S243HL “No Signal” detected connecting to either HDMI port

island
island Member Posts: 10 New User
Hi there, I have a S243HL monitor and I’m getting a “no signal” message when I try to connect it to my laptop via either HDMI or DVI. I’ve tried connecting to other laptops with the same problem. Any idea why? I also can’t get the on screen menu to display. It seems like the monitor just doesn’t detect a connection and goes into sleep mode.

Answers

  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    Is it possible this monitor isn’t compatible with windows 10 or something crazy like that? I tried searching for drivers for this model number on the Acer website but could only find windows vista drivers haha. That’s the set of drivers the Acer Twitter team referred me to as well, then they referred me here to try to find help. 

    When I connect it via HDMI to my computer the monitor wakes from sleep mode (amber light to blue light along the buttons) only to display a “No Signal” message on the monitor, then the monitor goes back to sleep mode.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 31,436 Trailblazer
    Is there a chance the laptop has the external display disabled in the BIOS? Since the monitor is showing you the no signal message the display itself seems to be working...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    Easwar said:
    Thanks - but this didn’t seem to work. I haven’t tried the safe mode idea (need to go through some bitlocker process apparently) but I have tried installing the Acer drivers (from 2009), messing with resolutions, refresh rates, etc.

    The weird thing is the monitor seems to work fine if I connect it via HDMI to my cable box. It just won’t connect to my laptop. And my laptop connects to other external monitors just fine. I use a different external monitor every day. And it’s not the HDMI cable.

    The previous owner was using it with Windows 10, so I haven’t given up hope yet, but I’m stumped.
  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    billsey said:
    Is there a chance the laptop has the external display disabled in the BIOS? Since the monitor is showing you the no signal message the display itself seems to be working...
    I don’t think this could be possible, as I use a different external monitor daily using the same port on my computer.

    I just responded to a previous post with a bunch of other things I’ve tried too. It’s really odd. The monitor definitely seems to work, and my laptop definitely works, but it won’t connect to display video from my laptop.

    It won’t work with another laptop we tried that belongs to a friend of mine either, so it seems it’s not just my computer that doesn’t work with it. But the previous owner, also a Windows 10 user, seemed to have had it working.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 31,436 Trailblazer
    Yes, it wouldn't be a driver or W10 issue, and it's not a resolution mismatch. When you test with a different monitor, are you also using a different cable?
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    billsey said:
    Yes, it wouldn't be a driver or W10 issue, and it's not a resolution mismatch. When you test with a different monitor, are you also using a different cable?
    The cable that doesn’t work when it’s connected to my laptop (via DisplayPort adapter - my laptop doesn’t have an HDMI port) does work when it’s connected to the cable box (connected directly via HDMI).

    The friend of mine that tested tried to connect to their laptop using the same cable, only their machine does have an HDMI port and they directly connected - and they had the exact same problem as me. No signal. And I don’t think it would be a BIOS issue on their machine either as they also regularly connect to a different monitor and it works fine.
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 31,436 Trailblazer
    DP to HDMI and HDMI to DP adapters are very different. A DP on the laptop connecting to an HDMI on the monitor requires a DP to HDMI, an HDMI to DP will not work... Any chance you just have the wrong cable?
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    billsey said:
    DP to HDMI and HDMI to DP adapters are very different. A DP on the laptop connecting to an HDMI on the monitor requires a DP to HDMI, an HDMI to DP will not work... Any chance you just have the wrong cable?
    I use the same adapter daily to connect to a different Viewsonic monitor I have. And the friend of mine that had the same issues was not using an adapter, her laptop has a HDMI port. Same problems. The HDMI cable I’m using will connect to a TV box but not the laptops, so it doesn’t seem like the cable is a problem. No cables will work with my laptop (via DP adapter) or with hers (connected directly via HDMI).

    Doesn’t that narrow it down to either an Acer driver issue or some kind of compatibility issue?
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 31,436 Trailblazer
    I can't see any way it would be a drivers or Windows issue. The S243HL supports 1920x1080@60Hz which is about as standard as you get these days. There are no drivers required, the connection is described over the interface using plug and play. I could see corrupted firmware on the monitor potentially telling the computer it supports some weird resolution, but that doesn't explain the TV working or why Windows wouldn't see that there's a monitor there...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    billsey said:
    I can't see any way it would be a drivers or Windows issue. The S243HL supports 1920x1080@60Hz which is about as standard as you get these days. There are no drivers required, the connection is described over the interface using plug and play. I could see corrupted firmware on the monitor potentially telling the computer it supports some weird resolution, but that doesn't explain the TV working or why Windows wouldn't see that there's a monitor there...
    So bizarre. Could it be a power thing? Laptop not sending enough power to the port, where my plugged in cable box sends more? Maybe older monitors need more power sent via HDMI or something weird like that?
  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    billsey said:
    I can't see any way it would be a drivers or Windows issue. The S243HL supports 1920x1080@60Hz which is about as standard as you get these days. There are no drivers required, the connection is described over the interface using plug and play. I could see corrupted firmware on the monitor potentially telling the computer it supports some weird resolution, but that doesn't explain the TV working or why Windows wouldn't see that there's a monitor there...
    ... or could it maybe be a monitor firmware issue? Is there a way to update firmware on this panel?
  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 31,436 Trailblazer
    I can't image it being power, those ports pretty much just have signals. Firmware updates aren't possible by the end user, a monitor typically has to be shipped to the repair depot for one. Which is why they seldom provide firmware updates...
    Click on "Like" if you find my answer useful or click on "Yes" if it answers your question.
  • Garbage
    Garbage Member Posts: 4 New User
    To get my newest Acer monitor to work with an older laptop, I had to set the resolution lower than the laptop display and set it to 50hz. I had the same exact issue as you for several days until an option finally popped up in the Intel HD control panel settings allowed me to go lower than 60hz.
  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    Garbage said:
    To get my newest Acer monitor to work with an older laptop, I had to set the resolution lower than the laptop display and set it to 50hz. I had the same exact issue as you for several days until an option finally popped up in the Intel HD control panel settings allowed me to go lower than 60hz.
    Thanks for the suggestion. It doesn’t seem like I have an option to lower my computer’s refresh rate that low. It seems like it’s presenting a 60hz refresh rate when I connect it via HDMI to my cable tv box though, and use it as a TV.
  • Garbage
    Garbage Member Posts: 4 New User
    Maybe it needs a newer driver for you to be able to change the refresh rate lower. I don't see any newer than the one from 2009. Perhaps this program might be able to find a driver for your external display adapter.

    https://www.drivereasy.com

    It found drivers to fix an Asus tablet that I couldn't find manually.
  • island
    island Member Posts: 10 New User
    Garbage said:
    Maybe it needs a newer driver for you to be able to change the refresh rate lower. I don't see any newer than the one from 2009. Perhaps this program might be able to find a driver for your external display adapter.

    https://www.drivereasy.com

    It found drivers to fix an Asus tablet that I couldn't find manually.
    Thanks - I'll give it a shot!