New MB Pro and a few questions

[applemike68]

Hi all,

Just purchased my first mac and have a couple of questions.

1. When I use an external monitor and choose mirroring to show on the external the display is really bad compared to the laptop. How do I fix this, I want the external display to look as crisp as the laptop. Also, I'm using the HDMI adapter. When i go to display properties it shows 1280 x 800 is max I think...Any ideas?

2. Why won't safari pages and itunes go to full display? Does that make sense? All i get is the small pages when you open them up. I see the green button but it dosen't seem to fix my problem.

I'm sure I will have more as I get more into this.

 

[alust2013]

1. It's because you're mirroring. Mirroring limits the resolution to the native res of the lower res display. Unchecking that will allow you to use the native res of the monitor, and you get the functionality of dual screens as well.

2. Drag the bottom right corner to make it full screen. That should make it so that the green button maximizes a small window in that app.

 

[snaky69]

Hi all,

Just purchased my first mac and have a couple of questions.

1. When I use an external monitor and choose mirroring to show on the external the display is really bad compared to the laptop. How do I fix this, I want the external display to look as crisp as the laptop. Also, I'm using the HDMI adapter. When i go to display properties it shows 1280 x 800 is max I think...Any ideas?

2. Why won't safari pages and itunes go to full display? Does that make sense? All i get is the small pages when you open them up. I see the green button but it dosen't seem to fix my problem.

I'm sure I will have more as I get more into this.

1. As previously mentioned, you're mirroring, which is pretty self explanatory, you're making a mirror image of your computer screen, resolution and all. Tell us how you truly want to use your external display: extended desktop, or as a main screen when at home? We'll be able to tell you more.

2. Because maximizing everything is a very windows-user and useless thing to do, once all the info/text on a page is on screen, any bigger is completely useless and just blocks everything out behind it. Macs are meant to multi-task, and not maximizing helps doing just that. If you truly want to maximize everything for some obscure reason, just drag the bottom right corner and resize the window manually.

 

[applemike68]

1. As previously mentioned, you're mirroring, which is pretty self explanatory, you're making a mirror image of your computer screen, resolution and all. Tell us how you truly want to use your external display: extended desktop, or as a main screen when at home? We'll be able to tell you more.

2. Because maximizing everything is a very windows-user and useless thing to do, once all the info/text on a page is on screen, any bigger is completely useless and just blocks everything out behind it. Macs are meant to multi-task, and not maximizing helps doing just that. If you truly want to maximize everything for some obscure reason, just drag the bottom right corner and resize the window manually.

1. When at work or home I would like to use the external monitor as the main display. When using the external, I only want to see the second display not the laptop unless i carrying the laptop around.

2. Got it, you are right I'm use to using windows and this is my first mac. So far everything is working great. Thanks for the response.

 

[snaky69]

What you want to do with the secondary display is called clamshell mode.

You need an external keyboard and mouse to achieve it.

1. Plug in and turn on external display
2. Close the lid of the computer, let it sleep
3. Wake it up using said external keyboard and mouse
4. Your external is now your main, and only display, running at it's native resolution.

 

[applemike68]

Thanks guys I got it working based on the suggestions. I just have a learning curve to go through after being with a PC all of my life. Luckly I'm not having too many issues.

On another note, anyone have a good idea for a travel bag that will carry a 13" mac book pro with charger, Iphone and Ipad 2. Any suggestions or experiences will be help full.

The only other issue would be MS office for mac as I'm having a hard time getting the exchange server to work but I think that is on my side not apple or the computer.

Thanks again.