Connect New Display to MacBook?

[jason2811]

I just bought a new Viewsonic display and connected it to my macbook. Two questions:

1) Is ther any way to set it up so that I can use the large display while I have the laptop closed? Because right now the laptop is open and is mirroring everything on the large display and I'd rather have the laptop closed.

2) Is there a way in Mac OSX to ensure a perfect picture on the screen? Or do I have to keep messing with the contract/brightness settings myself?

Thanks.

 

[ebel3003]

I just bought a new Viewsonic display and connected it to my macbook. Two questions:

1) Is ther any way to set it up so that I can use the large display while I have the laptop closed? Because right now the laptop is open and is mirroring everything on the large display and I'd rather have the laptop closed.

2) Is there a way in Mac OSX to ensure a perfect picture on the screen? Or do I have to keep messing with the contract/brightness settings myself?

Thanks.

On the display preferences pane, you can drag the little white menu bar to whichever display you want to be primary. You can then work with the laptops display asleep by closing it, then waking it up with an external keyboard/mouse. I'm not sure if the heat rising from the keyboard is bad for the display, though.

If you want to keep the laptop open with the display off, you can close the laptop enough to put it to sleep,, then wake it up with an external mouse/keyboard, and when the main display wakes up you can open the laptop.