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Can I watch movies without my mbp open?

jigs

jigs

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 17, 2007
9
0
i just got a sr mbp and the s-video output cable so i can watch movies on my tv, but i would like to watch it without having my mbp open. when i close the lid though, the computer goes to sleep and the tv screen goes blank. i was told if i plug in mouse that this would keep the mbp from sleeping, but no luck. im using a ms mouse with the drivers installed. does that make a diference? does anyone know if am i doing something wrong?
 
there's an app called insomniax that you can download that will allow other apps to continue to run when you close your mbp and not sleep but the heat will fry your screen over time.... i wouldn't really recommend it to watch movies with
 
Why do you need to?
Just turn it around or, if you're relying on the remote, cover the screen with something. It's better than potentially damaging the hardware.
 
turn the brightness on your screen all the way down? then there is no reason to close it.
 
you can run your computer in closed-lid mode but, as some have mentioned, heat may be an issue.

why not just close your computer to the point before it's closed all the way; i.e., open about a centimeter. heat can still escape but the screen would not be visible.
 
rweakins said:
that's what i do. it's the same as having it closed basically
Click to expand...

Ditto. I do the same thing hooking my MBP up to my HDTV via DVI->HDMI. You get all the benefits of closed-shell mode without the heat buildup :)
 
OscarTheGrouch said:
not to be an ass, but why not go spend 30 dollars or so on a dvd player?
Click to expand...

well if i have something that performs that function already, it seems like a waste. also, not all my movies are on dvd.

i never thought about the heat issue that was mentioned above though. i never had problems running closed-lid with my old laptop, but ill settle for running it with the lid almost closed if it means not worring about damaging the screen. thanks for all the replies.
=)
 
Why in the world does everyone keep mentioning heat issues when this is what the MBP is designed to do??? It's got two fans in it that can easily get rid of heat. If you have an external screen, keyboard, and mouse plugged in the mbp will stay awake when you close it anyway. So if Apple certifies that functionality, I don't see the issue to close your mbp and watch movies. It works fine for me in my office.
 
KD7IWP said:
Why in the world does everyone keep mentioning heat issues when this is what the MBP is designed to do???
Click to expand...
Well, I can only speak for myself, but in my case it's because I've read online and in print (over and over and OVER again) that the Macbook AND Macbook Pro laptops get hot. Very hot. Very, VERY hot.
 
KD7IWP said:
Why in the world does everyone keep mentioning heat issues when this is what the MBP is designed to do??? It's got two fans in it that can easily get rid of heat. If you have an external screen, keyboard, and mouse plugged in the mbp will stay awake when you close it anyway. So if Apple certifies that functionality, I don't see the issue to close your mbp and watch movies. It works fine for me in my office.
Click to expand...

seconded

If I recall correctly, the old iBooks were not designed to work in clamshell mode.
 
Sounds Good said:
Well, I can only speak for myself, but in my case it's because I've read online and in print (over and over and OVER again) that the Macbook AND Macbook Pro laptops get hot. Very hot. Very, VERY hot.
Click to expand...

MPB are made of aluminum, which conducts heat (away from the internals and to the surrounding environment). This is a good thing for your computer. Having a warm computer (even one that may be too warm for some to put comfortably on their lap) is very different from a computer that is so hot that the computer gets damaged.
 
rweakins said:
there's an app called insomniax that you can download that will allow other apps to continue to run when you close your mbp and not sleep but the heat will fry your screen over time.... i wouldn't really recommend it to watch movies with
Click to expand...

Not true at all, no additional software is required. Scottyk9 and KD7IWP are totally right.

The MBP is designed to be run with the screen shut, you need to plug in an external monitor and a USB device (or use the remote) to do it.

I have with my MB.

Alternatively you can disable display mirroring with System Preferences==>Display==>Arrangement, and then just show the movie on the TV which the new Quicktime (7.2) can do, with Quicktime Player Menu==>Prefrences==>Full Screen and then dragging the Q to the external monitor. As in the attached screenshot.

Picture 2.png

Then if the Movie is over the TV when it is made full screen it'll go to the external. mPlayer can do a similar thing. You may need Perian and Flip4Mac for Quicktime though. (google them).
 
Eraserhead said:
The MBP is designed to be run with the screen shut, you need to plug in an external monitor and a USB device (or use the remote) to do it.
Click to expand...
Why can't they add a "Run with the lid closed just because I feel like it" button, without having to connect external devices to it?
 
Rub some tin foil with a Scotch pad to give it more of a matte coating and tape it over the MBP LCD and then it will give it more of an aluminum look when it is open and it will be like having two MBP's! One lying flat and one standing up!
 
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