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Using external display while powerbook is closed?

R

rikers_mailbox

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Is it possible to use an external display with the laptop closed? Right now closing it just causes the computer to sleep. (i've seen it done on the newer AlBooks, but can't figure out how to get it to work on mine.)

I'm on a 1Ghz 15" TiBook and using a 17" flat panel.

-rik
 
rikers_mailbox said:
Is it possible to use an external display with the laptop closed? Right now closing it just causes the computer to sleep. (i've seen it done on the newer AlBooks, but can't figure out how to get it to work on mine.)

I'm on a 1Ghz 15" TiBook and using a 17" flat panel.

-rik
Click to expand...

just use an external input device to wake it up... if you click on USB keyboard or mouse, PB should wake up even if the lid is shut, as long as the display is connected.
 
Startup

If you plug all devices in (including monitor), then startup your laptop, wait for the startup chime, then immediately close your laptop, it will work.
 
i thought you couldnt do that because it somehow vented through the keyboard... with the screen closed it would overheat too fast???
 
g30ffr3y said:
i thought you couldnt do that because it somehow vented through the keyboard... with the screen closed it would overheat too fast???
Click to expand...

doesn't bother mine. the engineers thought of this possibility otherwise they wouldn't have let you use the powerbook while it was closed 😉
 
Hmmm....

If heat is released through the keyboard...how come the bottom is hot but the keys never are....?
 
jxyama said:
just use an external input device to wake it up... if you click on USB keyboard or mouse, PB should wake up even if the lid is shut, as long as the display is connected.
Click to expand...

aaahh. . . yep, it works. Much simpler than i thought, i was scouring the System Prefs. looking for some kind of display setting.

Thanks for the help.
-rik
 
rikers_mailbox said:
Is it possible to use an external display with the laptop closed? Right now closing it just causes the computer to sleep. (i've seen it done on the newer AlBooks, but can't figure out how to get it to work on mine.)
Click to expand...

Which brings up the question:

How come you don't want a dual monitor setup?

Is the PB's LCD damaged, or do you not have enough room on the desk for both?

Just curious. 😉
 
jrv3034 said:
Which brings up the question:

How come you don't want a dual monitor setup?

Is the PB's LCD damaged, or do you not have enough room on the desk for both?

Just curious. 😉
Click to expand...

that is easy to answer.

my 12" pb only has a max resolution of 1024x768. i need to have a higher resolution than that. if i use the dual display i can only get 1024x768 on both display. also my 12" has to be the main display. if i am going to use a dual display setup i would prefer my 19" crt be the main display.
 
superbovine said:
that is easy to answer.

my 12" pb only has a max resolution of 1024x768. i need to have a higher resolution than that. if i use the dual display i can only get 1024x768 on both display. also my 12" has to be the main display. if i am going to use a dual display setup i would prefer my 19" crt be the main display.
Click to expand...

Actually, you can set separate resolutions on the displays. It just looks weird when dragging windows between the two.

As for why I don't want dual displays. . . sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I just like to be able to have the option. 🙂

-rik
 
rikers_mailbox said:
Actually, you can set separate resolutions on the displays. It just looks weird when dragging windows between the two.

As for why I don't want dual displays. . . sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I just like to be able to have the option. 🙂
Click to expand...

Fair enough. Options are good. Enjoy the PowerBook!
 
Note that (I think) this won't work unless you have AC power connected.

I use that to my advantage. At home I use my PB stand-alone, but at work I plug it into a 21" monitor. All you have to do is "sleep" it, not power it down (there's no good reason to power these down for the most part anyway). Connect all the peripherals without connecting the AC, then plug in the AC and hit a key on your USB keyboard.

On occasion I'll have to "detect displays" to make high resolution available, but usually the PB remembers the resolution and refresh rate I used last.
 
rikers_mailbox said:
Actually, you can set separate resolutions on the displays. It just looks weird when dragging windows between the two.

As for why I don't want dual displays. . . sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I just like to be able to have the option. 🙂

-rik
Click to expand...

hmm dual resolution...i'll have to try that later today 🙂
 
With the dual screen, just go in config / screen and you can drag the top menu from one screen to the other. This will allow you to switch 'main' screen.

I always use dual display: 12" for the iChat, MSN and folders. But since Panther with Expose, I only use it for iChat and MSN... I have so much free space on my screen that I cant rationalize buying a cinema display! :-S
 
Mantat said:
With the dual screen, just go in config / screen and you can drag the top menu from one screen to the other. This will allow you to switch 'main' screen.

I always use dual display: 12" for the iChat, MSN and folders. But since Panther with Expose, I only use it for iChat and MSN... I have so much free space on my screen that I cant rationalize buying a cinema display! :-S
Click to expand...

thanx 🙂 its pwetty.
 
I'd love to be able to do this! 😀

I'd love to be able to afford a new PB (G5?! 😀), keyboard, mouse, Cinema Display, and BookEndz port replicator cuz i plan on using it stand alone on the road and off my desk, but I love the niceness of being able to have a laptop that functions as a laptop (And YES i want the 12", even tho thats not really considered a 'desktop replacement laptop') Alas, i have but one question 😛:

could i use the bluetooth keyboard and mouse when its asleep for my external stuff? what about airport for net/network?
 
Get a podium pad or something if you are worried about heat. I played around with my TiBook with the lid closed, but dual monitors is really so much nicer that I don't bother closing the PB lid anymore when I've got an external monitor hooked up.

Airport works just fine with the lid closed. I don't know about BT, something tells me you'll need to wake the machine with a USB device, but once it's awake BT should work too. I can't verify that a BT mouse/keyboard will or won't wake it up though, because I don't have one.
 
Here's the procedure for the external display/lid closed setup starting with the DVI TiBook (667Mhz+), newer PowerBooks, and the iBook G4:


Note that this is for driving an external display *only* procedures are different when you want to mirror or dual display.

1. Connect the PowerBook to AC power
2. Plug in external display connector + external display
3. Close the lid
4. Wake the machine up with an external input device (USB mouse, keyboard, etc. On built-in bluetooth equipped PowerBooks, you can use a bluetooth device to wake it up, if set as such in the Bluetooth Prefs.
5. The internal display will be Off, the external display will be on using the resolution from the internal display.
6. Open system prefs and adjust to taste.
7. You may now open the lid. I recommend this for anyone out there with a 12" powerbook. The built-in LCD will remain off until you either put the machine to sleep and wake it up with the external display disconnected - or simply just disconnect the external display connector.
 
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