How to turn off iMac display while watching a movie from HD TV?

ApplesAOranges · Feb 10, 2013, 01:27 PM

I just can´t seem to figure this out. All I can think is putting something physically in front of the display, which is just stupid!

Even my MBA and rMBP can do this by dimming the backlight all the way down or just closing the lid and putting them to sleep, the movie will still keep rolling on the HD TV.

Did Apple folk´s super brains miss this feature or are they leaving this out intentionally just to annoy us?

trustever · Feb 11, 2013, 06:30 AM

In system preference, energy saving, you can specify that the display goes to sleep after 1 minute but the computer does not go to sleep ever.
This way your screen will be black after a min of not use and which ever you are streeming to the HD TV should keep running..

adnbek · Feb 11, 2013, 06:50 AM

Use hot corners:

ApplesAOranges · Feb 11, 2013, 07:44 AM

Sorry, but these solutions don´t work. Both screens will be shut off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trustever

This way your screen will be black after a min of not use and which ever you are streeming to the HD TV should keep running..

It doesn´t.

bmcgrath · Feb 11, 2013, 09:51 AM

Turn the brightness down.

ApplesAOranges · Feb 11, 2013, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmcgrath

Turn the brightness down.

Like I said in my original post, that doesn´t work either. It works with MBA and MBP, but not with iMacs. The brightness won´t go all the way down, not even close. In fact I keep the brightness all the time with my 24" iMac already around 5-10%.

seble · Feb 11, 2013, 03:32 PM

Trying using the Shift + Control + Eject trick, this turns off the iMac screen. Not sure of its behaviour when coupled with another monitor though but it's worth a try.

adnbek · Feb 11, 2013, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApplesAOranges

Sorry, but these solutions don´t work. Both screens will be shut off.

It doesn´t.

If plugged in physically to a TV, I guess that's true. Any chance you have an Apple TV? You can airplay the video instead if you do, provided your iMac is a 2011 or newer model.

turtlez · Feb 11, 2013, 09:10 PM

the only way to do it is by dimming the iMac screen, I researched this extensively for a while. There is software that enables you to completely dim it (just remember the shortcut to exit the mode before you do it though) but the backlights will still be on.

adnbek · Feb 11, 2013, 09:21 PM

delete, wrong thread

ApplesAOranges · Feb 12, 2013, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seble

Trying using the Shift + Control + Eject trick, this turns off the iMac screen. Not sure of its behaviour when coupled with another monitor though but it's worth a try.

Would be perfect, but it turns the HDTV off as well.

seble · Feb 12, 2013, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApplesAOranges

Would be perfect, but it turns the HDTV off as well.

Sorry to hear that

keep trying, I'm sure there is an app or mod out there for osx that allows this, let us know if you do find anything though as I am interested in this myself

snkeyez95 · Feb 12, 2013, 06:56 PM

I too investigated this. Not possible at the moment. Someone mentioned possibly a terminal tweak, but I found no solution.

ApplesAOranges · Feb 13, 2013, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snkeyez95

I too investigated this. Not possible at the moment. Someone mentioned possibly a terminal tweak, but I found no solution.

This is so sad. How can Apple miss such a simple feature?

I guess I´ll be throwing a shirt or towel on top of the iMac every time when I´m watching a movie and risk it overheating.

ApplesAOranges · Feb 26, 2013, 02:25 PM

Could Apple give us this feature with an update possibly? It´s a bit ridiculous that I can´t do simple thing like this.

I´m sure they don´t want us either hanging our t-shirts, towels or whatever on top of our iMacs? Or maybe they do, so the iMacs will break sooner and we have to buy newer ones?

Feb 10, 2013, 01:27 PM	#1
ApplesAOranges macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2011	How to turn off iMac display while watching a movie from HD TV? I just can´t seem to figure this out. All I can think is putting something physically in front of the display, which is just stupid! Even my MBA and rMBP can do this by dimming the backlight all the way down or just closing the lid and putting them to sleep, the movie will still keep rolling on the HD TV. Did Apple folk´s super brains miss this feature or are they leaving this out intentionally just to annoy us?
	0

Feb 11, 2013, 06:50 AM	#3
adnbek macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Montreal, Quebec	Use hot corners: Attached Thumbnails
	0

Feb 11, 2013, 09:51 AM	#5
bmcgrath macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London, United Kingdom	Turn the brightness down. __________________ iMac, Macbook Pro, iPhone, iPad, Sony Nex7 www.twitter.com/bazmeister www.flickr.com/bazzymcg/
	2

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Feb 11, 2013, 06:30 AM	#2
trustever macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2013	In system preference, energy saving, you can specify that the display goes to sleep after 1 minute but the computer does not go to sleep ever. This way your screen will be black after a min of not use and which ever you are streeming to the HD TV should keep running..
	0

Feb 11, 2013, 03:32 PM	#7
seble macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2010	Trying using the Shift + Control + Eject trick, this turns off the iMac screen. Not sure of its behaviour when coupled with another monitor though but it's worth a try.
	0

Feb 11, 2013, 09:10 PM	#9
turtlez Banned Join Date: Jun 2012	the only way to do it is by dimming the iMac screen, I researched this extensively for a while. There is software that enables you to completely dim it (just remember the shortcut to exit the mode before you do it though) but the backlights will still be on.
	0

Feb 11, 2013, 09:21 PM	#10
adnbek macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Montreal, Quebec	delete, wrong thread
	0

Feb 12, 2013, 06:56 PM	#13
snkeyez95 macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2010	I too investigated this. Not possible at the moment. Someone mentioned possibly a terminal tweak, but I found no solution.
	0

Feb 26, 2013, 02:25 PM	#15
ApplesAOranges Thread Starter macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2011	Could Apple give us this feature with an update possibly? It´s a bit ridiculous that I can´t do simple thing like this. I´m sure they don´t want us either hanging our t-shirts, towels or whatever on top of our iMacs? Or maybe they do, so the iMacs will break sooner and we have to buy newer ones?
	0