Multisync and multiscan monitors

A multisync monitor can sense the synchronization signal type it’s connected to and then configure itself to use that signal to generate its display. Because it can match itself to different resolutions, as well as different synchronous signal types, it works with a variety of computers. A multiscan monitor, however, can only synchronize itself to one type of signal, depending on the monitor you have.

The most common scan rates available on multiscan monitors are 60, 72, 75, 82, 83, and 85 Hz. Most multisync monitors have multiscan capabilities, but multiscan monitors don’t have multisync capabilities. Three types of synchronous signals exist:

• Sync-on-green (used by older Sun®, Mac®, SGI, and other computers)
• Composite sync (used by some Sun and Mac computers)
• Separate horizontal and vertical sync (used in VGA systems found in PCs and some newer Sun and Mac computers)

These differences are an issue when you’re connecting to a wide variety of CPU types that may provide different types of video output.