Apple Cinema Display and BFG 6800 - minor problem
 

Hello,

I asked about the possibility of using a 23" cinema display with a 6800 card
a few weeks ago and got many responses. (Thanks everyone!)

I took the plunge, and bought a 23" Apple display and a BFG 6800 card (not
Ultra, not GT, just a 128MB regular one - this was all that I could find in
the area).

It's gorgeous. I love it.

However, there's one minor snag: the card has a VGA and a DVI output. The
display is hooked up to DVI, for obvious reasons. When I booted Windows, I
got the BIOS screen and the XP boot on my old VGA screen only, nothing on
the Apple. (In the office I use two identical 19" Sonys on some ATI card,
one on the VGA port and one on DVI, and both BIOS and the Windows boot
process appears on both, right until the system actually boots and
"separates" the two displays.)

So it appears that I can't really get rid of the old VGA display. Sort of a
bummer, as it's a huge 21" CRT, and I don't really have room for both of
them on my desk.

It appears that the BFG's firmware insists on using only the VGA connector
as the primary display (BIOS, etc) and only makes use of the DVI output when
a driver actually forces it to.

I tend to think that the problem is with the card - but if I got a "proper"
6800 (2 DVI outs), would that solve my problem? Anyone out there using an
Apple as the primary monitor, and seeing the BIOS screen?

Has anyone seen (and maybe solved) this? (I'm thinking maybe a firmware
update?) I'm borrowing a 19" LCD that I can hook up to the VGA port until
this is resolved... The Apple is absolutely beautiful, but without being
able to see things like a BIOS screen, a DOS floppy boot, etc - it just
cannot be my only monitor.

TIA!

-Marton

got the BIOS screen and the XP boot on my old VGA screen only, nothing on
the Apple. (In the office I use two identical 19" Sonys on some ATI card,

Have you tried disconnecting the vga monitor altogether to see if it will
default to the dvi on boot?

Gary


--

Tweaks & Reviews
www.slottweak.com

Yes I have. Disconnected, powered down, powered up.

I'm pretty sure that the card is the culprit, but wouldn't mind getting some
confirmation on this.

-M

"Marton Anka" marton at 03am dot com wrote in message
...
Hello,

I asked about the possibility of using a 23" cinema display with a 6800
card
a few weeks ago and got many responses. (Thanks everyone!)

I took the plunge, and bought a 23" Apple display and a BFG 6800 card (not
Ultra, not GT, just a 128MB regular one - this was all that I could find
in
the area).

It's gorgeous. I love it.

However, there's one minor snag: the card has a VGA and a DVI output. The
display is hooked up to DVI, for obvious reasons. When I booted Windows, I
got the BIOS screen and the XP boot on my old VGA screen only, nothing on
the Apple. (In the office I use two identical 19" Sonys on some ATI card,
one on the VGA port and one on DVI, and both BIOS and the Windows boot
process appears on both, right until the system actually boots and
"separates" the two displays.)

So it appears that I can't really get rid of the old VGA display. Sort of
a
bummer, as it's a huge 21" CRT, and I don't really have room for both of
them on my desk.

It appears that the BFG's firmware insists on using only the VGA connector
as the primary display (BIOS, etc) and only makes use of the DVI output
when
a driver actually forces it to.

I tend to think that the problem is with the card - but if I got a
"proper"
6800 (2 DVI outs), would that solve my problem? Anyone out there using an
Apple as the primary monitor, and seeing the BIOS screen?

Has anyone seen (and maybe solved) this? (I'm thinking maybe a firmware
update?) I'm borrowing a 19" LCD that I can hook up to the VGA port until
this is resolved... The Apple is absolutely beautiful, but without being
able to see things like a BIOS screen, a DOS floppy boot, etc - it just
cannot be my only monitor.

TIA!

-Marton

I think this is a known problem. Not sure of any solutions however...

http://tinyurl.com/45ara

Chip

Does the borrowed LCD monitor show boot on the dvi?

Gary

--
Tweaks & Reviews
www.slottweak.com


"Marton Anka" marton at 03am dot com wrote in message
...
Yes I have. Disconnected, powered down, powered up.

I'm pretty sure that the card is the culprit, but wouldn't mind getting
some
confirmation on this.

-M

"GTX_SlotCar" wrote in message
...
Does the borrowed LCD monitor show boot on the dvi?

Gary - no, it does not. So it IS the card after all.

Looks like I'm going to have to try it with an Ultra, or any card that that
has dual DVI outs, and hook the monitor up to the primary DVI connector.

-Marton

"Chip" wrote in message
...

I think this is a known problem. Not sure of any solutions however...

http://tinyurl.com/45ara

Chip,

Thanks for the link. The guy is having the exact same problems. The solution
would be to get a card with dual DVI outs....

-Marton