Display Port to DVI issue – low resolution

I use a large 32″ monitor with my laptop when I am at home.

I had it connected by the mini Display Port output, to HDMI via a little adapter. No issues, great picture and full resolution up to 1440p.

Now I want to connect an Xbox to the same monitor and switch between them. So I bought a HDMI to DVI lead, so I could connect the laptop to the DVI input on the monitor and use the HDMI for the Xbox.

When I connect the laptop to the DVI, the monitor picture has interference and will not allow anymore than 1080p resolution.

I tried connecting the Xbox with the same lead to the DVI and the picture is perfect, with 1440p resolution. However, the DVI doesn’t carry audio and I need to use the audio out on the monitor for sound, so that’s not an option.

Any suggestions?

Are there some settings I’m missing?

Is the problem the cheap little HDMI to Display Port adapter?

Does it need one of the ‘alt mode’ adapters? I needed one of these to connect a DVI(-D) monitor to a MacBook Pro. An ordinary adapter would not work.

So you’re going Laptop (MDP) -> (MDP) widget (HDMI) -> (HDMI) cable (DVI) -> (DVI) monitor ?

You could just buy a MDP-> DVI cable?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/1-8m-DisplayPort-Adapter-Unibody-MacBook/dp/B003WVB86E

Although that might not be the resolution you need…

Supports ::: 1920 x 1200 – 1080p FULL HD

You could just buy a MDP-> DVI cable?

I know. I have ordered one. I realised that after I had ordered the HDMI to DVI. DOH!

It’s not worth the hassle of sending it back by the time I have paid the return postage.

As Jim says, DVI maxes out at 1900×1200 (you can go higher at the expense of shitty frame rates or funky timings). Dual link DVI goes higher than that. If you’ve got two blocks of 9 pins in the DVI connector rather that a contiguous block of, er, 20-odd (24?) then it’s only a single-link connector.

Chaining adapters together is rarely particularly optimal.

It’s definitely the 24 pin connector. It works fine at 1440p with the Xbox.

I guess it’s the multiple adapters causing the issue.