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Full Screen & Dual Display...

ideal.dreams

ideal.dreams

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 19, 2010
2,374
1,073
I have a 24" monitor hooked up to my 17" MBP...when I try to view something in full screen, it automatically goes to my MacBook's monitor instead of the one I'm using the App on. This is very annoying as I'm trying to watch a movie and I can't go into full screen without it taking me to the wrong monitor.

Does anyone know how I can play a movie in full screen on my external monitor?
 
R

Ruahrc

macrumors 65816
Jun 9, 2009
1,345
0
Well things may have changed in Lion (still on SL here) but what you need to do is to change the primary display from the MBP screen to the external screen?

Open system prefs, go to displays, and arrangement tab. Drag the little white titlebar on the arrangement from the MBP screen to the external. Now the title bar and dock should be on your external display when it's connected. That also makes most full screen defaults to the external, as it is now considered the primary display.

Otherwise, look in the options for your video software. Sometimes there is an option that lets you define which display full-screen mode maximizes to.
 
ideal.dreams

ideal.dreams

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 19, 2010
2,374
1,073
What you suggested does fix the problem but I don't want my external monitor to be my primary display. I like my dock and icons on my MBP's display.

Also, I'm viewing the movie in Quicktime and there doesn't appear to be any preferences to allow me pick which screen it'll maximize to.
 
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robgendreau

macrumors 68040
Jul 13, 2008
3,465
329
Send a note to Apple. The full screen feature is nice, but it's as if Apple didn't realize many of us use external second monitors. I can see defaulting to the iMac's screen, for example, but why blank out the external??? Lame.

Rob
 
pcmxa

pcmxa

macrumors regular
Apr 9, 2011
170
8
ABQ
I sent them a note about Quicktime's new full-screen behavior. For now I am using VLC which maximizes to the monitor the app is on and doesn't blank the second screen unless that preference is set.
 
ideal.dreams

ideal.dreams

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 19, 2010
2,374
1,073
I called in before making this post and the advisor said he'd leave a note with a senior advisor and that he hoped it'd go up to the software engineers. Hopefully it'll be fixed in 10.7.1, I don't want my 24" monitor to be useless. Thanks for the replies, guys :).
 
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