Can I use my imac as an external display for a PC? If so, what cables would I need?

Can I use my imac (intel 2008) as an external display for a PC (Dell 2002)? If so, what cables would I need?

No.

Similar Messages

  • Can I use my iMac as a external display?

    I would like to use the iMac as a second display for my PC laptop. Does Thunderbolt allow this?

    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Thunderbolt/10.6/en/30822.html  https://discussions.apple.com/message/16029034#16029034

  • How do I use my 2011 27" iMac as an external display for a pc?

    I just bought a 27" imac for my home, and was also planning on using it as an external display for my work Dell Laptop running Windows 7.
    The Dell laptop has a displayport output, so I was planning on getting a displayport <-> minidisplayport cable, and using the iMac in target display mode.
    I would simply plug the minidisplay end of the cable into one of the iMac's 2 Thunderbolt ports. Seemed fairly simple.
    Except now it seems from what I have been reading that 2011 iMacs DO NOT WORK in target display mode unless they are connected to another Thunderbolt source. This leads to me two questions.
    1. Can anyone confirm or deny this? If this is true, does that mean I cannot plug my Dell's displayport into the iMac's Thunderbolt port as I described above?
    2. If #1 is true, is there any other option? Are there any adapters that I can use to turn my Dell into a Thunderbolt source for display purposes?
    If I can't resolve this I will have to return the iMac
    Thanks very much.
    David

    David,
    Sorry you can't use the 2011 iMac as an external display to your PC. The feature you are referring to is called Target Display Mode and works on 2009 & 2010 27" iMacs. The 2011 machines use Thunderbolt as you know however they do support external displays that are not Thunderbolt displays. So for example if you wanted 2 displays on the iMac you can easily do that with either Mini Display port to DVI or MDP to VGA or even HDMI. MDP is the same size as Thunderbolt and this will work fine to drive a display, TV or even a projector.
    I'd recommend reading Apple's explanations at Target Display Mode 2009 & 2010 iMacs & Target Display Mode Mid 2011 iMacs.
    Using a Mac as an external display for a Windows machine to me seems like a horrible waste of a Mac. Why not enjoy the iMac and if anything run Windows on it and get rid of the PC?

  • How can I use my rMBP as a secondary display for my iMac using thunderbolt?

    Based on this thread, it's not possible: https://discussions.apple.com/message/19207767
    But, I'm stubborn and refuse to believe that. Maybe they've released a software update (e.g., in Mountain Lion) that has since made this possible? Maybe there is an app that allows for this?
    Note that I don't want a solution that involves network hacks... this is at work, and I'd rather not slow down the network for others. And I'm not interested in the reverse setup (i.e., using my iMac as a secondary display for my rMBP).
    iMac: 27-inch, Late 2012. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M 512 MB. OS X 10.8.4.
    rMBP: Retina, Mid 2012 (15" I think). NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 1024 MB. OS X 10.8.4.

    It's not possible. You can use the iMac as a display for the MBP,  but the reverse is not possible. The MBP does not have Target Display Mode as a feature and no third-party app nor hack can enable something that doesn't exist. The only way to accomplish this will be one of the network solutions.
    Regards.

  • Using a 27-inch iMac as an external display for my macbook air

    I would like Using a 27-inch iMac as an external display for my mac book air.
    i bought a Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable, it's the Belkin Mini DisplayPort to Mini DisplayPort cable on apple store.
    I connect my imac and mac book air with this cable but the screen of my mac book air don't appear on imac screen.
    where is my error ?

    Morning seal, my experience suggests the latter of your two posts is the correct one. I have a 27" iMac with a mini display port (a 2-year old one, not the newer one with thunderbolt); and a brand new Mac book air with thunderbolt. I connected the two with a Belkin male-male mini display port to mini display port cable, and it works fine - press command f2, and the iMac acts as display for the MBA.
    The irony here is that the folks at the apple store in Paris assured me that this would NOT work, and that I needed to buy a €999 thunderbolt display to connect to my MBA. I thought I'd try anyway, since I had the cable to connect a MacBook pro to the iMac anyway... Glad I did.
    Bottom line: yes, despite all the confusion, the new MacBook air will connect to the minidisplay port of an older iMac 27"; and the cable it needs to do that is the older minidisplay port cable, not the thunderbolt one.

  • Can i use an ipad as an external moniter for a mac or pc? if so, then how?

    can i use an ipad as an external moniter for a mac or pc? if so, then how?

    Or you can use home sharing for free, but it will only allow you to play movies and music from itunes.
    Or you can use any remote desktop software
    https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&tab=ww#hl=en&safe=off&output=search&sclient=p sy-ab&q=remote+desktop+apps+from+itunes&oq=remote+desktop+apps+from+itunes&gs_l= hp.3...2689.2689.1.3799.1.1.0.0.0.0.105.105.0j1.1.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1j2.siVpuwV plPU&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=29f1d2d1223cbee7&biw=1280&bih=636

  • How can I use my iMac6.1 as a display for my MacBook Pro

    I have a relatively old iMac 6.1 that I would like to use as a diplay for my MacBook Pro:  any idea of how I can do that and what connecting cables I would need?
    Thanks.
    Vittorio

    Unless the MBP has Thunderbolt you can't use the iMac as an external monitor unless you get ScreenRecycler. If the MBP does have Thunderbolt you need a Thunderbolt cable. Because Thunderbolt is so new finding a cable could be quite a challenge, you may want to contact Lacie and see if they can sell you one other than that I have no idea where to find one now. 

  • Using the IMac 27 only as display for MacBook Pro

    Hello,
    i like to use my iMac 27 only as display for my MacBook Pro.
    I have the connecting cable.
    I must start the iMac, he is booting and then i can plug in the cable to my MacBook. Now i have the second display for using with my MacBook.
    Now my question: Is it possible to use the display without booting the iMac-system?
    Thank you for help!
    Best wishes
    Lutz

    LutzTrabert wrote:
    Now my question: Is it possible to use the display without booting the iMac-system?
    no.
    [_*Using a 27-inch iMac as an external display*_|http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3924]
    JGG

  • Using an iMac as a 2nd display for another iMac?

    Hi all,
    is it possible to use an iMac as a 2nd display for another iMac?
    I guess it depends (if at all possible) on the models, right?
    Would it be possible with two of the currently available iMac 27" models?
    Is it just connecting the two video jacks with a cable? That would mean that the jack is input AND output connector at the same time: the video signal would be output from iMac 1 and serve as input for iMac 2.
    Thoughts?
    Thanks,
    Stefan.

    Awesome, David! Thank you! That helped a lot!
    Additional question: because running applications on the target-display-mode-iMac keep running: will I be able to connect from the source iMac to the target-mode-iMac via OS X's Share Screen functionality? So that I can still USE the 2nd (target-display-mode) iMac for running applications and accessing them? Or is the iMac in target display mode really just a dumb display? Will ssh'ing to it work?
    A little background: programs like Cubase and Logic work really great with two screens. Additionally, some audio plugins really need a lot of CPU power and some of those can actually distribute the number crunching via the LAN to other computers. So my thought is: run Cubase on iMac #1, use iMac #2 as a 2nd screen (will work, thanks to David's reply) AND use iMac #2's CPU, too, to help some Cubase plugins' number crunching. Would that work?
    Thanks a lot,
    Stefan.

  • I got an old Apple G5 shell from Goodwill. I'd like to salvage the Superdrive and use it as an external drive for my Apple laptop. Is this possible, and what cables would I need if so?

    I got an old Apple G5 shell from Goodwill. I'd like to salvage the Superdrive and use it as an external drive for my Apple laptop. Is this possible, and what cables would I need if so?
    Other info is available:
    Superdrive MFG date: Sept 2009
    Model: DVR-118LBK DVD-R/RW Writer Unit
    My Macbook is: Mid-2010, running Mavericks
    Thanks in advance, God bless!

    That's a nice Pioneer DVD±RW drive - and an upgraded replacement for the original optical drive that shipped with that G5.  For a finished look, you'd want to install it in an external enclosure for 5.25" IDE/ATAPI drives that converts it to USB connectivity.  Because SATA optical drives have replaced ATAPI drives in recent years, the selection is getting more limited for a new enclosure, although used ones can undoubtedly be found at ebay.  Here's an example of one, although it only features USB connectivity.  You can also find enclosures that have both FireWire and USB connectivity, which for Mac users is beneficial.  Booting the computer (if needed) by a FireWire-connected device is generally more reliable than USB booting.  If this isn't important to you, then a USB-only enclosure would be adequate.  The enclosure will have directions, but essentially all you need to do is plug in the power cable and data ribbon cable and then secure the drive to the bottom plate of the enclosure with the included machine screws.

  • Can a mba use an imac as an external display

    I have a PowerPC G5 iMac running Leopard and I'd like to use it as an external display for my new 2011 MacBook Air running Lion. Is this possible? What cable would be used? Any need for additional software?

    It could make a good aquarium.

  • Can I connect to iMac 27" as external display?

    I'm considering buying 2 iMac 27" to run Windows 7.
    Can I connect these two together so iMac 1 can use iMac 2 as external display and visa versa.
    In other words... is the mini display port both for input and output?
    If yes... does this work under Windows 7 as well?

    tjementum wrote:
    I just love Mac hardware, and an iMac (two in my case) on a desk is just such a nice clean setup, with only one cable. Just counted 16 cables for my current PC mini tower setup with 2 screens - don't ask
    Just so you know, I'm well aware of Apple's "cableless" marketing for this thing. But on my new iMac, I actually only have a single port, the FW800, that doesn't have a cable sticking out of it.
    But Mac OSX is just not a nice operating system IMO
    At least we can use you as an example of a 100% legitimate Mac owner of a Windows OEM install.
    Anyway... I just ordered 2 x 27" iMac's. If i somehow succeeds in getting them connected in Windows, I'll post here... if not feel free to ask me, in 6 months.
    Please do post back, because if someone tries it, then everyone will know if it works. I have seen reports of a PC driving the iMac display and I have done it with my MacBook Pro. I'm still not 100% sure that two iMacs will cooperate in this way. They both have the same cable connected to the same input/output port. Which one is the target? I have never heard of Windows or any PC hardware having the ability to convert a video port to input, so Windows would have to be the broadcaster. You may need MacOS X to detect the input and use it instead of trying to send out its own signal. Hopefully this won't short out the video circuitry on both.
    And in 6 months when you are reinstalling Windows to clean off all the malware, you can still use the Mac machine

  • Using my iMac as a second display for my Macbook

    Hello. I was just wondering if it is possible to use my G5 (early 2008) iMac as a secondary display for my Macbook (late 2009) using a mini Dvi cable?
    Can anybody help?

    Use ScreenRecycler and a network connection.
    (51586)

  • Can i choose the resolution of my external display for when the lid is closed when my lid is open

    When I close the lid of my MacBook Pro for an external display apple chooses a resolution that isn't compatible with my display can I choose the resolution when the lid is open in any way of my external display for the mode when the lid is closed?

    Hi there, I had a similar problem and was unable to resolve it.  I spent about an hour on the phone with a very helpful AppleCare rep who was also completely stuck.  It would seem that the only solution is to choose a setting with trial and error while the lid is closed.
    My MacBook ended up getting stuck on a closed-lid reoslution that wasn't supported, so I had to do a screen-share with another device to see what the video card was sending to the external display and change it back that way.

  • Hi, can i use my macbook air as a display for my PS3?

    Hi,
    I want to connect my PS3 to my macbook air as its display.  Is it possible?
    If it is. what cable do i need?

    It can actually be done, yes. You just need an application called "type2phone", which is available in the Mac App Store. Note that it does cost $5 (kinda steep for a novelty).

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