iMac RevB Monitor/Output Problems
I am currently trying to help out a friend of mine with a recurring problem with his RevB iMac default video running OS 9.1, I am doing this remotely without actually having my hands on the machine(those who remember me will likely recall I'm a PC kinda guy 
) so I'm at a bit of a disadvantage.
The problem is almost certainly that the monitor is dead. He has been having problems with this for years and Apple has replaced the analog board roughly half a dozen times never clearing up the problem and in fact it has gotten progressively worse. Now, there is only one narrow garbled line in the center of his monitor displaying anything. His current option from the local Apple repair shop it to purchase a used iMac monitor for ~$150 and then have them install it(this is an old RevB, that could be several hundred dollars in repairs for a used piece of hardware, I think you see where I'm going there).
So, he has this monitor output on his machine that I believe should be capable of mirroring his desktop and he has a spare Mac monitor around. When he attempts to use this monitor everything comes up completely screwed up which I would expect as this is an old 13" monitor and does not support the video mode the iMac is booting to.
This is my first question, is there any way to force the iMac to boot at 640x480 60Hz? If this is possible he should be able to at least verify that this output mode will work.
Next question is I found an adapter at the site below, the "Adapter 7001: Unimac-82D DB15 M to VGA F w/switches"
<a href="http://www.si87.com/Products/Cabling/Adapters/adapters.html"; target="_blank">http://www.si87.com/Products/Cabling/Adapters/adapters.html</A>;
Using this he should be all set to use a standard VGA monitor, right? For $150 he can pick up a decent 17" VGA monitor as long as it will work.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
) so I'm at a bit of a disadvantage. The problem is almost certainly that the monitor is dead. He has been having problems with this for years and Apple has replaced the analog board roughly half a dozen times never clearing up the problem and in fact it has gotten progressively worse. Now, there is only one narrow garbled line in the center of his monitor displaying anything. His current option from the local Apple repair shop it to purchase a used iMac monitor for ~$150 and then have them install it(this is an old RevB, that could be several hundred dollars in repairs for a used piece of hardware, I think you see where I'm going there).
So, he has this monitor output on his machine that I believe should be capable of mirroring his desktop and he has a spare Mac monitor around. When he attempts to use this monitor everything comes up completely screwed up which I would expect as this is an old 13" monitor and does not support the video mode the iMac is booting to.
This is my first question, is there any way to force the iMac to boot at 640x480 60Hz? If this is possible he should be able to at least verify that this output mode will work.
Next question is I found an adapter at the site below, the "Adapter 7001: Unimac-82D DB15 M to VGA F w/switches"
<a href="http://www.si87.com/Products/Cabling/Adapters/adapters.html"; target="_blank">http://www.si87.com/Products/Cabling/Adapters/adapters.html</A>;
Using this he should be all set to use a standard VGA monitor, right? For $150 he can pick up a decent 17" VGA monitor as long as it will work.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
Comments
"god save the kweyn."
Originally posted by marquesalan
If the original iMac monitor is dead, can you hook up a second via the VGA port and use the second one to run your Mac?
Dude. Patience. Your original thread is enough.
Originally posted by marquesalan
If the original iMac monitor is dead, can you hook up a second via the VGA port and use the second one to run your Mac?
If you read the first post, this is an iMac rev.b, in other words... it is a tray loading iMac without the ability connect another monitor. There is no VGA port, because that would make it a slot-loading iMac (DV). The only port is this cable inside the case that connects to the monitor via DB-25. This can be used with normal mac monitors.
Anyway.... on to helping the thread starter... (what a novel idea!)
Take a look at this...
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/systems/i...nter_case.html
Just buy an old Mac CRT type monitor off ebay... cheap too.
But to be honest... this sounds like a video subsystem problem... you may need to start ripping out parts and replacing them with ones bought on ebay.