Help with external displays

Just installed Lion and afterward I noticed that things work differently with external displays. In the past I could have my laptop open to mirror but now it must be shut and the mirrior button or selection isn't available within the display preferences. So my question is, 1. does any one know how to better manage displays? and 2. does anyone know how to mirror while having the laptop screen open?
I know trhis sounds petty but where I work it is very hot and it seems like with the screen shut the computer syncs heat away a lot less efficiently.
Thanks

Thanks,
I now know how to turn on and off mirrioring with command/F1 (didn't know that yet), but would you know how I can use my external display in mirror mode with the laptop display completely turned off, not dimmed till black, but off?
Before lion I was able to do this by shutting the laptop screen which would put the machine into sleep mode and then by clicking the mouse or hitting a key on the keyboard it would wake it. Once the external display came on then I would open the laptop and the laptop display would remain off while using the external display. Hope that makes sense. Any suggestions?

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Urgent help with external displays

I really need help please... I'm using two DisplayLink USB adapters to connect to external desktop on my imac6,1. The problem is that every so often it seems like the display adapters disconnect and reconnect and it ends up messing things up. This imac is at our church and each display adapter displays something different (one for the band leader and one for the congregation). When the displays do the reconnecting thing, the screens go blank for a second and my external displays get swapped (the congregation see what the band leader should see and the band leader sees what the congregation should see). I would really appreciate any feedback because I've spent hours researching this subject without success. I'm running Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and have the latest drivers for the DisplayLink adapters. the iMac is a 2006 model and does not have a automatic graphics switching option in the power saver menu. Thank you so much!

Sorry I don't know a thing about DisplayLink USB adapters however I'd recommend contacting the developer's support, my thoughts would be they would know what the issue is. However before doing so so a iMac SMC and PRAM reset first and then retest.

Help with external display/broken macbook screen

I have an old MacBook that has a screen which broke a while ago, since then I have been using it hooked up to an external display through the mini-dv port.
However yesterday the system froze and I had to do a hard reboot. When it came back on, the external display was no longer set up properly. Being that the screen is broken as well, I can't figured out how to fix this.
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I have the same problem too, but when I try, nothing shows up on my external. I cant see my screen at all, and the laptop just keeps humming as if its still starting up. I just had the hard drive replaced a couple weeks before my screen "magically" shattered.. any advice?

Need Help with external display...

First, let me explain what is happening. I'm using an external 19" Gateway LCD display with my Powerbook G4 1.25Ghz. Via DVI-D input. Everthing from connection to correct resolution is working fine. But the moment I change the refresh rate from 75Hz to 60Hz, the monitor starts to jitter or seems to have a nervous condition. The problem corrects itself only after a restart but I can change from 60Hz to 75Hz with no problem.
Now, from my understanding refresh rate has no bearing on LCD monitors, is this correct? and why would the monitors manual say that the native refresh rate is 60Hz. So, I'm concerned if running the monitor at 75Hz will degrade or hurt it. And once again why does the monitor image shake when going from 75Hz to 60Hz but not vice versa.
Any and all response with your experience is greatly appreciated.
David

You shouldn't need to adjust the refresh rate on an LCD display. Just leave it at it's default.

Help with external display please

Hi,
I'm using a min-dvi to VGA adaptor to connect a macbook core 2 duo
to a dell 2001FP display. This is unsatisfactory as the characters on
the dell look fuzzy. (The monitor itself is fine- when I hook it up to
a dell inspiron under windows the display is crisp and sharp.
How can I solve my problem? The Dell has a DVI input and came
with a DVI cable (two large male DVI connectors on each end). If
I buy an Apple DVI to mini DVI connector, will this clear up the
fuzziness?
Thanks,
Jonathan

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
It may improve matters, and then again may not. Some people from the Windows world are not used to Mac OS X's method of getting rid of aliasing in text. I've noted that colorblind people are even more sensitive because of the use of colors that may not be visible to colorblind people. Different fonts have sharper appearance that the system's built-in font. You can adjust the calibration of the colors in Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Displays -> Colors -> Calibrate to approximate a tonality of color you feel most comfortable with. One thing that definitely is improved is that DVI is a Digital display technology, where VGA is analog. Some people have a harder time seeing type with low resolution, whereas others in higher resolution. What this really means is you need to examine what color combination and display resolution you are most comfortable with. Each person is different.

Does 512mb of vram help with external displays?

I'll be buying a MBP soon and was wondering if the additional vram in the 2.5 15" version will be of benefit to me compared to the 256mb of vram in the 2.4 MBP...anyone know?...I'll be attaching to a 23" monitor, maybe Apple, maybe NEC...maybe 24"...oh, and I won't be using it for games...only work...
I am thinking the additional L2 cache in the 2.5 version might make a difference in how agile my computer is working on photoshop files...that's my most used program and probably most power hungry...i don't work on film/video, music, etc...just design and photography...Photoshop/Illustrator/Indesign/Lightroom...
the only other thing i do that seems to bog down my current computer is making backup dvd's of films I buy...that just takes forever...sometimes over 2 hours...
thanks...

thanks tthiel1...I'm thinking to buy the base model...2.4...save myself about five hundred bucks...the 2.5 is tempting but I don't think it'll make a real world difference for the type of work i do...i watched a salesman playing with a 2.4 hooked up to a 23" monitor yesterday...very impressive...amazing that a portable can be so powerful...and man, the color on the 23" was very nice...
kind regards...

No Wireless Internet with External Display, Other Issues

Hello,
When I connect an external monitor to my MBA, I lose my connection to the Internet. The wi-fi signal remains strong, but pages will not load (I tried many) and I cannot retrieve email. The connection times out when I try to ping as well. This occurs whether I have the MBA open or closed. The loss of Internet happens immediately when I connect an external display using the supplied dongle, and returns the moment I disconnect it. It is clearly an issue with external displays.
On the advice of an Apple Genius, I also tried disabling bluetooth. I did so, and turned off all my bluetooth devices (Apple keyboard and mouse, iPhone), but the problems persist.
The other trouble I am having is difficulty connecting to a network for the first time in a session. In other words, I was connected all day yesterday, take the MBA home, and return to the office the next day. MBA takes a long time to see the network, then fails to accept the password. If I carry the MBA closer to the wireless router, it finds and connects automatically as I'd saved my password. When I return to my desk, I remain connected with full signal strength. This has happened in two locations, one with an Airport Extreme, the other with a Netopia 802.11g router. When my Macbook Pro is sitting right next to the MBA, it recognizes and connects to the same networks almost instantaneously.
Anyone have any suggestions? Much appreciated.

Just a quick update... I was on the phone with Apple Support on Saturday morning and I thought we were making progress. The basic idea behind the proposed solution was that there was some "Preferences" that were causing the problem. We started over with a clean Preferences folder and tried connecting up the external monitor. At first, this approach was showing progress. The suggestion was to copy over my original Preferences (I had made a backup copy) just a few at a time until we figured out which ones caused the problem. The problem with this approach is that immediately after I got off the phone, the internet started not to work again. So, even with a clean Preferences folder, the internet would quit working after connecting up the external monitor.
So, I'm back to the drawing board. I have since restored my Preferences folder and I don't have my external monitor and internet working at the same time. BTW, I also upgraded to 10.5.3 and it didn't help.
Still bummed,
Kevin

MBP Retina low performance with external displays

Hi everyone!
I have a very bad performance with my MBP 15´´ retina display when it comes to ad an external display. I have a FUL HD LG monitor that looks very bad when i connect the HDMI or the thunderbot port with the proper adapter (as bad as you can´t even read). I want to know if this may ba a hardware problem just with my computer or if it is a software problem, any ideas? does anyone have the same issue?
How can i update my NVIDIA card???
Thanks a lot!

Topic seems to come up here often. Apple has a tendency to dismiss the issue.
Its a pretty well known problem that Mac font smoothing doesn't seem to work well on high resolution third party external displays, making text hard to read. In addition, I think the Mac HDMI resolution support is limited to 1080p, so you must use DP or DVI video interfaces to see full monitor resolution.
The OS default is no font smoothing on external displays (except perhaps the apple display). There is a terminal command that will enable font smoothing for any external monitor, but it often doesn't work well enough. I found that using the OS zoom feature magnifies text to the point to be easily readable. You can set zoom parameters in the accessibility systems preference panel.
For some reason, sometimes the Mac OS thinks some monitors are TVs and use YCbCr instead of RGB. You can open the color sync utility and brouse the settings to see what is being used. There are scripts available that can fix that but are more complicated to install than an app.
It seems that PCs are way ahead of Macs with external display implementation. Most folks having monitor problems with a Mac do not see the same issue with PCs or Unix/Linux OSs.
Oh as far as updating the video card, can't. The monitor "drivers" are built into the OS. When a new display is connected, the OS finds the profile for it.

Help with CRT display...

Hi all...
I'm facing a nasty problem connecting an external crt display to my MacBook Pro.
First here's the setup:
-Two MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz
-G4 Cube 450MHz
-iBook G3 800MHz
-CRT DPRO750SB 17" (Nec-Mitsubishi)
-CRT AT897D-1 17" (Formac)
-Problem:
I used to connect the DPRO750SB to one MBP with the Apple's DVI/VGA adapter and everything was fine but now the display doesn't light up anymore.
Furthermore, trying to boot with the display hooked up make the computer crash during startup.
-Clues:
The display and its VGA cable seems OK since there is no problem with the G4 Cube (VGA to VGA) nor the iBook (mini-DVI/VGA).
I have no problem using the Formac Display with both MBP (DVI/VGA).
The DPRO750SB icc profile don't show up anymore in the "Displays" Preference Pane.
I'm able to get the DPRO working sometimes by plug the Formac in, unplug it, then plug the DPRO in.
(in this case, the "Displays" Pref Pane says it's the Formac).
I'm really lost now...
Any help would be greatly appreciated...
Thanks
Fabrice

Well BF1942 and 3D mark both run fine, stable, no glitches and run at the size they are supposed to. Does anyone have any suggestions? PLEASE HELP!
twanto

Unable to install OS X 10.4 with external display

My display died quite awhile ago (broken hinges, broken cables, etc etc) but since then I've used an external LCD display without problems. Once I set the display to mirror, everything has been working great.
However, I tried to install OS X 10.4 and discovered that, after booting up from the disc, the install program wants to display everything only on the nonexistent original monitor. If I keep moving the mouse to the right, it eventually appears on my external monitor. But pressing F7 won't toggle back to mirror mode -- the toggle capability seems to be disabled or something.
Any suggestions? Is there some way (hardware-based or maybe command line?) to tell the machine that the original display no longer exists and to only use the external display?
Thanks for any help!

Hi, llkohler. The limited-purpose OS on the installer disc that underlies the installer application and boots the computer probably doesn't expect to have its life complicated by a second monitor, and doesn't contain the code that would allow you to toggle the display mode. If I were you, I'd look to connnect the Powerbook to another Mac in Firewire Target Disk Mode (with the PB as the Target) and perform the installation on it from the host Mac. Once you get Tiger installed, you should be able to toggle the display mode on it in the usual way.

MBP randomly crashes when in clamshell with external display

Hi Mac people.
As described in the "subject field" i have been encountering some random crashes after i startet using my MBP in clamshell with my newly pruchased 24" 16:10 NEC display .
typically it occurs after about 10-20 minutes of playing world of warcraft.
-the screen goes black, saying no signal, and the MBP doesn't react to anything else but holding down the on/off button.
i have tried using the key combination alt-cmd-eject to see if i could make the computer sleep and then turn it on by opening the lid.-getting it out of clamshell to get the built-in display active again.
but none of that worked.
i also checked the dvi<->mini-displayport adapter for lose connections but i didn't find any
i have had my NEC display for about a month, and the problem has occured about 8 times now.
befor i started using my MBP in clamshell with an external display, i had no problems.
Interval Since Last Panic Report: 73505 sec
Panics Since Last Report: 3
Anonymous UUID: C8DD4168-ECC7-4842-9EF5-233F8D9763C9
Fri Jan 7 11:41:39 2011
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x00C566A4): NVRM[0]: Read Error 0x00009410: BAR0 0xa4000000 0x3f92e000 0x096380c1 D0 P3/4
Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x304fad98 : 0x12b4c6 (0x45f91c 0x304fadcc 0x13355c 0x0)
0x304fade8 : 0xc566a4 (0xe86e80 0xe86e80 0xe4b6d4 0x0)
0x304fae48 : 0xf0fdf0 (0x539a004 0x533c804 0x9410 0xc92d06)
0x304fae88 : 0xf3a57d (0x533c804 0x9410 0x5c00 0x9)
0x304faec8 : 0xd5814f (0x533c804 0x46eb004 0x0 0x0)
0x304faee8 : 0xc983f1 (0x46eb004 0x304faf74 0x0 0x0)
0x304faf28 : 0xeabdb8 (0x533c804 0x3d0900 0x304faf74 0x0)
0x304fafa8 : 0xee10e4 (0x533c804 0x54a1804 0x1 0x1)
0x304fb138 : 0xee5479 (0x533c804 0x54a2004 0x4bc6a44 0x0)
0x304fb298 : 0xca227b (0x533c804 0x54a2004 0x0 0x8b46184)
0x304fb348 : 0xc63a19 (0xc1d00041 0xbeef0003 0xcafe1691 0x8b46300)
0x304fb3b8 : 0xc547ed (0x304fb548 0x6 0x0 0x0)
0x304fb518 : 0xc462d4 (0x0 0x600d600d 0x7057 0x304fb548)
0x304fb5d8 : 0x114c77b (0xc1d00041 0xbeef0003 0xcafe1691 0x8b46300)
0x304fb658 : 0x114ca53 (0x20552000 0x8b46300 0x8b48404 0x0)
0x304fb698 : 0x11136e7 (0x20552000 0x8b48400 0x304fb6a8 0x20555068)
Backtrace continues...
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.GeForce(5.4.8)@0x10f9000->0x1190fff
dependency: com.apple.NVDAResman(5.4.8)@0xc3d000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(1.7.3)@0xc2f000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6)@0x63e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(1.7.3)@0x791000
com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal(5.4.8)@0xe9c000->0x10effff
dependency: com.apple.NVDAResman(5.4.8)@0xc3d000
com.apple.NVDAResman(5.4.8)@0xc3d000->0xe9bfff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(1.7.3)@0xc2f000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6)@0x63e000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(1.7.3)@0x791000
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: World of Warcraf
Mac OS version:
9L30
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.8.0: Wed Jul 15 16:55:01 PDT 2009; root:xnu-1228.15.4~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacBookPro5,1 (Mac-F42D86C8)
System uptime in nanoseconds: 565038856165
unloaded kexts:
com.apple.driver.InternalModemSupport 2.4.0 - last unloaded 149627740291
loaded kexts:
com.apple.filesystems.cddafs 2.3.0 - last loaded 171968100440
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor 1.9d0
com.apple.filesystems.ntfs 2.1
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 2.0.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons 1.7.4f1
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 1.0.6
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 2.7.5
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 1.7.1a2
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 1.7.1a2
com.apple.driver.AGPM 100.8.7
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 1.7.1a2
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 2.1.9f10
com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor 2.1.1d2
com.apple.DontSteal_Mac_OSX 6.0.3
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 1.7.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 113
com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver 1.0.6
com.apple.kext.AppleSMCLMU 1.4.5d1
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl 2.8.15
com.apple.driver.ACPISMCPlatformPlugin 3.4.0a17
com.apple.driver.NVSMU 1.1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.1d1
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 1.3.1
com.apple.GeForce 5.4.8
com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal 5.4.8
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 189.35
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 1.7.4f1
com.apple.driver.AppleHIDKeyboard 1.0.9b4
com.apple.driver.BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.1.9f10
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 3.5.2
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 2.1.1
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 2.1.1
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter 2.7.91
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 1.1.2
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 1.2.3
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 1.7.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub 3.4.9
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient 3.5.2
com.apple.driver.AirPortBrcm43xx 365.91.19
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 3.9.7
com.apple.nvenet 1.0.54
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI 3.4.6
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBOHCI 3.4.6
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 1.2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager 158.10.5
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 1.2.3
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPCI 1.2.5
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 1.2.5
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 1.4
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 1.2.5
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.4
com.apple.security.seatbelt 107.12
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 1.8.77
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 3
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 76.2.0
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 199
com.apple.BootCache 30.4
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 1.7.1a2
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.1d1
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 1.7.1a2
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 9.4
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 1.6.9fc5
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 1.1
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 3.4.0a17
com.apple.NVDAResman 5.4.8
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 1.7.3
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 1.7.3
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 2.3.1d1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 3.4.6
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController 2.1.9f10
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 2.1.9f10
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite 3.2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIBlockCommandsDevice 2.1.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.5
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.5
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.5
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 2.1.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 1.5.0
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 216.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 3.4.9
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 1.6.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 3.5.2
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 1.2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 1.5.6
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 1.5.5
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 1.2.5
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.6
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.2.0
Any help would be much appreciated

Lets give it a try. 1st of all post your s/n (so I can run a check on your specific model) or check with system profiler if your machine has the NVidia Geforce 8600 M GT. Or see for yourself: http://www.chipmunk.nl/cgi-fast/applemodel.cgi
IF SO:
Surely, you've heard about the generic problems with this specific video chip: sooner or later most of them will fail due to chip packaging/bonding issues. If yours has not failed before, it may be doing so now because you're driving it harder with a larger external monitor attached, thus probably running the affected videochip hotter. Very useful link: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/MacBookProvideofailure.html#novideotip , loads of other useful links on the subject therein.
To solve this, Apple has instigated an extended warranty, so do not tread on the tail of your machine's capabilities any more. Once it will not boot (which may eventually happen), it gets really hard to run diagnostics. Have it checked by at least 1, preferably more ASPs (see link), and kindly ask them to reiterate the test 2 or 3 times. Often, the problem will not show up on the 1st try.
I am reading increasing numbers of questions and complaints about this on the Flemish/Belgian Apple forum "Intermactivity", most users seem to be unaware of the problem (though this has been common knowledge for years), and moreover, most ASPs are reluctant to acknowledge it.
So if your machine is one of the affected, you will really have to stand your case. Especially in Europe!

Not waking up with external display in closed clamshell mode.

Hello all!
I have the newest Macbook (late 2009), and have had it docked in a BookArc using an external display, keyboard and mouse. Everything has been working perfectly since I got it a couple months ago. I've traveled with the Macbook and redocked it at home a few times. This morning, I woke the computer and the display lit up as usual. A moment later, the display went black, said no signal and the power light went yellow (it's blue when operating). I hit the keyboard and clicked the mouse to wake it again to no avail. Took the Macbook out of the stand, opened the display and it works perfectly. Checked my energy saver settings, fine. Closed the clamshell, redocked, wont wake/start the external display. Took it out of the dock again, everything is fine, rebooted. Docked again, no wakey. I'm using it now as a normal laptop typing this. Any ideas as to suddenly why it wont wake/work with the external display? Thanks!

Last week I bought an Acer X223W 22 inch display for my MacBook (13-inch, Late 2009) – Model A1342 Polycarbonate Unibody and an Apple Keyboard MB110LL/A - Also using a Apple wireless Magic Mouse but not a BookArc. ( Just leaving on the desk next to the Acer display )
I've found that you have to have the MacBook connected to the AC Power Supply to keep the MacBook awake when trying to use an external display. It's kinda a pain sometimes, I usually boot up my MacBook before connecting the Display and Keyboard then once I'm logged in......
and Once everything is loaded I plug in the Keyboard first then The Display adapter cable, Close the MacBook up then Click/Move the Magic Mouse ( System Preferences settings - Bluetooth ( Advanced: Allow Bluetooth Devices To Wake This Computer - checked ) Energy Saver AC and Battery set to 3 hours ( All other settings Unchecked )
Sometimes takes a few clicks before the Desktop appears on the external display, Now once its on I can open the MacBook ( just enough to help keep it running cooler ) and unplug the AC Adapter unless it needs charging.

Keep sleeping with external display

I just got a brand new samsung syncMaster (730mw to be exact) and went right on to pug it into my 12 inch powerbook, with the help of my minidvi to DVI of course.
I followed apple's "correct" procedure. Connecting the power cord, hook up external monitor, turn it on, connect external usb keyboard and mouse, pres any key to continue...
Now the monitor works, eveything works fine, for 5 seconds. Then the computer goes back to sleep.
The only way I've got it working is beeing able to restart the computer with in those few seconds. Then everything works fine. Until I have the need to put my computer to sleep that is.
If I if wake it up now, then the monitor changes from primary display to an extension of my powerbook's display, and I end up having my powerbook with its screen on, the lid close, and my external monitor display nothing but an extension (wallpaper that is).
This also happens if I turn the external monitor on and off.
I've tried all those SleepLess programs, but they don't seem to work.
Any sugestions I'll appreciate.

Hey, I wonder what you mean by "You need to have the PowerBook plugged into the mains for an external display to work". I am currently jooking it up with a DVI cable and the minidvi-DVI.
I also tried using both displays, but since mi external is widescreen, I cannot mirror it or else the external monitor comes "short" (not in widescreen format). I've also noticed by the resart method, if I then put it to sleep and wake the computer up, then the screen format is reset to mirroring, and again coming short.
I cannot afford to be using both screens as I lack desk space, and I really need the bigger screen.
If I can't get this to work properly I guess a mac mini is the way to go?
Thanks for your help, I appreciate it.
-rodrigo

G555 help: enable external display from BIOS?

Fellow G555ians, HELP!
My G555 (model 0873) does not have a backlight problem, but an entire LCD problem. i.e. the LCD does not turn on at all! My laptop is fine. Once every blue moon, when I turn it on the screen works.
I was wondering if someone could tell me the keystrokes needed to enabe EXTERNAL DISPLAY from the BIOS!
Since I can't see when I turn on the comp, I can't get into Windows, and therefore can't use the unction keys. However, I know there is a BIOS option to enable output to an external monitor hooked to the VGA port.
Can you please turn on your G555 and tell me exactly what keys you hit and when to get into the configuration part of the bios, change the display option to something other than LCD ONLY or whatever the default is, save and exit?
This would mean the world to me!
Moderator note: moved post to its own thread. Edited subject to reflect content. Veiled profanity removed.

hi KazeShin,
Welcome to the Lenovo Forums.
Here's a screenshot of the Lenovo G555 BIOS.
Spoiler (Highlight to read)
What you can try is to:
1. Press the power button and repeatedly tap F2 to get inside the BIOS.
2. From there, press the right arrow key once and press the down arrow key 9 times.
3. Power ON Display should now be highlighted. Press Enter key once and press the down arrow key once to select Auto-Selected display then press Enter.
4. Connect an external monitor via the VGA cable Press F10 to save and exit BIOS. Upon reboot, the display should automatically transfer to an external monitor.
5. If that doesn't work, press Fn+F3 to shift to an external display.
Hope this helps.
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Lag with external display macbook pro 13" i5!

Hello everyone! I just bought a brand new 13" macbook pro i5, it works absolutely fantastic. There's only one thing i'm not happy about: If I connect an external monitor to it (both my sharp32" via hdmi and my 19" samsung via VGA) it starts to lag!
Even on my MBP screen! Is this a lion bug? I noticed I'm not the only one who has this problem.
I've got a 4 year old HP notebook which doesn't have aproblem with both monitors and now my brand new expensive Macbook does. Ialready renamed to "AppleUpstreamUserClient.kext" and tried to run itin safe mode but with no results.
Anybody else having the same problem?
Please help me out!

Did you calibrate your monitor in Displays under System Preferences? That could be it, but I'm not sure.
The only bug I had with external monitors when I had Lion on my MBP was that kernel panics happened whenever I went into sleep mode...

Help with external displays

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