MacBook mirroring display confusion

[Squirrelflight]

Beyond frustrated right now. Whenever I connect my mac to my tv settings change. It's perfect than I don't use it for a week new problem.

So what I don't get. I have all the settings right - 720p for the tv, set on DVI PC, and yet the full screen isn't always full. And when you look at the macbook itself it has HUGE black bars on the bottom and top even though it's almost full on the TV screen.

I want both my laptop and the tv to have full screen.

Mirroring displays seems to do this, but it can't get it just right. What am I supposed to do with this option? You drag the mirrors around but what is the position that will make sure both laptop and TV are full screen?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

You disable MIRROR DISPLAYS in

System Preferences > Displays >> Arrangement >>> Mirror Displays (but know, that the display with the lowest resolution determines the maximum resolution used on both, thus one display will have a lower than native resolution, except when both displays have the same native resolution)

The MacBook has a 16:10 aspect ratio with 1280 x 800 pixel, a Tv has a 16:9 aspect ratio with 1280 x 720 or 1920 x 1080 (or some abysmal resolution in between), thus the black bars on the MacBook come from it being forced to 1280 x 720 due to the TV's resolution.

 

[randolph15]

Arranging External display with MacBook Air

Replaced my MacBook with an Air and want to setup with my 21 inch display. Right now I have main screen (with all icons) on my air and my mail on the 21" screen. How do I reverse them so my mail is on Air and main screen on 21" display?

 

[priitv8]

You can assign the main display by dragging menubar to it in the Arrangement window depicred above.