Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Switch video game from iMac to external monitor?

T

Tofray

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 7, 2011
107
1
Can someone tell me if this is possible?

I'm ordering a new 27" iMac and plan to use my 22" Dell Monitor as an external monitor. I plan to mount the external monitor approx. 10 feet away from the iMac (using displayport to HDMI adapter). I want to have the option to play video games on the iMac monitor, then move the game to the external monitor exclusively when I want to change sitting positions. (External monitor is across room). Is it easy to just move the game to each monitor anytime I want, or do I have to install some other software program to make that happen?

Thanks for any help!
 
BS. Of course you can connect the Dell via DP-HDMI-cable. However, you have to set the primary monitor in the Settings, so you have to quit and restart your game.
 
I know you can connect any HDMI monitor to the iMac using a Displayport to HDMI adapter...My question pertains to randomly moving a video game from one monitor to the other...and I'm referring to a Mac-based video game like World of Warcraft, not a console game like Xbox/PS3.

----------
XionCore said:
BS. Of course you can connect the Dell via DP-HDMI-cable. However, you have to set the primary monitor in the Settings, so you have to quit and restart your game.
Click to expand...

Thank you Xioncore, that's what I was looking for...so all I have to do is change the settings on the Mac each time I want to switch the game, and not have to install any secondary software right?
 
WilliamG said:
Not possible.
Click to expand...
Actually everything you said that is not possible is possible. :rolleyes:

WilliamG said:
You can't connect the Dell monitor to your iMac.
Click to expand...
The 27" iMac does support a second monitor and with the adapter he mentioned he can use the monitor he mentioned.


WilliamG said:
You also can't connect any game consoles to your iMac.
Click to expand...
The 27" iMac ThunderBolt port can be used as an input making the 27" iMac a monitor. With the right adapter he can connect a game console up to his iMac and use it as a display. I do not believe that the iMac will receive the audio from the game system though. I am not sure where you got that he want to hook a game system up to his iMac since he never said that is what he wanted to do.
 
Apologies for the confusion. I thought you meant using a game console with your new iMac. You absolutely CANNOT connect a game console, or any other non-Thunderbolt device to your new iMac. There are ways around it with capture cards, but.. not worth the effort and the results aren't good.

You can, however, connect the Dell monitor to your computer. The iMac supports display out to... whatever you like. It does not support display IN (except Thunderbolt devices), which a game console would be at this time.

I edited my original response to be clearer (since I mis-wrote my response anyway, hah!).

----------
brand said:
Actually everything you said that is not possible is possible. :rolleyes:


The 27" iMac ThunderBolt port can be used as an input making the 27" iMac a monitor. With the right adapter he can connect a game console up to his iMac and use it as a display. I do not believe that the iMac will receive the audio from the game system though. I am not sure where you got that he want to hook a game system up to his iMac since he never said that is what he wanted to do.
Click to expand...

Not true. Just so you know. :rolleyes:
 
WilliamG said:
Apologies for the confusion. I thought you meant using a game console with your new iMac. You absolutely CANNOT connect a game console, or any other non-Thunderbolt device to your new iMac. There are ways around it with capture cards, but.. not worth the effort and the results aren't good.

You can, however, connect the Dell monitor to your computer. The iMac supports display out to... whatever you like. It does not support display IN (except Thunderbolt devices), which a game console would be at this time.

I edited my original response to be clearer (since I mis-wrote my response anyway, hah!).

----------



Not true. Just so you know. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Actually it is possible to use the 27" iMac as a display so it is very true.
 
brand said:
Actually it is possible to use the 27" iMac as a display so it is very true.
Click to expand...

Since 2011 it is only possible with other thundebolt macs. You cannot connect a console directly to the 2011 or 2012 iMac so I am not sure why you are arguing this point. You can do it via a capture box, if you like playing games with a few seconds of lag. Let me reiterate, I use a blackmagic capture box. It is not a viable solution for playing games and there are no other adaptors.
 
theSeb said:
Since 2011 it is only possible with other thundebolt macs.
Click to expand...

That I was not aware of. I knew that it was possible when using DisplayPort and did not know that that had changed with the conversion to ThunderBolt. I stand corrected.
 
Last edited:
theSeb said:
Since 2011 it is only possible with other thundebolt macs. You cannot connect a console directly to the 2011 or 2012 iMac so I am not sure why you are arguing this point. You can do it via a capture box, if you like playing games with a few seconds of lag. Let me reiterate, I use a blackmagic capture box. It is not a viable solution for playing games and there are no other adaptors.
Click to expand...

Yup. I enjoyed gaming on my 2009 27" iMac very much. I just bought another display to continue that tradition, since it's no longer possible on Thunderbolt-equipped iMacs.
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. One more question...

I'm considering buying a Thunderbolt Display to use as a 2nd monitor, so that I can play sound through the monitor. If I move the game to the 2nd monitor, change the settings to show the TD as primary display, will sound automatically be routed there or would I need to change some other audio settings too?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back