ibook + dual screen

Discussion in 'Macintosh Computers' started by cirrus, Oct 15, 2004.

Most Liked Posts
  1. cirrus, Oct 15, 2004

    cirrus macrumors newbie

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2004
    #1
    I've recently bought a 14' ibook. I was a bit disapointed to read that the display only supported mirroring mode (without using the special 'hack' to enable screen spanning).
    Yesterday, I decided to plug in my Sony TFT monitor to check it out. The moment I plugged it in, the monitor started working, but not in mirror mode as I was expecting. When I went in the Display options in the system preferences, I saw that I had an extra arrangement tab, in which I can change my displays arrangement, and also enable or disable mirror mode. I called a friend who bought a 12' ibook around a month earlier than i got mine. He came around, plugged in his ibook, but the arrangment options and the screen spanning, where nowhere to be found.
    Is there something I am missing here? I have not run the screen-spanning hack or anything even remotely similar, but my ibook worked in that mode the instant I plugged the external monitor in. Does anybody know anything about this?
    Thanks,
    Cirrus

    Output from system profiler:
    ATY,RV280M9+:

    Type: display
    Bus: AGP
    VRAM (Total): 32 MB
    Vendor: ATI (0x1002)
    Device ID: 0x5c63
    Revision ID: 0x0001
    ROM Revision: 113-xxxxx-125

    Display:

    Type: display
    Display Type: LCD
    VRAM (In Use): 16 MB
    Resolution: 1024 x 768
    Depth: 32-bit Color
    Mirror: Off
    Online: Yes

    Display:

    Type: display
    Display Type: NONE
    VRAM (In Use): 16 MB
    Resolution: 1280 x 1024
    Depth: 32-bit Color
    Main Display: Yes
    Mirror: Off
    Online: Yes
     
    share
    + Quote Reply
  2. LeeTom, Oct 15, 2004

    LeeTom macrumors 68000

    LeeTom

    Joined:
    May 31, 2004
    #2
    Did you buy it new?

    Lee Tom
     
    share
    + Quote Reply
  3. cirrus, Oct 15, 2004

    cirrus thread starter macrumors newbie

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2004
    #3
    Good question:) I didn't actually specify, so here it goes: I bought it brand new around 3-4 months ago. Nobody else has used it since I bought it, and I haven't done the screen-spanning hack thingy.

    cirrus
     
    share
    + Quote Reply
  4. 7on, Oct 15, 2004

    7on macrumors 601

    7on

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2003
    Location:
    Dress Rosa
    #4
    hmmmm, bumfuzzle-ment
     
    share
    + Quote Reply
  5. PlaceofDis, Oct 15, 2004

    PlaceofDis macrumors Core

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    #5
    just idle speculation:

    but could an apple employee who set up the machine forget to do something with the firmware?? isnt that all the hack does, is change the firmware so that it is not allowed to span sceens?
     
    share
    + Quote Reply
  6. point665, Oct 16, 2004

    point665 macrumors regular

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2004
    #6
    Even if you launch the screen-spander app, you hit "ok" "ok" and then your like "ahhh... i dont want to screw things up" next time you restart (may be months from now) you would have thought cancelling out of the app (cause you cant read german (yeah it was a while back)) would not change the firmware... Im pretty sure it had to be the screen-spanning hack, thats what I did with my iBook, cancelled out of the app and then later in life when I rebooted I was playing around with Display settings and goto my friend "WOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!! MY IBOOK IS SUPPORTING SCREEN SPANNING NATURALLY SOMEHOW!" then we figured out the restart had did it :)
     
    share
    + Quote Reply
  7. wwooden, Oct 16, 2004

    wwooden macrumors 68000

    wwooden

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2004
    Location:
    Burlington, VT
    #7
    just curious

    I wonder if someone at apple had installed the operating system for a PowerBook instead of an iBook on there. I'm not really sure if this is even possible. What software did you get with the computer when you got it new? Did you have appleworks? Or did you get stuff like graphic converter and other professional programs??

    Just me 2 cents....
     
    share
    + Quote Reply
  8. cirrus, Oct 16, 2004

    cirrus thread starter macrumors newbie

    Joined:
    Oct 15, 2004
    #8
    That's the thing. I did *NOT* run a screen-spander app, or go into open-firmware and change anything. I did read the how-to-do it thingy, but nothing more than that.

    Is there a different version of MacOSX bundled with the PowerBook? I don't think so. Anyway I did an installation myself from the 2 dvd's that where in the box, which look's exactly the same as the one my friend with the 12' ibook has.

    The only possible explaination so far, for me is that either, somebody else was using this mac before I bought it, or that the motherboard was somehow reused/recycled (if you get what I mean).
    Anyway, I like screen-spanning and I've been using it for the last day, but the big question know is: is it safe to continue using it as it is?
     
    share
    + Quote Reply
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)

Share This Page