macbook media center

[bored911]

hey, i am getting a macbook pro the day they update to penryn's, and i'm thinking about retiring my regular macbook into a media center. I only have one question about this, which is: is there a way to keep my mac from sleeping, so i can have it closed, but still hooked up to my television?

 

[BradleyGaulden]

hey!

hey i asked that question a few days ago and like 10 ppl say that your can, they said to like just plug ur MB into the tv and put it to sleep, then wake it up and it should only be showing up on the tv screen, according to what ppl tell me, i havnt tried it yet though..,

 

[chriscl]

This should work as the poster above says; I've used my MBP plugged into the TV with a wireless keyboard and mouse and the laptop closed, running Front Row on the TV.

 

[pavvento]

In system preferences there is an option to allow bluetooth devices to wake up mac while closed. I have it hooked up to a monitor, closed, and just move my mouse around and it wakes it up.

 

[misterredman]

I have a question: isn't running macbooks and macbooks pro with closed lid dangerous? I remember reading somewhere that apple discourage that kind of use because it compromises heat dissipation. Is it true?


I searched a bit more and it seems that the issue was with the ibooks, since they dissipate heat though the keyboard (Ibook couldn't be run with closed lid easily).

 

[waterskier2007]

note: it must be plugged in to an ac adapter for this to work. and you just have to have an external keyboard or mouse to wake it after you shut it. if its a bluetooth component you have to enable it to wake the computer in system preferences. and i cant comment on the safety of running it with a lid closed for a long time. i dont think it should be a problem though