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Two Monitors on iBook

The_Man

The_Man

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2005
274
0
Is there a way to hook up an external monitor to an open iBook so that the external monitor is not just a mirror of the internal but acts as more desktop space.

I searched the forums for threads like this, but I could not find any that answered my question specifily. Sorry if I repeated a previous thread.
 
Two More Questions.

Thanks CanadaRam.

I have another question though, if the iBook gets a video update to 64mb video card, then will I still need the screen spanning hack, or will it function without it.

Also, just to confirm, the iBook comes standard with an adapter so you can plug the monitor cable into the iBook, correct?
 
Yes the iBooks come with a MiniVGA to VGA adapter if I remember correctly. The screen spanning hack does indeed void the waranty, as Apple says it "works it harder than it's made to". Yes, you can listen to people tell you to just remove it before sending it in for repairs, but what if the computer is unable to be started up? How are you going to remove it then. In my opinion, it's not worth it. ;)
 
I heard the powerbook is able to span across two screens as seperate work spaces because they have a 64mb video card. If the iBook gets a 64mb video card in the (hopefully) soon to come update, will it still need the screen spanning hack, and will spanning across two screens still void the warranty?
 
Theman2290 said:
I heard the powerbook is able to span across two screens as seperate work spaces because they have a 64mb video card. If the iBook gets a 64mb video card in the (hopefully) soon to come update, will it still need the screen spanning hack, and will spanning across two screens still void the warranty?
Click to expand...
VRAM is not the issue here. (think about it -- you got 1024 x 768 on your old PowerMac 7200 with 2 mb of VRAM...) GPU processor power and heat dissipation are the issues.

Plus Apple's desire to differentiate the iBook and the Powerbook line.
 
Theman2290 said:
I heard the powerbook is able to span across two screens as seperate work spaces because they have a 64mb video card. If the iBook gets a 64mb video card in the (hopefully) soon to come update, will it still need the screen spanning hack, and will spanning across two screens still void the warranty?
Click to expand...

Yes the powerbook is able to span, not simply because it has 64MB of VRAM but because apple chose to enable it.

Typically apple only choses to enable spanning on the "power" products and not the more consumer based "i" and "e" products. For example the new iMac requires this very same hack to span and it has 128MB of VRAM.

My opinion is apply the hack. I have on mine and it works flawlessly. Life is short enjoy it well you can. If you ever have any troubles you will likely be able to remove the hack.

-Chris
 
The hack doesn't void the warranty since it just enables what's already there. I know plenty of people who have used it and not one has had an issue. There was even a post here about someone sending in their iBook for repair and forgetting to remove the hack (which is easy to do BTW), and Apple said nothing. All is does is split the video in 2, and there is little if any extra heat. Just apply the patch, and if it craps out, zap the PRAM. Problem solved.
 
ITASOR said:
Yes the iBooks come with a MiniVGA to VGA adapter if I remember correctly. The screen spanning hack does indeed void the waranty, as Apple says it "works it harder than it's made to". Yes, you can listen to people tell you to just remove it before sending it in for repairs, but what if the computer is unable to be started up? How are you going to remove it then. In my opinion, it's not worth it. ;)
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter if your iBook is unable to boot. To remove the hack all you need to do is reset the PRAM, the procedure for which is part of open firmware and can still be executed in pretty much any situation short of a complete logic board failure, in which case Apple would be replacing your logic board (with the integrated GPU) anyway and would have no way of checking the GPU firmware. All of that to say, there is nothing dangerous about this hack, and it is highly unlikely a situation could develop where you lost your warranty. I applied this hack as soon as I got my new iBook (14inch 1.33GHz) and have never had a single problem (in 8 months). I run a Dell 2001FP at 1600x1200 as my primary display with the screen spanning to the iBook panel at 1024x768. In standard day to day use I have never even heard the system fan come on, which means this is absolutely not overtaxing the video card or generating an excessive amount of heat. The idea that a Powerbook can push an external display at up to 2048 x 1536 (or 2560 x 1600 on the 17 inch) but there is something about the iBook's design that precludes anything but a simple mirror external display is, quite frankly, nonsense. My recommendation is apply the patch as soon as possible and then write Steve a nasty email about disabling your hardware.

-Hank
 
Theman2290 said:
I have another question though, if the iBook gets a video update to 64mb video card, then will I still need the screen spanning hack, or will it function without it.
Click to expand...

This is like asking if the first iBook with the Intel processor will have a widescreen. How should anyone know? The card the iBook has *now* is capable of doing the spanning -- the hack basically just turns the feature on, but the video chipset supported it from the start and Apple disabled it. When the next iBook comes out, they can do anything they want with it, in principle. They can choose any method they want to differentiate the "professional" and "consumer" macs. But at present, their policy has been that none of the white "consumer" macs -- the iMac, the eMac, the Mac Mini, and the iBook -- can do screen spanning without a hack, regardless of video card (and there are cards ranging from 32-128MB of VRAM in these computers).
 
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