editing My other monitor not working!!

[Fanatek]

Dear all,

I am really excited to be part of such a cool website, where there are so many interesting things to read and tips that helps all filmmakers.

Well, I have my own business, where I film birthday parties, weddings, special documentaries for companies. I have been using dual screens from ACER (AL1922) and and LCD monitor and a G5 with final cut pro suite, with external M-AUDIO speakers. It worked beautiful for the past 2 years.

Today, when i switched on the computer, one of the monitors didn't work !!! I am very surprised, because all the wires are connected, power is there!! But it is not working!!

Help !!

 

[knightly]

Power down between each of these and boot off the System DVD to eliminate any software conflicts as the culprit. Start by just booting off the DVD and seeing if it magically works... if so, it's a software problem and you can ignore the rest of this discussion ... you'll just want to back up your data and do a system reinstall (you don't necessarily need to erase the disk, the backup is for safety... like frankie, we don't work without annette ).

If the problem continues, Power down and swap the connectors to the back of the G5 on the two ACER's to see if the problem follows the cable or stays with the monitor when you reboot off the DVD. The purpose of this is to figure out whether the problem is in the monitor (would stay not working) or is in a different part of the chain.

If the same monitor stays not working, it's a problem with the monitor.
If the other monitor stops working and the original works, it's a problem toward the computer. We'll start then by keeping the monitors where they are and switch just the cables to eliminate the cables.

Then the video cards (swapping them between slots to see if it follows the card or stays with the slot).

This should have it so you've identified where the problem originates. Now you can use the known good combinations of parts to eliminate further to see if it's perhaps a combination of card/slot that doesn't work or jsut a wonky fluke. If it's the last bit, you may want to consider taking it to your nearest apple store for geniusing.

This procedure is how I would trouble shoot this problem (it's also what the geiusii would/should go through at the apple store). I've been a certified apple technician since 1993.

The trouble shooting diagram I'd draw up for myself would look like this:

OSX (recent updates? 10.5.6 last week?) > Video Driver > G5 (specifically the pci slots that relate to this particular chain) > Video card(s - you'll have added cards to the machine to get that many monitors on... I had to) > Cable > Monitor > Power cord > Wall outlet.

I'd start at the monitor end (with power) and eliminate suspects backwards through the chain.

 

[Fanatek]

Power down between each of these and boot off the System DVD to eliminate any software conflicts as the culprit. Start by just booting off the DVD and seeing if it magically works... if so, it's a software problem and you can ignore the rest of this discussion ... you'll just want to back up your data and do a system reinstall (you don't necessarily need to erase the disk, the backup is for safety... like frankie, we don't work without annette ).

If the problem continues, Power down and swap the connectors to the back of the G5 on the two ACER's to see if the problem follows the cable or stays with the monitor when you reboot off the DVD. The purpose of this is to figure out whether the problem is in the monitor (would stay not working) or is in a different part of the chain.

If the same monitor stays not working, it's a problem with the monitor.
If the other monitor stops working and the original works, it's a problem toward the computer. We'll start then by keeping the monitors where they are and switch just the cables to eliminate the cables.

Then the video cards (swapping them between slots to see if it follows the card or stays with the slot).

This should have it so you've identified where the problem originates. Now you can use the known good combinations of parts to eliminate further to see if it's perhaps a combination of card/slot that doesn't work or jsut a wonky fluke. If it's the last bit, you may want to consider taking it to your nearest apple store for geniusing.

This procedure is how I would trouble shoot this problem (it's also what the geiusii would/should go through at the apple store). I've been a certified apple technician since 1993.

The trouble shooting diagram I'd draw up for myself would look like this:

OSX (recent updates? 10.5.6 last week?) > Video Driver > G5 (specifically the pci slots that relate to this particular chain) > Video card(s - you'll have added cards to the machine to get that many monitors on... I had to) > Cable > Monitor > Power cord > Wall outlet.

I'd start at the monitor end (with power) and eliminate suspects backwards through the chain.

Thanks so much for the quick reply. Well I did the test you mentioned, and apparently the problem is with the monitor, as when I switched the cables, the other monitor always works. In regards to the video card, I am not sure what this is (I'm sorry but can you clarify). So, should I take the monitor to the place I purchased as this is not a MAC product, it is ACER.

Let me know plz

 

[knightly]

If the problem only occurs on one monitor when you change plugs (i.e. Take video cable out of Monitor one and plug it into monitor 2 which is then still broken)... then the problem is probably with the monitor. But I'd like to test the software configuration first.

Did you do the 10.5.6 update last week? 2 Monitors in your setup or 3?

Please open the Apple Menu > System Preferences > Displays
Go to the Layout tab and let me know if that looks like your virtual desktop workspace should look (two numbered monitors touching on one edge with the menubar graphic across the top of one of them.)