External LCD screen and Ti & Al PB

[YS2003]

I am thinking about getting an external LCD screen. I know our PBs can do the mirroring (PB's screen and external one showing the same image). But, can I use the external LCD screen without closing PB. I don't want to close and open my PSs' screens because I herad it may cause wear and tear of the hinges (I know I am very anal about this). Can I just shut off my PB's screen and use the external one without closing my PB?

 

[dotdotdot]

I think you are able to, but why would you want to? The AlPB does not have screen mirroring, it has screen spanning - plug in an external monitor and you have a dual monitor set up. And if the TiBook does not support this you can download the screen spanning hack...

I believe you can turn off the PB internal LCD... I just don't know how

 

[crazzyeddie]

You can span the displays of a Titanium or Aluminum Powerbook without any hacks and without closing the screen. However, the only way to completely shut off the LCD on the Powerbook is to close the lid and put it into "clamshell" mode.

 

[YS2003]

You can span the displays of a Titanium or Aluminum Powerbook without any hacks and without closing the screen. However, the only way to completely shut off the LCD on the Powerbook is to close the lid and put it into "clamshell" mode.

I am still trying to get the hang of how the external screen set up works. So, spanning the screens of PB and external LCD display is not the same as mirroring? I am guessing spanning is showing the graphics on both screens (but not the same images on each screen).

If you can shut off the Al and Ti PB's sceen off while connected to the external LCD screen, does it mean PBs' backlights will be turned off?

If Al and Ti PB can only do spanning the screens, does it mean I can only see part of the images on the external LCD screen if my PB's screen is turned off?

LCD's main hardware does not wear out as much as CRT; but, its backlight only lasts up to 50,000 hours at the half of the brightness setting (both of my PBs are kept at 10 to 15% of brightness setting, which is still bright for my eyes). I would like to prolong the PB's LCD screen life without opening and closing the PB. I am very gentel with my Ti PB as I heard its hinges are not very sturdy. My Ti book only saw less than 20 times of opening and closing during my ownership of it for more than 3 years.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

You can span the displays of a Titanium or Aluminum Powerbook without any hacks and without closing the screen. However, the only way to completely shut off the LCD on the Powerbook is to close the lid and put it into "clamshell" mode.

If you open the PB after kicking it into clamshell mode, but do not tell System Prefs to detect displays, the PB's internal LCD will stay off.

I monitor my CPU temp on my Powerbook -- and leaving it open (as opposed to closed) kept it an avg of 5-10 degrees (F) cooler.

 

[debroglie]

I am still trying to get the hang of how the external screen set up works. So, spanning the screens of PB and external LCD display is not the same as mirroring? I am guessing spanning is showing the graphics on both screens (but not the same images on each screen).

If you can shut off the Al and Ti PB's sceen off while connected to the external LCD screen, does it mean PBs' backlights will be turned off?

If Al and Ti PB can only do spanning the screens, does it mean I can only see part of the images on the external LCD screen if my PB's screen is turned off?

LCD's main hardware does not wear out as much as CRT; but, its backlight only lasts up to 50,000 hours at the half of the brightness setting (both of my PBs are kept at 10 to 15% of brightness setting, which is still bright for my eyes). I would like to prolong the PB's LCD screen life without opening and closing the PB. I am very gentel with my Ti PB as I heard its hinges are not very sturdy. My Ti book only saw less than 20 times of opening and closing during my ownership of it for more than 3 years.

wow, you ARE incredibly careful with your screen! I don't know how you can use it at that low brightness setting, but more power to you.

also, powerbooks can mirror and they can span screens. You can choose between the two. When you close your powerbook lid, it doesn't mirror or span, the powerbook screen turns off and the other screen becomes the primary one with all of the icons, dock, etc.

 

[YS2003]

After reading the previous posts, the normal way to use the exteran lcd while the PB scrren off is to close the lid. I was hoping there is a way switch back and forward between the exteran LCD and PB LCL without closing/opening the lid through systems panels (which you can lauch from the dock as a default).