Forums | MacLife

What?!  I beg to differ:

Apple VGA Display Adapter







   

                       
                                                                 

                                                                                                                                           

                                                                 

                                 $19.00                                                                           

                     
                     The Apple VGA cable was specially designed to allow users to connect an eMac, iMac flat panel, PowerBook G4 (12" TFT display), or iBook to an extra VGA monitor or external projector (equipped with VGA) for 24-bit video-mirroring.  The VGA cable plugs into the VGA video-out port built into your eMac, iMac flat panel, PowerBook G4 (12"), or iBook.

  Important: Compatible only with eMac, iMac, PowerBook (12") or iBooks having a VGA port.  Certain iBook models may also have an A/V port for composite video-out.  Use an Apple A/V Cable for composite video-out.  The VGA cable is for VGA video-out only.   

Now that that is settled, on to how to fix it.  Try changing the resolution of the iMac's display until you see a picture.  Unfortunately, you may have to go as low as 640x480 - this is necessary whenever the video is mirrored, instead of driving an external display as an extension of the desktop.  The difference is in the first option, mirroring, it displays the exact image - resolution and everything.

Good luck![/b]

Scrambled how, pet? The only thing I can think of there is that the output is defaulting to PAL for an NTSC TV, or vice versa, though I'd think the output would automatically be NTSC.
Have you tried hitting the "detect new displays" button in the monitors control panel? Do you have the displays menubar menu active? Check in there to see if you're getting extended options, too.

I tried it at all resolutions available in the Displays preferences.
Those are 640x400, 800x600, and 1024x768. It gives me a jagged signal in all three cases. I tried it with two different TVs and two different cables just to make sure that there is no problem with the TV or the cable I was using.
BB, I can't seem to find the "detect new displays" you are referring to. 
Just for reference I am using MacOSX 10.2.6
Thanks

BB, I can't seem to find the "detect new displays" you are referring to. 

Maybe your control panel just doesn't have it. I'm not on my iBook right now, so I can't tell you where saw it precisely.

This is the Display panel in the Displays preferences.
This one is from my PowerMac with the ATI 8500 card that does support multiple displays, that's why you can see the Arrangement panel. On the iMac it doesn't show the Arrangement panel but the rest are the same.

*Ahem*

Apple Video Adapter
$19.00

   The Apple Video Adapter for iBook, PowerBook G4 (12"), eMac (with AirPort Extreme), or 17-inch iMac (1GHz) was specially designed to allow users to connect to S-video or composite video devices. The video adapter cable plugs into the Video Output port (mini-VGA) built into the back of the computers listed. The Video Output port supports VGA, S-Video, and Composite video out. Use the Apple Video Adapter cable for S-Video or Composite video output only (connect to your TV, VCR, or overhead projector's S-Video or RCA (composite) cable). Use a separate VGA Adapter for VGA video out.

Important:
Requires iBook without an external reset button,12-inch PowerBook G4, eMac (with AirPort Extreme) or 17-inch iMac (1GHz) with mini-VGA port.