osx - Macbook Pro second monitor resolution hack?

07
2014-07

user2018084

I've just bought an mini-display to VGA today and attached my monitor to my Macbook Pro to use as an extended screen. Unfortunately the highest resolution available for my second monitor is not high enough to my taste and things do look a tiny bit stretched and blurry.

Under my Linux box I had the same problem. I then found a guide that allowed me to set more or less any resolution I wanted through xrandr commands.

I'm looking for a similar "hack" for my Mac OS. Google wasn't of much help on this so I'm turning to SuperUser.

How can you set a custom resolution for a second monitor under Mac OS?

EDIT:

I've followed the advice given below. I've installed SetResX but it still doesn't offer the resolution I want. I then look at com.apple.Boot.plist as suggested and here is the content:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>Kernel Flags</key>
    <string></string>
</dict>
</plist>

I don't know how I can edit this to set a custom screen resolution for the second extended monitor. Tried Google and found one guy asking the same thing but with no answer.

I know for a fact my Macbook Pro and my second extended screen can support the resolution I want (1920x1200) as it's my configuration for my Linux partition.

Answers

jlan

First try option clicking on "Scaled" in display preferences, this should display all available resolutions instead of the top 3.

If that still does not allow you to select the resolution you are looking for you have these options:

Paid software - SwitchResX

Free software - SetResX

You can also edit the hardware profile for the external monitor in /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/com.apple.Boot.plist

Related Question

windows 7 - How can I get 2560 * 1600 on Win 7 ? MacBook Pro 17 + Dell 30 inch 3008 WFP + Fusion 3

windows-7 osx macbook resolution vmware-fusion

Tarek Demiati

I run VM Ware Fusion 3 on a Mac Book Pro 17 hooked to a Dell 30 inch screen

I CAN manage to get a Resolution of 2560 * 1600 on Mac OS X(MacBook Pro), but can't on Win 7 (on the exact same MacBook Pro)

The highest resolution I can get on MS Win 7 is 2048 * 1536 (and I want to be able to set it to 2560 * 1600 to fully enjoy the real estate of my 30 inch screen!)

I have searched the KB, and found an article which mentionned that I should add the following lines in the vmx file (which I did) The lines are the very bottom of the vmx file

svga.maxWidth = "2560"
svga.maxHeight = "1600" 
svga.vramSize = "16384000"

KB Article : http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=1003&sliceId=1&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&dialogID=63746028&stateId=0%200%2066741566

I did the manipulation describe in the KB above however, I rebooted several times, but I still can't get the correct resolution to show in Windows

Home

osx - Macbook Pro second monitor resolution hack?