Mini sleeps, I lose connection and resolution to TV

[johnzy9493]

I've been working on a min-based entertainment center for many weeks now and this forum has been very useful. I'm basically down to two problems that I can't solve:

Setup: Mac mini is hooked up to an ExtremeMac Extreme HD HDMI switcher via a DVI to HDMI cable. It's connected to port 2. My DirecTV dvr connects to port 1. Nothing else is connected to the switch.

The HDMI out from the switcher goes directly into my Sony TV. It's a nothing-special 32-inch flatscreen trinitron.

Here's the first problem:
If the mini is off, and I have the switch on port 2, and I start the mini up, the display works fine -- I get the right resolution and desktop photo and everything. In the "displays" system pref, it says "SONY TV" and I can select a good resolution no problem.

But if I set the mini to go to sleep, and it does, everything goes haywire. When I wake it up, it switches to a different set of generic resolutions, loses the desktop photo, and becomes a squarish-screen instead of widescreen. (Also the displays system pref no longer says Sony TV.)

I have to restart the mini and be sure I have port 2 on the switch selected during startup to fix the problem. There's no other way I've found to fix it.

So, ongoing, I essentially have to never let the mini sleep. If it stays on all the time, I can bop back and forth between my satellite and my mini with no issues whatsoever. Works great. But I'd like to be able to let it go to sleep when it's not in use.

Second problem is I can't get the resolution of the mini output to work precisely with my TV. I can't see the menubar and can't see all of the Dock, they're both "off" the TV screen.

I've read about SwitchResX and those types of apps, but have read some horror-story reviews and don't want to blow my system up. I've learned to use the menu bar without being able to see it and I've got the dock huge so it peeks up from the bottom... but I'd like to be able to see the Desktop normally if possible. Is there a non-scary way to do that?

Thanks if you can help with either problem,
johnzy

[riise_hansen]

1. try to select "detect displays" in Display Preferences
- did that help? If it did I suggest you create an applescript that does this for you when you wake the mini from sleep.

2. try to turn off overscan - also in Display Preferences

[johnzy9493]

Thanks for the ideas, I'll give a try and report back this weekend.

johnzy

[johnzy9493]

Well, I'm still not sure about the sleep issue; but in setting up my Harmony 880, somehow I turned off "overscan" in Display Preferences -> Options... and now I can see the menubar and the Dock, the whole Desktop, (mostly) normally. I say mostly because now I have black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, so I've lost some real estate. These black bars are also present when playing media in Front Row, unfortunately.

So, I guess I need to write an Automator or Apple Script so I can quickly switch between settings that are good for media (overscan on) versus when I want to use the mini as a computer (overscan off). I don't want to have to go through the whole rigamarole every time if I don't have to. It would be nice if I could set it up so that when Front Row is launched it triggers the change, and when it quits it sets it back. And of course tie it all in to my activities on my 880. Anyone know how to do that? I don't know how to automate such things, I'm Apple Script clueless, but I'll try to figure it out.

I have no idea if any of these discoveries affect the 'sleep' problem that I outlined as my primary issue, but I'll mess around some more and see....

[johnzy9493]

Narrowed down the sleep problem. As I said, I have the mini hooked up to an xtrememac hdmi switcher, in port 2, with my DirecTV signal going into port 1.

It's still true that if the mini goes to sleep and I wake the mini while the switch is set to port 1 (someone bumps the mouse or whatever), then switch to port 2, either the screen is black or the screen defaults to a set of generic resolutions (and loses the desk pic).

But it looks like as long as I switch to port 2 FIRST, then wake the mini, all is well. I guess when the video signal starts back up, it needs to be what's getting to the TV in order for the mini to recognize the monitor. If the signal stops at the switch, no dice - loss of signal/generic resolutions (and I have to screen-share in to fix the problem).

So, it looks like user training is the solution to this problem. Also, setting up my harmony remote correctly might automate the correct order of steps.

I guess this is just an idiosyncrasy of HDMI?

[Taos]

User training it may be but I would try to avoid.

My suggestions for the res issue:


Switchres, it is overly technically but if you find someone else with the settings for your panel you will cut down on the trial and error. This is a must for you if you can't find a res that suits in the "Display" offerings.

and the reseting res issue:


DVI detective, I think this will help but you are describing the issue as a switch matter so I am not sure.

Good luck!
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[johnzy9493]

Thanks so much, I will give those tools a try!

johnzy

[grayskyz]