Disable iMac G3 display?

[mectojic]

So the slot-load iMac G3s come with a VGA mirroring option, which is pretty cool. I connected it up to my 15" Studio Display, and I do prefer its cleaner image compared to the G3. So I'm considering using it plugged in this way, and keeping both on my desk, so I can still enjoy the iMac G3 speakers.

With this setup though, it makes no sense for the iMac display to be on. Is there any way to make the display on the iMac completely black, or even shut off the CRT in software?

 

[mectojic]

Update: looked for 3rd party software that might help. SwitchResX does have a 10.4 version, but it didn't help at all. Seems like no true method was developed to switch off a CRT mirrored display.

But there is a solution. If you want to just run an external mirrored monitor, disconnect the internal video cable from the iMac.
On the older tray-load iMacs, there was no mirroring option to begin with (except for some mezzanine slot expansion on the Bondi G3s), so if you wanted to reroute the video connection from those, you just unplugged the DB-15 monitor connector at the back and rerouted to your connection and monitor of choice.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

I liked the slot loader design with the exception of the mirror vs extending the desk top. When I was actually DD'ing a blueberry slot loader in the early 2000s, I recall really wanting extended desktop for added screen real estate and found the mirror function to be pretty useless. I ended up using it in a cabinet out of sight and running a long vga cable to a shared monitor on my desk with a x86 P3 gaming rig at the time.

I agree that the ability to turn off or sleep the native monitor in software (heck or a physical button wouldve been fine) or extend the desktop were missed opportunities for sure. Then again maybe that was viewed as going against Jobs penchant for an AIO solution.

 

[Amethyst1]

The Intel iMacs were the first to officially do extended desktop. My guess is that, like with iBooks, the feature was cut to maintain safe distance to the “pro” machines.