Q's before a get a display.

[tylerboyo]

Hi everyone, im running a cd mbp. I am gonna be buying a 20" cinema display within the next week, and have a few questions before i purchase it.
Do i NEED an external keyboard?
Isit a straight up dvi-dvi connection? Will i need any other converters or anything?
Can i run the 2 as dual monitors, or isit only possible to use the cinema diaplay on its own?(if they run as dual, will the bar at the top run across both screens, and the background be split?)(how easy is it to setup dual? somehting in system prefs i guess?)
Isit easy to setup clamshell mode ive heard about?

Sorry for all the q's i jus wan the right answers before i blow a load of cash on this. Thanks all

 

[theman5725]

You can use the laptop's keyboard if you want.

The MiniDVI-DVI or MiniDVI-VGA converter/cable/thing that apple sells is necessary to connect the MacBook to a display.

You can have them as two separate screens if you like. You can choose which screen has the menu bar and the dock. The other screen simply allows you more space for your windows and such. You can also do mirroring if you want.

Setting up clamshell is as easy as closing the lid on the laptop.

 

[tylerboyo]

ive got a macbook pro, shouldnt it be straight dvi-dvi? also, whats mirroring? i would either want to use them as dual monitors, or just use the cinema display. depending on what im doing. mirroring? wouldnt that just be the same thing on each monitor? also, is all this done as essily as opening up displays, in system prefs?

 

[Dreadnought]

Yes, mirroring is the same thing on both displays, with the resolution of the lowest resolution screen. Also, when using the display with a closed MB, you will need an external keyboard!!
The bar at the top won't run on both displays, only on your main one (you can set that up really easy in screen preferences), and you can have a different background on each display. Mac really sees it as 2 different screens, not like in Windows.

Furthermore, my advice is: wait a couple of days for MWSF. Maybe there will be new displays (don't count on it!).

 

[tylerboyo]

I was thinking of waiting, but im looking into getting a 2nd hand1, cant really afford a new 1 over here. Id love to get 1 from ebay.com, but no-one ships to the UK, and tax would be a bitch as well.

 

[72930]

I was thinking of waiting, but im looking into getting a 2nd hand1, cant really afford a new 1 over here. Id love to get 1 from ebay.com, but no-one ships to the UK, and tax would be a bitch as well.

If there are new ones, the prices of the current ones will drop quite a bit.