Using iMac as external display with MBP, can this be done?

I know...
This has been posted before, but I have as of yet not found a straight answer. Mostly peoples recommendation is: "Buy a display".
However, I have an older iMac, 20" and I have a newer MBP 15". The MBP has a faster graphics card, better processor and more RAM. But I still like sitting at the table using my iMac, because the comfort of working is better this way.
Now seeing that I have both, is it possible to connect the two, and use the iMac for a display? Preferably without having to buy a whole lot of expensive cables, applications or do strange hacks risking hurting myself or my computers
Thanks all
Have a nice day

but I have as of yet not found a straight answer.
I think you are getting the straight answer. You need "buy a display" because a display has a video input port. An iMac has a video output port, but NO video input port. Therefore, you cannot use it as an external display, like a regular display.
You could give the iMac a video input using a USB interface device, but the cost of such a device that would provide good quality video into the iMac would cost about the same as (or more than) a low cost LCD display. And it would probably not be ideal in terms of performance.
You could also use this clever program to use a fast network connection and VNC to display the MacBook Pro's second screen on the iMac screen.
http://www.screenrecycler.com/home.html
In your case, the program will create a virtual screen for the MacBook Pro and shares it with the iMac in much the same way as the +screen sharing+ feature. Disadvantages are relatively slow image refresh rate (because the signal is going over the network) and the need to have the iMac turned on and running separately. The speed part will not be that bad in your case, if you use a Cat-5e or better Ethernet cable to connect the two Macs, so that you will have gigabit speed. You can give it a try at no cost to see if it is an acceptable solution (in time-limited demo mode).
I use this program to give my iMac a third display. The +third display+ is an old PC laptop running Linux (Ubuntu).

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but I have as of yet not found a straight answer.
I think you are getting the straight answer. You need "buy a display" because a display has a video input port. An iMac has a video output port, but NO video input port. Therefore, you cannot use it as an external display, like a regular display.
You could give the iMac a video input using a USB interface device, but the cost of such a device that would provide good quality video into the iMac would cost about the same as (or more than) a low cost LCD display. And it would probably not be ideal in terms of performance.
You could also use this clever program to use a fast network connection and VNC to display the MacBook Pro's second screen on the iMac screen.
http://www.screenrecycler.com/home.html
In your case, the program will create a virtual screen for the MacBook Pro and shares it with the iMac in much the same way as the +screen sharing+ feature. Disadvantages are relatively slow image refresh rate (because the signal is going over the network) and the need to have the iMac turned on and running separately. The speed part will not be that bad in your case, if you use a Cat-5e or better Ethernet cable to connect the two Macs, so that you will have gigabit speed. You can give it a try at no cost to see if it is an acceptable solution (in time-limited demo mode).
I use this program to give my iMac a third display. The +third display+ is an old PC laptop running Linux (Ubuntu).

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http://img.skitch.com/20090922-cpmepik2kewnsbm1g851drwryq.jpg
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Message was edited by: msim20

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dwh wrote:
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What about this video then?
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Using iMac as external display with MBP, can this be done?

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