Switch video game from iMac to external monitor?

Tofray · Dec 29, 2012, 05:40 PM

Can someone tell me if this is possible?

I'm ordering a new 27" iMac and plan to use my 22" Dell Monitor as an external monitor. I plan to mount the external monitor approx. 10 feet away from the iMac (using displayport to HDMI adapter). I want to have the option to play video games on the iMac monitor, then move the game to the external monitor exclusively when I want to change sitting positions. (External monitor is across room). Is it easy to just move the game to each monitor anytime I want, or do I have to install some other software program to make that happen?

Thanks for any help!

WilliamG · 06:56 PM

Not possible. You can't connect any game consoles to your iMac.

XionCore · Dec 29, 2012, 06:18 PM

BS. Of course you can connect the Dell via DP-HDMI-cable. However, you have to set the primary monitor in the Settings, so you have to quit and restart your game.

Tofray · Dec 29, 2012, 06:22 PM

I know you can connect any HDMI monitor to the iMac using a Displayport to HDMI adapter...My question pertains to randomly moving a video game from one monitor to the other...and I'm referring to a Mac-based video game like World of Warcraft, not a console game like Xbox/PS3.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by XionCore

BS. Of course you can connect the Dell via DP-HDMI-cable. However, you have to set the primary monitor in the Settings, so you have to quit and restart your game.

Thank you Xioncore, that's what I was looking for...so all I have to do is change the settings on the Mac each time I want to switch the game, and not have to install any secondary software right?

brand · Dec 29, 2012, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamG

Not possible.

Actually everything you said that is not possible is possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamG

You can't connect the Dell monitor to your iMac.

The 27" iMac does support a second monitor and with the adapter he mentioned he can use the monitor he mentioned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamG

You also can't connect any game consoles to your iMac.

The 27" iMac ThunderBolt port can be used as an input making the 27" iMac a monitor. With the right adapter he can connect a game console up to his iMac and use it as a display. I do not believe that the iMac will receive the audio from the game system though. I am not sure where you got that he want to hook a game system up to his iMac since he never said that is what he wanted to do.

WilliamG · Dec 29, 2012, 06:57 PM

Apologies for the confusion. I thought you meant using a game console with your new iMac. You absolutely CANNOT connect a game console, or any other non-Thunderbolt device to your new iMac. There are ways around it with capture cards, but.. not worth the effort and the results aren't good.

You can, however, connect the Dell monitor to your computer. The iMac supports display out to... whatever you like. It does not support display IN (except Thunderbolt devices), which a game console would be at this time.

I edited my original response to be clearer (since I mis-wrote my response anyway, hah!).

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by brand

Actually everything you said that is not possible is possible.

The 27" iMac ThunderBolt port can be used as an input making the 27" iMac a monitor. With the right adapter he can connect a game console up to his iMac and use it as a display. I do not believe that the iMac will receive the audio from the game system though. I am not sure where you got that he want to hook a game system up to his iMac since he never said that is what he wanted to do.

Not true. Just so you know.

brand · Dec 29, 2012, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WilliamG

Apologies for the confusion. I thought you meant using a game console with your new iMac. You absolutely CANNOT connect a game console, or any other non-Thunderbolt device to your new iMac. There are ways around it with capture cards, but.. not worth the effort and the results aren't good.

You can, however, connect the Dell monitor to your computer. The iMac supports display out to... whatever you like. It does not support display IN (except Thunderbolt devices), which a game console would be at this time.

I edited my original response to be clearer (since I mis-wrote my response anyway, hah!).

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Not true. Just so you know.

Actually it is possible to use the 27" iMac as a display so it is very true.

theSeb · Dec 29, 2012, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brand

Actually it is possible to use the 27" iMac as a display so it is very true.

Since 2011 it is only possible with other thundebolt macs. You cannot connect a console directly to the 2011 or 2012 iMac so I am not sure why you are arguing this point. You can do it via a capture box, if you like playing games with a few seconds of lag. Let me reiterate, I use a blackmagic capture box. It is not a viable solution for playing games and there are no other adaptors.

brand · 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theSeb

Since 2011 it is only possible with other thundebolt macs.

That I was not aware of. I knew that it was possible when using DisplayPort and did not know that that had changed with the conversion to ThunderBolt. I stand corrected.

theSeb · Dec 29, 2012, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XionCore

BS. Of course you can connect the Dell via DP-HDMI-cable. However, you have to set the primary monitor in the Settings, so you have to quit and restart your game.

Indeed.

WilliamG · Dec 29, 2012, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theSeb

Since 2011 it is only possible with other thundebolt macs. You cannot connect a console directly to the 2011 or 2012 iMac so I am not sure why you are arguing this point. You can do it via a capture box, if you like playing games with a few seconds of lag. Let me reiterate, I use a blackmagic capture box. It is not a viable solution for playing games and there are no other adaptors.

Yup. I enjoyed gaming on my 2009 27" iMac very much. I just bought another display to continue that tradition, since it's no longer possible on Thunderbolt-equipped iMacs.

theSeb · Dec 29, 2012, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brand

That I was not aware of. I knew that it was possible when using DisplayPort and sis not know that that had changed with the conversion to ThunderBolt. I stand corrected.

No worries.
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3775

Unfortunately this is the case now, but we have taken this topic off the tracks since that wasn't the original question.

Tofray · Dec 30, 2012, 10:41 PM

Thanks for all the replies guys. One more question...

I'm considering buying a Thunderbolt Display to use as a 2nd monitor, so that I can play sound through the monitor. If I move the game to the 2nd monitor, change the settings to show the TD as primary display, will sound automatically be routed there or would I need to change some other audio settings too?

Dec 29, 2012, 05:40 PM	#1
Tofray macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2011	Switch video game from iMac to external monitor? Can someone tell me if this is possible? I'm ordering a new 27" iMac and plan to use my 22" Dell Monitor as an external monitor. I plan to mount the external monitor approx. 10 feet away from the iMac (using displayport to HDMI adapter). I want to have the option to play video games on the iMac monitor, then move the game to the external monitor exclusively when I want to change sitting positions. (External monitor is across room). Is it easy to just move the game to each monitor anytime I want, or do I have to install some other software program to make that happen? Thanks for any help!
	0

Dec 29, 2012, 05:59 PM	#2
WilliamG macrumors 68040 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Seattle	Not possible. You can't connect any game consoles to your iMac. __________________ iMac, MacBook Air, Mac mini, iPad, iPhone, 55-11 www.bighugenerd.com Last edited by WilliamG; Dec 29, 2012 at 06:56 PM.
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Dec 29, 2012, 06:18 PM	#3
XionCore macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2012	BS. Of course you can connect the Dell via DP-HDMI-cable. However, you have to set the primary monitor in the Settings, so you have to quit and restart your game. __________________ 27" 2012 iMac i7,24 GB RAM, 768 GB SSD; Late-2010 13" MBP 2,4 GHz; iPhone 4S, iPad 4 4G, iPod Classic 120 GB
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Dec 30, 2012, 10:41 PM	#13
Tofray Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Mar 2011	Thanks for all the replies guys. One more question... I'm considering buying a Thunderbolt Display to use as a 2nd monitor, so that I can play sound through the monitor. If I move the game to the 2nd monitor, change the settings to show the TD as primary display, will sound automatically be routed there or would I need to change some other audio settings too?
	0