally work but play around and see what other ALIS (1024x1024 ALIS [Hitachi]) panel users use

 

[DannyLizard]

How are you getting on Kahuna?

I've got the same TV and I'm interested in the Mini Mac option.

 

[Spoonhead]

Kahuna

Keep the thread going with your experiences and issues?

By the way, try Hornydragon's suggestion on the screen size. I used 1024x768 when I attached an old laptop and had no probs with the start bar and the top of program bars but that was windows, not OSX.

Gazza

 

[Kahuna]

Thanks for all your replies guys. I have had a bit more of a fiddle over the weekend. Some good, some bad.

OK, I have got the overscan issue solved, and it is currently set to 1024x768 @ 75Hz. It is however stretched in the horizontal plane. This is exactly how it looks when connected to my G4 powerbook via DVI also.

I have created another problem though. Some how I have locked the display configs, and cannot change the available resolutions even with Switchres X or DisplayConfig X. I have even tried deleting the hard drive and reinstalling the OS. Only thing I haven't tried is writing zeros to the disk.

This thread at AVS Forums seems to have settings that may work. Now I only have to find out how to unlock my settings and work out how to translate them to one of the mac programs!

For some reason, I don't seem to have an overscan tick box in my display preferences. Is this due to the Hitachi scaler as mentioned above?

In addition to the locked display settings, Ihave some other small random problems:

1. iTunes plug-ins not showing up in visualiser menu.

2. Frontrow is very temperamental. Crashing and often slow. Remote confuses it.

3. After using VNC to let my powerbook control the mini (due to not having a decent keyboard and mouse for it yet) my hard drive and a networked drive show up on the desktop as "<Array>" and "<Array/>" for some reason.


For interest's sake, I have the stock standard dual core. I have ordered 2gig of RAM from the US. I thought I would be able to get it much cheaper than the apple store, but if I had my time again I would have ordered it from apple with the 2gig pre-installed. I will be getting the LaCie firewire drive with hub when it comes out end March.

Here are some other threads talking about the Hitachi issue:
http://entechtaiwan.com/forums/view...s=0&postorder=asc&highlight=1024x1024&start=0
http://entechtaiwan.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1347&highlight=1024x1024

 

[Kahuna]

Also, I have ordered this optical cable which seems a good deal at &#163;9.99: http://www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/108-100.html

 

[Kahuna]

Ok, update.

I tried the 1024x576 setting with a view to using the letterbox zoom function on the plasma. Only problem is that this function is disabled on the DVI-PC input.

So I tried the res at 1024x640. GOLD! Finally got rid of the fat faces! After setting the res to 1024x640 (scaled) using SwitchresX Control, it showed up as "1024x640, 75 Hz (stretched)" in the displays menu.

Also, it seems that the iTunes plug-ins need to be updated for the intel processors.