Sleep iMac screen, and still have external monitor awake

[qom]

As topic.

Want to use my external monitor to watch movies, and sleep/dim the display on my iMac.

SleepDisplay kills the output, so if you use it while watching a movie, the external monitor goes black aswell.

 

[119576]

So you've tried just dimming down the iMac screen to black using the brightness controls? I just tried it, and my external display was still on; so I don't see why it wouldn't work for you.

 

[qom]

If I turn down the brightness to lowest possible, it's still on.
Not like a MacBook, which shuts the display off

 

[119576]

If I turn down the brightness to lowest possible, it's still on.
Not like a MacBook, which shuts the display off

Oh alright, fair enough. Can't help you then; sorry, and good luck!

 

[qom]

No one?

 

[26139]

Nope

Can't do it.

 

[qom]

Not possible because hardware restriction or what?
Seems very dumb, can't be just me that wanna use the iMac with an external screen and at the same time turn the iMac monitor off.

 

[smartalic34]

I'm assuming this design limitation is because apple is assuming the iMac's screen is large enough to warrant it as a first-use screen. Obviously, someone with a macbook is more than likely going to want to use an external over the 13" screen when given the option, but how many externals are bigger than the iMac's screen? this is most likely apple's line of thinking...

 

[sil3nc3]

have you tried enabling Active Screen Corners, and making one of the corners Sleep Display?

 

[qom]

I'm assuming this design limitation is because apple is assuming the iMac's screen is large enough to warrant it as a first-use screen. Obviously, someone with a macbook is more than likely going to want to use an external over the 13" screen when given the option, but how many externals are bigger than the iMac's screen? this is most likely apple's line of thinking...

That may be how they intended it.
But it's a little ignorant not to let people to atleast dim the screen down to 0 brightness, even though I use the iMac for photo editing, I still would like to have it off when watching a movie on my TV.

As I said, if I run SleepDisplay, the external monitor will loose signal.

 

[hempcamp]

I had a similar question and found either here or at MacNN a link for Shades, which allows you to dim the iMac screen to (almost) black.

Hope this helps!

--Chris

 

[qom]

Thanks a bunch!
This will help alot, although the screen doesn't turns off.

Now if there only was a way to run front row on an external monitor smoothly I would be so happy.