MBP or Air - using external displays

Hi All,
Looking at getting a MBP or Air for work, want to know how easy and how well Leopard goes from dual display to single display. I'll be using a VGA adapter initially.
My current MS laptop doesn't handle being plugged into, or unplugged an external display - the display settings often seem to change by themselves. However, it is the devil I know - is Leopard better, or worse?
Looking for general experiences using a MBP or Air OPEN with a second display.
Do you need to put the computer to sleep to plug or unplug the display?
Cheers, Chris

Hi WBW,
Thanks - sounds pretty good.
A follow up question - when using dual screens, I can place some applications on the second (external) display. When I unplug the external dispaly, how does Leopard handle this? Do the apps reappear on the laptop screen, or are they in another 'space'?
Can spaces be used in conjunction with an external display?
Chris

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I have a 17" Macbook pro with flickering red and cyan(blue) lines across the screen. The issue disappears temporarily when I tap on the computer, and the problem does not occur when I use external display or try to screen capture the problem.

I purchased my Macbook (17") through a certified apple tecnition in August 2012, it was refurbished and the motherboard was completely replaced. I do a lot of photo editing, but I have been unable to do so because of the red vibrating lines that interrupt my screen. The issue disappears temporarily when I tap on the computer, and the problem does not occur when I use external display or try to screen capture the problem. I brought the computer back to the technition I purchased it from and he said that it was a problem with my fan, so I have two new fans but the issue is still occuring. He says he doesnt know whats wrong. Does anyone have any information on this issue?
Here is an image of the issue
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67839707@N08/8884847081/

I recommend having your Mac serviced by someone competent. A force sufficient to "blow apart" the fans was clearly excessive and may have damaged the display cable, as well as any number of other problems.
Dust is properly cleaned with a vacuum, preferably one designed for computer service, and they are not cheap.
Compressed air should never be used. It just blows dust everywhere, often into places where it can no longer be removed.

S430 - deactive nvidia GPU and still use external displays?

Hi,
I'm interessted in buying an Edge S430. Is it possible to deactive the dedicated nvidia gpu in the bios?
Furthermore, is the intel GPU cabable of using external displays?
Thank you.
Best,
harnz

S430 with Nvidia discrete gpu can be disabled in the BIOS by selecting the integrated GPU option.
I think the DP still work, but not sure whether the Thinkpad HDMI do too.
Regards,
Jin Li
May this year, be the year of 'DO'!
I am a volunteer, and not a paid staff of Lenovo or Microsoft

Possible to use external display with MBP on battery & in clamshell mode

i can use the extetrnal display with my recently purchased MB Pro - lid is closed and external display works.
but the moment i try to do this with the power not connected to the MB Pro - MB Pro goes to sleep. i can wake it up with the external keyboard but it goes back to sleep in a minute or two. and this problem goes away if power is connected.
anybody else face this? has a solution?

where do i find that option - this is what i have on my machine.
http://img.skitch.com/20090922-cpmepik2kewnsbm1g851drwryq.jpg
http://img.skitch.com/20090922-p4s3grein7kgxi3sqbsbm25kfm.jpg
Message was edited by: msim20

HDCP error on MacBook Air (NOT using external display)

I just downloaded a HD (720p) movie through iTunes, and cannot play it on my Mac becuase of a HDCP non-compliance error. I am running it directly on my MBA, not through an external display... I would have thought the MBA integrated display would be HDCP compliant! Is this an error or am I wrong in assuming my MBA could play legally purchased HD movies?

Try a System Management Control reset (SMC)
Whilst the machine is plugged into power, Hold down the left side shift control and option buttons at the same time as the power on button.
Hold these down for 4 seconds and relese all at the same time.
If this fails then you may need to clear the caches folder for your user too.

I am trying to connect mbp to tv using mini display port and HDMI cable TVtuned tocorrect port as shows Mac wallpaper (purple star scene) but does not show what is on MBP. What can I try so that I can see mbp display on TV?

What do I needto do to connect a tv as an external display for my mbp using a mini display port to hdmi cable. I have tried display without success. tv is receiving a signal as displays apples default wallpaper when connected but nothing from screen of mbp.

Soundls like it is working. Try dragging a window on the MBP to the edge of the screen and see if it appears on the TV.
There are two ways to set up the TV one is to mirror the MBP display and the other is to be an extension of the MBP's screen.
You change the settings in System Preference->Display

Magic Mouse Disconnecting When Closing MacBook Pro Using External Display

I have a 2009 MacBook Pro. I am trying to use it in sleep mode with an Apple wireless keyboard and a Magic Mouse. Everything appears to be connected fine. When I close the lid on my MacBook, I click my mouse and the external display comes on for a few seconds, then it cuts out and doesn't come back. I have the Bluetooth device can wake the computer up from sleep checked. When I have the MacBook open, the external display works fine. I only lose the external display a few seconds after I close the lid on my MacBook Pro.
I have made the Magic Mouse and keyboard favorites and it didn't help.
Does anyone have any idea? I am running 10.6.8.
Thanks

GaryKing, can you review how you reset the .plist files for both the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse?
I had nothing but good things to say about the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, until I hooked up my 22' Samsung display to my MBP. Power shouldn't be an issue because it's being plugged into the outlet and the external monitor isn't taking power from the MBP. However, my keyboard will keep popping up with the notice "Connection Lost" every 5 or so minutes. Even now, I'm already on the next paragraph but the letters are slowly coming up one by one - it's not registering as fast.
The mouse experienced the same issue if I'm downloading a lot of files, it will lag behind to the point where I'll drag the mouse to where I want it to be, then a few seconds later it'll pop up where it should, that's how bad the lag is. I thought perhaps restarting the computer will do, but no, and also everything is up-to-date so there are no updates to worry about.
GaryKing, if you can go over how you reset the .plist files, that would be much appreciated. By the way, it's past a week since your post, how have the Bluetooth devices been working? Did the reset solve the lag issue permanently, or was is just a temporary fix?

How do I connect MacBook Air to external display?

What methods are available to connect a MacBook Air to an external display?

The MiniDisplayPort/Thunderbolt Port on your Air would be used as the the physical connection. It's just a matter of buying the corresponding adapter to the type of connection you want to use, being either HDMI, DVI or VGA.
Here's an example of the VGA adapter Apple sells.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB572Z/B/mini-displayport-to-vga-adapter
The DVI:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/B/mini-displayport-to-dvi-adapter
HDMI:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/H1824ZM/A/moshi-mini-dp-to-hdmi-adapter-with-a udio-support

Using External Display Only - Gaming

Hi,
I want to be able to connect my HP w2207h 22inch widescreen external LCD to m'y Macbook Pro running leopard to allow me to play games such as SPORE and The Sims 3. I have already set the external monitor as primary in os x but every time that I start the games that I want to play, the whole screen goes blank (both of them) and the external screen turns itself off. I then have to unplug it to get the picture to appear on the macbook again so I can exit. I still have no idea how to play these games on the external display with this problem.
I have been able to solve this problem in bootcamp however, with the function to turn off the macbookpro display and keep the external by itself. I really want to play these games in os x and on my external display.
Does anyone know how to do this or how to make it so that the macbookpro screen isn't used at all (i.e. the external display is the only one in use)?? Some third-party application?
Cheers
Tim

Timmy, that doesn't seem logical, buddy. If you use the MBP keyboard, I'm quite sure that it thinks u wanna use the MBP display as well. It would seem an inconvenience, to me, to have it open while using another display, anyway. I'm with the idea of using another keyboard & mouse. That's what I do.
I have a ? for ya. U mentioned that u know how to get the external display to be primary while using BootCamp XP. I have done that in the past with no problem. However, it quit working. If I close my MBP, the display turns off & XP will not allow me to do anything until I open the MBP & log back in. If I try to leave the MBP open off to the side & use the Cinema Display as primary XP laughs at me & will only open the game on the MBP display. In XP Settings, the option to uncheck the MBP display as primary is grayed out & there is no option to turn on mirroring for either display or set the Cinema Display as primary. How were u doing what ever u did to use your external display for gaming on BootCamp XP?

Can't use external display w/o magsafe connected while lid is closed

I've got the latest 15" MBP with Retina Display. At work I connect it to a 23" Cinema Display and at home I us a 20" Cinema Display in my studio.
The desk I'm using isn't big enough to host my MBP with the lid up with my 20" display side-by-side , so I have to keep my MBP folded all the time. When it is folded I have noticed that I need the MagSafe adapter connected all the time, or else it will not let me use my 20" display or the USB ports. This means that I can't use my Apogee Duet via USB either, if I don't connect the MagSafe adapter.
Now you might think "well, you're at your desk, just connect the adapter and be happy". I would love to, but the thing is that I record lots of guitars in my home studio and when my computer is powered by the magsafe and I've got a guitar amp running I get lots of humming noises in the signal. I've tried different power outlets and stuff, and I can't do anything but unplug the magsafe to get rid of the problem.
Is there any one else out there with this problem, that you can't use an external display (or your USB ports) with the lid closed without Magsafe adapter?

Well the official document, posted by CT, on clamshell mode doesn't support your theory that it worked with your older/pervious macbook pro and it certainly doesn't work like that with your newer mac.
So you are either mistaken or your older/pervious mac was broken in some way to allow it to work without a AC adapter connected.
henkeblomqvist wrote:
No it hasn't. My previous MacBook Pro handled that just fine.
And I do have trackpad and keyboard connected, both via bluetooth.

Unibody MBP owners with *working* external displays, please chime in.

I'm trying to determine if there's any use at this time to try to exchange the MBP (unibody) I have now with another unit in the hopes of getting proper external display support. (To be clear, I'm referring to the external display problems many of us are having, like in this thread, and this one, and others.)
I'm sure there are others suffering from this problem who are simply seeking another datapoint in determining whether or not exchanging one's unibody MBP for another are of any use at this time. So the question here is:
If you have a unibody MBP, and you are successfully driving an external monitor without issue (using the Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter), can you kindly post the following information?
1) External display model (manufacturer and model)
2) External display screen resolution
3) Any information about DVI cable, length, brand if applicable, etc.
4) Have you confirmed proper operation in both 9400 and 9600 GPU modes?
5) If you know, is your MBP equipped with the 9c84 or 9c85 built-in display panel?
6) If your setup wasn't originally working, but now is working due to a unit swap or swapping out of the Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter with a new one, can you kindly note that?
Please do not consider yourself representative of a properly working external display setup if yours looks mostly good, with just minor artifacting--that is, for the purpose of this thread, please consider "working" to mean only perfectly normal operation of an external monitor from your unibody MBP.
Are all of the above points necessarily relevant? I don't know yet, but I figured it's best to try to get as much information from those who have working units, to try to determine what's relevant and what isn't.
Why am I asking this? Because I've already wasted enough time with this unibody MacBook Pro, now on my third unit, and I do not want to waste time making trips to the store to exchange units (and the time necessary for restoring to the new unit, etc.) if it's not going to help things. (The previous two replacements had nothing to do with this particular problem, and I didn't have my external display until the third unit, so have no idea if the previous two suffered from this particular problem or not.) If it seems that an exchange from one unibody MBP to another isn't going to help, then those of us who need to resolve this might learn more information with which to make a decision. Right now, I'm seriously considering exchanging for the current 17" MBP with matte display, even though it's not the new unibody design, and doesn't quite match up in the specifications with the new 15" MBP--I just need to get my setup working, and figure the older style of the 17" might be more tested and worked out.
Thanks in advance to those of you who fit the bill and answer these questions.
NOTE: If you have more relevant information to ask of those with working setups, please do; but please avoid the discussion of your problems if you're among the ones (like me) with external display issues, as there are other threads for the discussion of that (like the ones linked above). Ideally, I envision this thread as more populated by the responses of those with working setups.
Message was edited by: isonoise
Message was edited by: isonoise

Mine works perfect.. This is AFTER a logic board replacement for the 9600's BSOD problem
1) Dell 2007WMP
2) 1680x1050
3) Cable that came with monitor
4) Post repair only really using 9600, though 9400 seemed fine too
5) LG (9C84)
6) Logic board replaced last week for BSOD problem. (That board had external monitor refusing to wake problem as well).
Message was edited by: Robert Derelanko

System hangs after using external display with lid closed

I often use my MBP with the lid closed with an external display and Bluetooth mouse and keyboard. When done in this mode, I put the system to sleep using the apple menu, then disconnect the monitor. I found some info on the apple site explaining that this was the recommended procedure for exiting the lid-closed mode.
However, sometimes the system doesn't go to sleep. Opening the lid, the LED goes out, but the display remains off. If I then try reconnecting the external monitor, nothing happens. It appears that it has gone into some mode where it is active, but no displays are enabled. My only resource at this point is to power the system off and back on, at which point everything is ok.
I'm wondering if turning off my bluetooth devices after selecting the sleep menu item is causing the system to reawaken at a bad time, causing this state to occur.
I have also run into problems when connecting an external projection monitor. On several occassions I have connected the external display adapter before turning on the projector, or before connecting it to the adapter, and the system locked-up hard (no mouse movement, etc). My only recourse was hard power off.
Any ideas? Is this a broken system or are these known OSX or MBP issues?

Try SleepLess…
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/17893
… or InsomniaX…
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/30315

MBP no longer drives external display @ 1920x1200

I have been using an external LaCie 526 display on my MBP at the native res of 1920x1200 for almost a year. Today after running a keynote presentation on an LCD projector (may be coincidental) I can only get the dvi to drive it at 1280x720. All of the standard rubber chicken tricks don't have any effect (reset PR, detect displays, turn on/off mirroring, etc). Like many others in this forum using the DVI to analog svga connection does allow the higher res.
Any suggestions much appreciated.

Lots of people are having issues with external displays since there was a manufacturing defect with the nVidia 8600M graphics chip inside the Macbook Pro. You may want to run the Apple Hardware Test from the cd your Mac came with and see if it gives you any errors with the video controller.
You may want to check out this article: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377

Can I use External Display on a Window 7 64bit 13" Macbook Pro Early 2010

I have a 23" LED LG Monitor , It has VGA Cable , RCA Cable and HDMI Plug (but no wire). I am asking now if whether I should need a VGA Cable or a RCA Cable or a HDMI cable. I know there's the Apple Mini DVI to VGA Adapter. Should I get that? And does window 7 64bit professional bootcamp support any external display? If not , is there another way to get it working.

You should be able to hook it right up just like if it was a "normal" Windows Laptop.
Windows would be the one to set it up with. Make sure you've updated Boot Camp.
You probably should use an "Apple Mini Display" port -to- HDMI adapter as that should give you more display options, etc. (I'm not sure how high the 13" can go on resolutions, HDMI or VGA may not matter?)
You MAY have to use a separate sound cable between the laptop and monitor as some HDMI -to- (whatever) adapters don't carry the sound signal via an "adapter".
The next choice would be a Mini Display port to VGA adapter.
You may want to also ask this question in the "Computing Hardware/MacBook Pro" area as they may have more info?
Hope this helps...

Closing MBP Without Sleep With External Display

Greetings.
I have just hooked up a Dell 23" flatscreen display to my Macbook Pro. Everything works great... connected it via the DVI cable and it worked immediately.
I'd like to be able to turn on my MBP and use the large display exclusively, meaning I want to be able to close the MBP without it sleeping. I have put my Energy Saver preferences on "Never" for the display and computer itself, but those options do not work.
What is the protocol for closing the MBP after startup so that I may use my display without the whole thing going to sleep?
Oddly, I was able to "trick" the MBP into closing at one point; I shut the clamshell, it fell asleep along with the Dell 23", then I reopened it just slightly to where it would awake again. Then I used the display for a little while and shut the MBP clamshell again and the 23 still worked while the MBP was closed. Not sure how/why it worked, and I have not been able to duplicate it.
The split screen option is neat, as far as like the MBP being on the left and the 23" being on the right, but I don't need it, and my desk is too small anyway.
How can I achieve MBP sleep while it is still powering my big display?
Thanks,
C

Ha. Welp, best $8 I ever spent.
I SWWWEEEAAARRR I tried that earlier this afternoon; also I like totally swear I looked up and down the support site too. I knew it would be easy, just not that easy.
Thanks!
C

MBP or Air - using external displays

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