More external display issues

[simon s]

Hi All,

I am new here but it looks like a great site. Wondered if any of you kind folk could help me.

I am running a new MBP 2.4ghz with 26" NEC 2690WUXi monitor.
I got the MiniDisplayport adapter to DV -I cable and plugged it in. Set screen res to 1900 x 1200 using the better 8600 graphics card and when i mirror the display to use this single monitor the image on the NEC is fuzzy.

If i use it as dual display then the image is fine but thats not how i want to use this . I partly brought this whole setup to use with a decent external monitor set up which i intend to calibrate and use as the main display. This leaves me more than a bit pissed off. Does the MBP not support this res ?

Normally when i mirror the display the external projector/monitor is ok and laptop looks fuzzy. Can anyone help or explain please ?

Thanks all

Simon sandys

 

[stevemiller]

in my experience, when displays are mirrored the resolution for both is set by the lower resolution display. the mbp screen is 1440x900... which will look blurry when mirrored on your 1920x1200 external. normally projectors are lower resolution than even laptops, so thats why they would retain crisp, native resolution when mirrored.

a) you can set the external display to be your main display with menubar/doc etc regardless of mirroring (in fact my setup defaults to that when i plug in an external display)... what exactly is irksome about having the dual display as opposed to mirrored?

b) if you are really set on having just one display, do the following:
1-close the lid to put the laptop to sleep
2-plug in the monitor
3-plug in an external keyboard or mouse and press a button, the laptop will wake up on the external display
4-reopen the lid. you can use the macbook's own keyboard and trackpad if you want and it'll only be the external display, the laptop screen remains undetected.
5-simply unplug the external when you want to return to regular laptop use

 

[simon s]

Thanks for the swift reply Steve. I will try that when i get home.
Just a couple more questions:

you mentioned... 'a) you can set the external display to be your main display with menubar/doc etc regardless of mirroring... '
What do you mean by menubar/doc ? Is this another menu where i can set the external as the main screen ? If so where is this ?

Secondly if i try option b) will the resolution on the external be higher than that in Mirrored mode ?

Apologies if these are all obvious questions.
I am not against the dual display BTW but simply want to see everything on one screen for ease of working rather than moving windows from one screen to another.

Thanks again

Simon

 

[stevemiller]

sorry doc was a typo... i meant dock, haha.

-to set the external display as the main display in dual screen mode, while both are connected launch system preferences, then choose displays, then choose the arrangement tab. on the monitor previews, the 'main' screen will be the one that has a little bar showing at the top to represent the menubar. its actually as simple as dragging that menubar to the other monitor icon.

here's an old image i found online that shows the preference pane (its an older version of the OS, but it works the same way):

-when i use the wake from sleep trick to use the external monitor with the laptop screen undetected, it runs at its native resolution (1920x1200, just like yours).

 

[simon s]

Thanks for the info. I tried your second suggestion and it worked at native resolution so thanks for that.

Incidentally when i drag the external monitor to the other icon it will not move into the box unless i hold 'alt' down and then all it does is switch on the mirrored display instead.

Simon

 

[Akitakoi]

sorry doc was a typo... i meant dock, haha.

-to set the external display as the main display in dual screen mode, while both are connected launch system preferences, then choose displays, then choose the arrangement tab. on the monitor previews, the 'main' screen will be the one that has a little bar showing at the top to represent the menubar. its actually as simple as dragging that menubar to the other monitor icon.

here's an old image i found online that shows the preference pane (its an older version of the OS, but it works the same way):

-when i use the wake from sleep trick to use the external monitor with the laptop screen undetected, it runs at its native resolution (1920x1200, just like yours).

Oh man! Thanks for posting that!