Macbook Pro to IMac (2009, no thunderbolt) external monitor

Hi
I have just got my new Macbook Pro and wanted to connect it to my IMac to use that as a second display.
I have done a bit of research and it looks as if I need a mini display cable to mini display cable, is this correct?
I am assuming that this can plug into one of the thunderbolt ports on my MBP?
On another note is there anyway I can use the MBP as a second screen to my IMac?
Many thanks

There is no video input port on either machine. The only way to use either as a second monitor for the other is to network them and use something like [ScreenRecycler|http://www.screenrecycler.com/ScreenRecycler.html].

Similar Messages

  • What display is more suitable for a macbook pro, an iMac or a Thunderbolt Display?

    I am currently deployed in Afghanistan and will be purchasing a Macbook Pro upon my return. This will be my first time owning a mac as I have always been a Windows user so I am unaware of which product works the best with one another. I am curious to know though which display will work the best with a macbook pro; an iMac or a Thunderbolt Display? Any guidance or advice anybody could offer would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

    Both work very well with the MBP.
    In essence the iMac is the ThunderBolt Display with an added Mac computer inside.
    If you don't need a second Mac computer save the money, get the Display and invest the money in more RAm or a bigger harddisk for the MBP.
    Stefan

  • Macbook pro(2008 later) can not recognise external monitor(NEC UXI2090) with mini-DP to DVI adapter with 9600GT

    I bought mini-DP to DVI frome Apple several monthes ago and it worked well in that time until yesterday the external monitor show me no signal sign. Other PCs were connected with the same cable and monitor and they are fine. I am wondering there is something wrong in the adaptor or macbook pro. Furthermore I found the external monitor can display nornally when I switched to 9400 graphic card and used mini-DP to VGA adapter. If I switch to 9600GT no signal again. If I switch 9400 using mini-DVI, it is shown on the external screening: Out of range... In a word, In the mode of 9600GT, mac can not recognise external monitor(I can not detect it in the systerm preference even I press detect display buttun) and 9400 works in VGA mode. However when I connect adapter to mac, the screen showed blue flash.
    I reseted SMC, no use; I created a new account or enter mac to safe mode, no use; so far I did not reseted PRAM beacuse of something wrong of my system. I am downlaoding Mountain Lion OS and will install it. Then I will reset PRAM and try again.
    I do not know whether I shoud change the adapter or the single-link DVI cable to dual-link. Someone said it is useful in their condition. I tried some methods from BBS, such as connected when devices were off and then open, and so on. I failed.
    Any suggestion for this problem?
    Addition: OS: 10.7.4(Lion)

    I turns out that the logic board of my MacBook Pro was faulty (despite being brand new).
    I took it to the Apple Store, presented the problem, and one of the Tech's came to the same conclusion that I had -- hardware failure.  Phone support was no help in the matter (and even told me that what I was trying to do wasn't a supported option, which is rediculous).  However, the Genius Bar did take care of the problem, and my MacBook Pro was back to me with a replaced logic board within a few days.
    Hope that htis helps.

  • HT1338 the Macbook Pro would not even detect the external monitor.

    My Macbook pro will not connect to an external monitor after moving it. It has been running on this same monitor for 8 months. I switched to a new Desk last night, after hooking it up, the Macbook Pro would not even detect the external monitor. It was only showing the Macs monitor in Display. It did not even have where you could "Detect Display" available. Is there an update that I may have missed. I have tested all the Monitor connections with another laptop they all work.

    finally I would like to know if my computer falls under
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377
    If nothing displays but you hear normal startup sounds, then it's possible this is a video issue, and you should take it to an Apple store or AASP.

  • MacBook Pro won't stay asleep with external monitor attached.  When sleep is selected from the Apple menu the computer will go to sleep only to continually wake up...go back to sleep...wake up...etc. every few seconds.

    MacBook Pro won't stay asleep with external monitor attached.  When sleep is selected from the Apple menu the computer will go to sleep only to continually wake up...go back to sleep...wake up...etc. every few seconds.  This only happens when using the external monitor. Does anyone have any suggestions?

    Mine does that too. The worst thing is when it goes to sleep, then wakes up and keeps running while the lid is closed and it is wrapped up in a case. I am afraid when the hot weather comes it is going to burn up. I am hoping Apple fixes it in the software or they may have a melted MBP to replace.
    Then when I open the lid it is crashed running at fill tilt, pumping out heat to beat the band. I am forced to hold the button down and reboot.
    I wiped my hard disk and reinstalled my OS, but it didn't help. I reversed my OS to 10.5.0 and it solved the DVI problem but still won't sleep. This post will probably be deleted by Apple, they did it a few days ago. I just don't know what to do, and I consider myself a real Apple expert. Just hoping you realize you are not the only one.

  • Can I use my iMac 2009 as an external monitor for a MacBook Pro

    I will soon be getting a new MacBook Pro with Retina display. It has an HDMI port.
    My current iMac 21.5" late 2009 model seems to have a port with what looks like a little monitor symbol, next to the firewire port. And the specs say:
    Graphics and video support
    NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory3
    ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR3 memory
    Built-in iSight camera
    Mini DisplayPort output port with support for DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI (adapters sold separately).
    Support for extended desktop and video mirroring modes
    Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to a 30-inch display (2560 by 1600 pixels) on an external display
    Does this mean that port is just for video output to an external monitor? Or is is possible to also do video in?
    On the one hand it feels like a waste to use a perfectly good iMac as a monitor. But the MacBook Pro actually has better specs, and so I was wondering if it is possible anyway.
    Thanks,
    doug

    Thanks for your reply. After reading the article though, I'm still not really sure what the answer is. For example, you mention something that can be done, with some hurdles to go through, for 27" iMacs. Mine is a 21.5" iMac, but seems to have the same port you mentioned in the article. Or maybe it isn't. Anyway, I'm still not sure if it is possible after reading that. Interesting information though.
    doug

  • How to get new Macbook Pro Retina (late 2013) to detect external monitor via HDMI?

    Hi everyone, this is my first Mac and for the most part it's been really, really wonderful.
    This is my first major glitch:  I cannot get it to detect my external display:  It is an ASUS PA248Q, manufactured Aug 2012.
    The HDMI cable according to my Amazon history is at least 1.3c from 2010,  "Fanatic Digital Imperial Series Gold-Plated HDMI Cable (6 feet)".
    It works with perfectly connecting an AmazonTV box to an old Samsung TV, with vivid clarity, unlike our cableTV signal.
    Just in case, I have a new HDMI cable on order, which claims to be of newest standards.
    The Macbook Pro Retina (late 2013) has the standard Intel Iris from the Haswell chips, as well as Nvidia GT 750M, the latter which I don't think has been used yet.
    The ASUS display says:  HDMI NO SIGNAL.
    I have tried shutting them down and replugging the cable.  I don't know what the ideal order is.  The Macbook Pro is plugged into AC power, as suggested.
    In System Preferences>Display, I press the Option key to select "Detect Displays" option (seriously unintuitive).
    I have also tried resetting the NVRAM:
    I shut the machine down.  Pressed the power button, then quickly held the quadruplet:  Option-Command-P-R  (a double handful) and waited for the machine to chime a 2nd time.  Tried to detect external display no luck.
    Next, I reset the SMC:
    I shut the machine down.  Then I pressed Shift-Control-Option-Power   for about 5 to 10s.  Then I turned on the machine normally.
    NVRAM & SMC steps were from an old youtube video, as the instructions I had did not explain how to do so clearly.
    Please let me know if I"m doing something wrong.
    Seems so exorbitant to pay $350 for Apple Care;  that's a the cost for a whole new cheap laptop.
    I will search the forums again.  If anyone answers this,  thank so much!

    Hello there, willr314.
    It sounds like you've covered most of the practical steps found in this Knowledge Base article:
    Apple computers: Troubleshooting issues with video on internal or external displays
    http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1573#1
    No video or no signal, image distortion, "snow," or flickering
    Check connections
    When using an external display be sure to check the following:
    If you're using an Apple notebook, confirm the AC power cable or adapter is securely connected to the computer and the cable providing power to the display is also secure. It is always good to have your notebook connected to AC power when an external display is in use.
    Confirm display adapters are fully seated in their respective connections and that they are supported models and for the computer and display. Refer to these articles to assist you with adapter compatibility and further configuration information:
    Monitor and Display Adapter Table
    About Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapters
    Apple Mini DisplayPort adapters: Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
    Thunderbolt ports and displays: Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
    Remove all display cable extenders, KVM switches, or other like devices and retest to determine if the issue is resolved.
    Try unplugging the video adapter or cable and then plug it back in.
    If more than one video adapter is in use (or "daisy-chained"), troubleshoot by using only one adapter.
    Example: A mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter connected to a DVI to HDMI adapter is an unsupported configuration because there is a series of adapters in use.
    If available, try using a different display and or adapter (or use a different connector by using DVI instead of VGA, for instance).
    Reset the system
    You can reset the Mac's parameter RAM and SMC.Reset the resolutionStart by resetting the Mac's parameter RAM. If the display does not come up, was previously set to an unsupported resolution, and still results in no video:
    Start up in Safe Mode.
    From the Apple () menu, choose System Preferences.
    Choose Displays from the View menu to open the preferences pane.
    Select any resolution and refresh rate that your display supports.
    Restart your computer.
    The article does offer some additional links and recommendations as well:
    These articles may offer additional assistance and information about displays and video adapters:
    Apple Portables: How to use your computer in closed lid mode with an external display
    Apple Cinema Display (30-inch DVI) has 1280 x 800 as the maximum available resolution
    Mac Pro (Early 2009), Mac Pro (Mid 2010): Supported display configurations
    For assistance with Retina displays, please see Frequently asked questions about using a Retina display.
    If you tried all of these steps for your display and the video issues persist, contact Apple technical support or take your Apple computer to the nearest Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) for diagnosis. If you plan to visit an Apple Retail Store, make a reservation at the Genius Bar using http://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/ (available in some countries only).
    Note: Diagnostic fees may apply for issues not covered under warranty or the AppleCare Protection Plan (APP).
    Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.
    Cheers,
    Pedro.

  • Macbook pro 13 (i7-2.8), 3 external monitors?

    Hello. I want 3 external monitors with my MB Pro late-2011 and i can't figure out how to do that properly. So here is variants:
    (First of all, i plan to buy HengeDock + powered USB hub)
    1) Matrox triplehead2go. Bad part - only 1024x768 res per monitor. Plus - displayport.
    2) 3x Diamond BVU195. USB. Supports FullHD monitors, so i can go with widescreen models. But - DVI. And can one USB 2.0 port hold three monitors? Displayport can have 17Gbps (on all lanes)
    Anyone have one of these devices? I really need suggestions.

    I don't see any DDR3L on the page for the RAM that would fit your model -> http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade/DDR3_133 3MHz_SDRAM.
    But the answer is that it doesn't really matter - just make certain to get 1333MHz.
    Good luck,
    Clinton
    MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2011), OS X 10.??, 16GB Crucial RAM, Crucial M500 960GB SSD, 27” Apple Thunderbolt Display

  • Can I turn off my MacBook Pro screen when connected to an external monitor?

    I have my 13' MacBook Pro connected an external Samsung monitor, is it possible to have the laptop screen turned off so that it is only displayed on the monitor screen?

    This is the Mac Pro desktop forum. I requested your post be moved to the MacBook Pro laptop forum.

  • Outfitting 13" MacBook Pro to Use at Desk with External Monitor

    Hello, I have decided to throw out my 2007 Dell Dimension laptop and go with a 13" MacBook Pro. I would like to use the new laptop both at my desk, connected to an external keyboard and possibly mouse, plus an external monitor, and at times just as a simple laptop outside the office.  I heard that you can configure it so that there would be an extended desktop, consisting of the MacBook Pro's screen plus the external monitor.
    I am looking to compile a list of hardware accessories I would need to do this and for recommendations about the best hardware to get.  (I suppose that the most important piece of hardware would be the monitor itself.)  (I am assuming that everything would be plug and play and that no additional software would be necessary)
    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
    many thanks

    Steve
    Do you really need 2560 x 1600?
    Your MBP will deal with up to 1920 x 1200 which is pretty good on an external (say 23" monitor)
    So to set up - DVI out to your monitor. Mains power in to the MBP and you can have it screen off while you work away. With no power adapter both screens will be on.
    Go to System Prefs / Displays to set up your res and screen layout. You can have mirrored or extended.
    Your MBP will get hot and its best left with the lid open for heat to get out. Open the lid once its woken from sleep. Startup will be with screen open. Then put MBP to sleep - close lid - wake up from the keyboard.
    Hope thats what you needed!

  • Macbook Pro 15 Inch, broken screen to external monitor

    I have a 15 inch macbook pro that was stepped on and the screen was broken. I took it to genius and they said it was toast. Great help guys. I took it home and plugged it in from the mini display to HDMI and my desktop appeared on the television screen. Simple as that.  Keep in mind this is a 42 inch panasonic TV. But when I plugged it into my vizio television that is in my personal room the desktop was to the left, (regularly you have to drag whatever you want to the right. It's a double screen) and what was appearing on the TV was just a blank desktop which is no help at all.
    I need to see my desktop on my vizio television.
    So i was reading about the mirror image option under >display >system preferences and I turned that on when I was doing work on the panasonic and now I can't access anything, from either television. 
    So I need to either
    A. find a way to reset system preferences on my Macbook Pro 15 inch with no access to the desktop so I can get it working on at least the Panasonic television again.
    Or
    B. Find a way to get in up on the Vizio. (prefered.)
    Any suggestions.
    Thanks so much.

    Its a keyboard shortcut to mirror or un mirror screen. Then you can use your mouse and what not. My macbook air fell about 1.5 feet to carpet and thanks to the thin design of the metal parts turned the dam n screen into a knife and sliced the wires for the screen, wifi, Bluetooth, and camera... Well one wire was still attached, the one that powered the screen. So all i had was a white screen. I know its accidental damage and all but to have it fall and break a week after my warranty ran out ***?!?! Apple must employ ninjas!

  • I want to remove the monitor from my 17" Macbook Pro 2008 to use as an external for my Macbook Pro 15" 2012. How can I convert lvds to Thunderbolt and power the monitor?

    I want to remove the monitor from my 17" Macbook Pro 2008 to use as an external for my Macbook Pro 15" 2012. How can I convert lvds to Thunderbolt and power the monitor?

    It's almost impossible.  The new iMacs have a Target Display Mode, but it's built to do that.  Without ripping your screen out, finding an acceptable power supply, frame, and whatever electronics to convert a Thunderbolt signal to the screen, the cost will be much larger than buying a cheaper HiDef monitor that runs with an HDMI to Thunderbolt cable to your MacBook 15.  In fact, you can sell your 17" MBP for a lot of money, unless it's broken or something, buying you a really sweet monitor.
    By the way, I found your answer by searching this forum.  I would suggest using the search function here in the futuere.

  • TS1367 Is there are a way to use my imac as a display for my macbook pro? I have a thunderbolt cable but it doesnt seem to do anything

    Is there are a way to use my imac as a display for my macbook pro? I have a thunderbolt cable but it doesnt seem to do anything

    Hello eassic,
    Thanks for the question, and welcome to Apple Support Communities.
    It sounds like Target Display Mode may be what you are looking for:
    Target Display Mode lets you use a Mac as the external display for another “primary” Mac. In some cases, you can also play the sound from your primary Mac on the speakers of the external Mac. For example, a MacBook Pro could use a 27-inch iMac as the display and play its audio on the iMac as well.
    OS X Mountain Lion: Use another Mac as a display
    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11302
    Use an iMac with Thunderbolt as a display
    If you have an iMac with Thunderbolt, any other Mac with Thunderbolt can use it as a display. The iMac will play both the video and audio from the other Mac.
    1. Connect the Thunderbolt cable to the Thunderbolt ports on each computer.
    2. Make sure both Mac computers are turned on and awake.
    3. Press Command (⌘)-F2 on the keyboard of the external display Mac.
    4. If you want the external display Mac to play audio as well as video from the primary Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Sound, and then click Output. Select the external display Mac from the list of devices.
    Thanks,
    Matt M.

  • I have the G Drive 1 TB (GEN4 1TB) external drive purchased in 2010. I need to connect to my new MacBook Pro. I'm using the external drive for media storage of my video editing projects. Will a 800fw to thunderbolt adapter cable work?

    I have the G Drive 1 TB (GEN4 1TB) external drive purchased in 2010. I need to connect to my new MacBook Pro. I'm using the external drive for media storage of my video editing projects. Will a 800fw to thunderbolt adapter cable work? I understand that using a USB port connection is not fast enough for video editing. I read somewhere the G Drives don't connect well to MacBook Pro.
    thanks
    larry

    I doubt this can be relocated or moved so you might want to just repost in the macbook pro area.
      MacBook Pro
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os?view=discussions
    Can you afford a new Thunderbolt case and cable? any case with FW800 is going to be slow 72MB/sec and less, and any new 1TB drive is capable of 75MB/s minimum up to 125MB/sec.
    Thunderbolt storage can of course when setup properly reach 100's of MB higher using multiple drives.
    Use what you have for a system backup or for secondary backup storage.
    you might be able to take the drive - most cases allow you to open and swap drives - and use this:
    G-Technology 1TB G-DRIVE mini High-Speed Portable Hard Drive                                   
    or this:
    http://store.apple.com/us/product/HB137VC/A/g-technology-4tb-g-raid-professional -high-performance-dual-drive-hard-drive?fnode=5f

  • Is it possible to connect a MacBook Pro (prev model 2009, 2.26ghz) to an Apple Thunderbolt display:  will the cable fit?

    Is it possible to connect a MacBook Pro (prev model 2009, 2.26ghz) to an Apple Thunderbolt display:  will the cable fit?

    Sorry it won't work.  It will fit but the laptop can't communicate with it.  Please see many of the other threads here, specifically this one just above your post, that is discussing this exact question.
    Apple's specs for the ThunderBolt display state that it needs a ThunderBolt-enabled computer.  Your laptop has a mini-display port connection so it is not compatible with the new displays.

Maybe you are looking for

  • Unable to insert PDF object into Word 2013

    Hi, While trying to insert PDF (Adobe Reader X 10.1.0) document into Word (Microsoft office Professional plus 2013 15.0.4420.1017) getting below error. Error Message: The Program used to create this object is Acroexch.That program is either not insta

  • Compatibility between version 8 and 9

    We have a new Windows 7 Professional 64bit machine arriving soon, on which we want to install Framemaker and Creative Suite Design Standard 4. Design Standard looks fine - it will be the same version so I assume there will be no issues, Framemaker on

  • Which model of Mac Pro Tower can take 64BG RAM?

    Hi everyone, Been searching and going around in circles to find the true answer to this so I figured I'd just make this post. EXACTLY which models of Mac Pro Tower can take 64GB of RAM. Looking on websites like OWC and asking people and I'm getting c

  • Printing of asian characters after ECC 5.0 / unicode upgrade

    Does anyone know what do we need to do in order to print documents in asian languages. We have upgraded to ECC5.0/unicode.

  • I have PSE9 and a Nikon d5100 Camera. Can't get PSE to accept 5100 raw files.

    I have set up to use iphoto to store my psotos and externally edit my files in PSE. Works fine with jpeg files but raw files will not transfer. Get message that PSE will not accept. I think that PSE9 will accept wit an upgrade Camera Raw Plug in 6.4.