Disable iMac display, use external only?

[sphoenix]

I just purchased a 23" monitor to replace my iMacs 17" display (since it has a nasty crack in one of the corners). I hooked it up fine and all, but the displays are linked, allowing me to hover the mouse to the iMac's display which I find annoying most of the time.

Is there a way to make the iMac display zone out and just use the external by itself?

 

[Icaras]

I just purchased a 23" monitor to replace my iMacs 17" display (since it has a nasty crack in one of the corners). I hooked it up fine and all, but the displays are linked, allowing me to hover the mouse to the iMac's display which I find annoying most of the time.

Is there a way to make the iMac display zone out and just use the external by itself?

The iMac in our household isn't connected to an external display, but I figure the solution to this would be the same as using a Macbook, which I do have, and is connected to a display. When I don't want to close the Macbook, I just dim the brightness to the lowest setting. I'm guessing this will work for an iMac setup as well. It's not a simple on/off solution but it works for me.

Edit: Oh, I just read the last part of your post, after posting, lol. Sorry, yea, by dimming the display, you're still in dual monitor mode, and your mouse will hover over still. Sorry. Not sure what could fix that.

 

[gouvernor]

Alternative

I'm currently at work, so I can't tell you if there's a built in solution to your problem, but you could possibly Clone (or Mirror)the Displays and then dimm the brightness without worrying about the mouse moving off of the screen.

I can't remember if the resolutions have to be the same in that mode, so if you're external is much larger, there may be a catch to that solution.

 

[sphoenix]

Yeah that's exactly the catch. I mirrored but my 1080p display switches to the Mac's 1440x900 resolution and looks all fuzzy.

I guess the only other alternative could be if someone wrote an app for this function.