eMac --> HDTV via VGA?

[jruc4871]

I just ordered a Samsung LN-S4095D, 40" LCD 1080p TV (resolution 1920x1080)

Eventually, I hope to hook up an updated Mac Mini. Until then, I'm stuck with my 1.25 eMac.

Here's my question - can my eMac handle the output to the Samsung with the Apple VGA Display adapter (and VGA extension cable)? What unforseen resolution problems might I have?

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[kgarchar]

everymac is saying that 1280x960 is the max, but I'd give it a try. You'll need to use http://www.rutemoeller.com/mp/ibook/supportlist_e.html that.

 

[shikimo]

This may be out of date, but when I bought my eMac 1Ghz in 2003 I clearly remember that I couldn't output anything to another monitor...but maybe they changed that in between my machine and yours?

 

[miloblithe]

My 1Ghz eMac can run a 20" 1680x1050 monitor while running the internal monitor at 1280x960. It requires a hack:

http://www.rutemoeller.com/mp/ibook/ibook_e.html

Apple didn't support dual monitors, but the graphics card can handle it. On my computer, I have to reset the 20" monitor to 1200x800 if I'm displaying full screen movies on it because the graphics card can't handle it at full resolution. I use full resolution for web browsing, Word, etc, just fine. My computer has an older ATI Radeon 7500, and your emac has an ATI Radeon 9200. I have no idea how much of a difference that will make, but I imagine it's not huge. It might be enough to run the monitor at you got at full resolution, but you may have to use a lower resolution for video.

 

[jruc4871]

Thanks all - good to know if I want to do screen spanning.

I'm actually primarly concerned with using the new LCD TV as the primary monitor. I'm certain my rev of eMac can mirror to a 2nd monitor (as it has the mini VGA port). I'm just wondering if it's going to look like hell.

 

[miloblithe]

If I remember correctly, one problem with mirroring is that it will mirror based on the dimensions of the internal monitor, so it will try to display 1280x960 on 1920x1080, which will either require the sides to be chopped off, only the middle 1280x960 pixels to be used, or some kind of unnatural morphing to fit the screen.

You can use the external monitor as the primary monitor without spanning though. That's generally what I do. Just set it in monitor preferences as the primary monitor. This isn't flawless, and my computer exhibits some odd behaviors this way, like even though the external is the primary (has the dock and top menu bars), when I play a video in full screen mode in VLC, it displays it on the internal monitor rather than the external.

 

[jruc4871]

This isn't flawless, and my computer exhibits some odd behaviors this way...

I know this all too well from dealing with my Toshiba laptop (for some reason, Windows media player doesn't show video on my external LCD, but it does on the laptop screen - but I digress).

Thanks for the input. I guess it's worth an experiment. The VGA adapter is only $19.99 and a VGA extension cable isn't much more.