24 replies to this topic

[WeaponX]

My cousin's computer seems to have a bad VGA monitor cable. The problem is that when I turn it on, it seems to be ok, it says auto-configure....then it goes blank (orange light on monitor power button). I looked at the VGA connector pins and see that pins 4 and 11 are missing. Just to be curious, I looked at the end connected to the LCD and it's also missing pins 4 and 11. Is this a coincidence? From what I found, these are what it corresponds to:

4 ID2 Monitor ID Bit 2
11 ID0 Monitor ID Bit 0

Is this responsible for the shot display and then blank screen?

I'm sure it's not the computer itself because I did use another LCD monitor and it worked without any problems. Funny thing is that on that one all the pins are intact. The same exact missing pins on this LCD (the one with the blank screen) is what got me scratching my head. No pins seem to be stuck on the connecting ports...

Can I get any VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) type connector? I did a search and found some on eBay but they don't look like the one I have now (black cable with blue VGA connector on both ends). The one I found says it's Male to Male 15 pin D-Sub connector though (whole thing is black color). This is my first time changing these so I don't want to buy the incorrect cable.

This should be the exact monitor they have (only black color) - site

I have one more quickie...question regarding DVI adapters. What is the main advantage of using these as to regular VGA instead? Better resolution?

Thanks.

[DjCalvin]

you want the 15 pin d-sub.

as far as dvi goes:

DVI will give you a crisper resolution when hooked up to an lcd monitor or a DLP setup.
as long as you are not using the vga output, and using an adaptor to convert to dvi.

DVI is a pure digital signal, and today's lcd's look a hell of a lot better on dvi.
I hooked my pc up to my tv about 6 months ago, when i hooked it up to the analog vga, the computer recognised my tv as a monitor, but my max resolution was 1204x768.
I slapped the dvi cable on there, and right away i noticed a huge difference in color and brightness.
and i was able to put my resolution into native 720p (1280x720)

-C

My cousin's computer seems to have a bad VGA monitor cable. The problem is that when I turn it on, it seems to be ok, it says auto-configure....then it goes blank (orange light on monitor power button). I looked at the VGA connector pins and see that pins 4 and 11 are missing. Just to be curious, I looked at the end connected to the LCD and it's also missing pins 4 and 11. Is this a coincidence? From what I found, these are what it corresponds to:

4 ID2 Monitor ID Bit 2
11 ID0 Monitor ID Bit 0

Is this responsible for the shot display and then blank screen?

I'm sure it's not the computer itself because I did use another LCD monitor and it worked without any problems. Funny thing is that on that one all the pins are intact. The same exact missing pins on this LCD (the one with the blank screen) is what got me scratching my head. No pins seem to be stuck on the connecting ports...

Can I get any VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) type connector? I did a search and found some on eBay but they don't look like the one I have now (black cable with blue VGA connector on both ends). The one I found says it's Male to Male 15 pin D-Sub connector though (whole thing is black color). This is my first time changing these so I don't want to buy the incorrect cable.

This should be the exact monitor they have (only black color) - site

I have one more quickie...question regarding DVI adapters. What is the main advantage of using these as to regular VGA instead? Better resolution?

Thanks.

[WeaponX]

Thanks for the reply. I went to my cousin's house again about a week ago and tried something else (which I should have done earlier ). I bought another vga cable already so that's like $10 down the drain (weird thing was that it says 15 pin when I bought it, but it's actually 14 pins when I took a look at it ). Well, what I did was swapped the LCD monitors between their two computers. Is there a reason why the LCD would work on their other computer and not this one? They have two LCDs...the other one (without the problems - 15 pins intact) will work on BOTH computers. But this 13 pin "problematic" one will only work on the other computer. There was no point of me using the 14 pin cable I got since the issue was resolved by swapping the monitors.

My question is what is the difference between the 13, 14 and 15 pin VGA cables? I guess the one they had was NOT damaged but have no idea why it won't work on that computer.

Was I ripped off getting that 14 pin VGA cable when it was advertised as 15 pin d-sub?

[DjCalvin]

Thanks for the reply. I went to my cousin's house again about a week ago and tried something else (which I should have done earlier ). I bought another vga cable already so that's like $10 down the drain (weird thing was that it says 15 pin when I bought it, but it's actually 14 pins when I took a look at it ). Well, what I did was swapped the LCD monitors between their two computers. Is there a reason why the LCD would work on their other computer and not this one? They have two LCDs...the other one (without the problems - 15 pins intact) will work on BOTH computers. But this 13 pin "problematic" one will only work on the other computer. There was no point of me using the 14 pin cable I got since the issue was resolved by swapping the monitors.

My question is what is the difference between the 13, 14 and 15 pin VGA cables? I guess the one they had was NOT damaged but have no idea why it won't work on that computer.

Was I ripped off getting that 14 pin VGA cable when it was advertised as 15 pin d-sub?

No you were not.
As to why it worked on 1 and not the other? your guess is as good as mine. the missing pins on yours dont sound right honestly.. sure it wasnt 5, 9, 15?
Best way to explain the pins is for you to actually see it yourself:


ok, so you have 15 possible pins.
Here is the pin layout:
1 red
2 green
3 blue
4 ID bit
5 n/c
6 red ground
7 green ground
8 blue ground
9 n/c
10 ground
11 ID bit 11
12 ID bit 12
13 H sync / Composite
14 V sync
15 n/c

note that 5, 9 and 15 are not used. Some cable makers leave the pins in, others pull them alltogether.

The old macs used to use 14 pins, Im not sure about them now honestly though.

Hope that helps.
For more pinouts and where i blatently grabbed the image from: Here you go!

Edited by DjCalvin, 07 May 2006 - 08:03 PM.

[WeaponX]

Yeah, I'm sure. I got a pin layout image from another site and that's how I got the other information on what they are for. It's definitely not pin 5 since I remember it being near the edge (second to last = 4). Is there such a thing as a 13 pin d-sub cable? It definitely can't be a coincidence that BOTH ends of the cable's pin are missing the exact pins. Anyway, I swapped their LCD's and it's still working now...guess it's just one of those strange things on how they work.

Didn't know that some pins weren't needed...makes no sense to put them there at all then. I checked my new 14 pin cable to make sure...yep, pin #9 missing

Thanks for the info on that.

[DjCalvin]

I have never seen a 13 pin one in my travels, doesnt mean they dont exist though. (you obviously got one )
glad its working though. enjoy your new monitor

Yeah, I'm sure. I got a pin layout image from another site and that's how I got the other information on what they are for. It's definitely not pin 5 since I remember it being near the edge (second to last = 4). Is there such a thing as a 13 pin d-sub cable? It definitely can't be a coincidence that BOTH ends of the cable's pin are missing the exact pins. Anyway, I swapped their LCD's and it's still working now...guess it's just one of those strange things on how they work.

Didn't know that some pins weren't needed...makes no sense to put them there at all then. I checked my new 14 pin cable to make sure...yep, pin #9 missing

Thanks for the info on that.

[evought]

Syncing Laptop to LCD TV

VGA Monitor Cable Problems



Hi,
I'm having problems tryin to sync my laptop (Lenovo) to my LCD TV, Initially it worked and I could use it no problems, but since I unplugged it for maintenance and then replugged the cable back in I'm getting a 'no signal' display on my TV. Ive tried all the usual combinations of Fn button with F buttons and the Ctrl and Alt keys, but to no avail. Does anybody have any suggestions?

I have found laptop video out connectors to be relatively fragile. We tend to connect and disconnect laptop cables a lot more than desktop ones, too, so laptop video connectors tend to break sooner. Usually, if it is a software/configuration issue, I find that the external monitor will flicker briefly when it is plugged in. Even if the laptop is not set to use that display, the display recognizes that it is connected to something and tries to synchronize. Look to see any change in the display when it is plugged in.

You might check your cable and connector carefully for pin damage, try a different monitor with the laptop and the monitor with another computer. You might also see if you can easily see the monitor's video connector by opening the various access panels provided to upgrade RAM, etc., and see if something is obviously loose or disconnected. If the laptop is still under warranty and it will no longer work with any external display, consider taking it in to the nearest service center and getting it looked at. Our MacBook currently has a dead video connector, but it is well past warranty.

Something else to look for, especially if your laptop works with another monitor but not this one is your LCD mode settings. Modern flat screens, especially those which can double as HDTVs, have multiple inputs. They may take one or more of component video, VGA, DVI, HDMI, and may have more than one of a particular kind, such as two VGA or DVI hookups so you can hook, say, two computers and a DVD player all to the same screen and switch between them via the remote. If the LCD is 'listening' to the wrong input, say, set for DVI while you have VGA plugged in, or listening to VGA2 while you are plugging in to VGA1, the screen will appear to do nothing. Try looking at the buttons your monitor provides and seeing if one of them switches input modes. If it has a remote, examine its settings. Something might have gotten bumped or otherwise changed since you used it last.

[levimage]

Some vga cables are different. Especially VGA cables made for LCDs, VGA cables made for CRTs, and VGA cables made for LCD projectors. Believe me I had problems, trying to fire up an LCD projector from certain Gateway workstations, and Gateway laptops, when I was doing some computer training for a crowd. I had to 1) first make sure the projector had the right vga cable that came with it, 2) second, make sure that projector was compatible with the PC/laptops motherboard's VGA slot or Video card; 3) third was making sure if integrated video card, the BIOS had options to run multiple video output (laptops), 4) check those Function Key, Ctl+Alt+? keys in the video card and manual.

It was pretty quirky back then... 2002-2005. If you equipment is that dated, or older you may be in the same boat. Hope this helps out.


Levimage