Using an iMac as a secondary monitor. Jason Cipriani/CNET Welcome to Mac Mondays! Each Monday, the team at CNET How To will go in-depth on ways you can improve your Mac.
Discussion in 'Mac Basics and Help' started by RHD, Aug 9, 2008. Most Liked Posts. Jan 14, 2008 Location: London #1. Want to get a monitor that is also a TV to plug into my MacBook pro as a bigger screen for day use and TV DVD watching at night. You can drag the DVD player window to the tv monitor and right-click in the. Connect your Mac mini to your TV or desktop. The Mac mini comes with a HDMI-to-DVI adapter for connecting to a monitor's DVI port, which will allow you to.
We'll talk performance upgrades (for old and new models), hardware hacks, and workflow tips. This is where you'll go to find out how to release your Mac's potential and make the most of your purchase.
Last week Matt Elliot covered how to. Spaces offers a virtual method of adding more desktops without multiple monitors. While Spaces is a productivity haven for Mac users, sometimes using an extra monitor is the only way to get things done.
I've been using a secondary monitor for nearly two years now, and I couldn't imagine a better setup for what I need. Connecting a second or third display to a Mac is something you can do with very little tech-savviness, and only a little time to actually set it up (save for the time it takes you to actually pick out a monitor). It's important to note, some Mac's are limited to powering only one external monitor (the MacBook Air, for example), while others can support two or more.
The easiest way to find out how many monitors your can connect to your Mac is to visit the Apple Specifications page for your respective Mac. Visit, find and select your Mac, then look under Graphics and Video support for number of external monitors supported. Choosing a monitor for your Mac When you shop for a monitor, pay attention to the type of connector that comes bundled with the monitor. Most monitors include either a VGA- or DVI-style connector in the box. As Geoffrey Morrison explained, if it's at all possible, avoid VGA as it doesn't offer pixel-perfect image quality. Additionally, if you fall in love with an HDMI-in equipped monitor, don't shy away from it (even if your Mac isn't equipped with an HDMI port itself). Since Apple abandoned both connection types long ago, you'll need to purchase the corresponding Mini DisplayPort adapter (i.e.
Mini DisplayPort-to-VGA, Mini DisplayPort-to-HDMI or Mini DisplayPort-to-DVI). The adapter converts the signal coming from the monitor, making it compatible with your Mac. Don't sweat if you own a newer Mac with a Thunderbolt port - it doubles as a Mini DisplayPort as well. The adapter isn't terribly expensive if you get it from online stores like.
For those who prefer to get accessories direct from the source, you can also find them in the. Some users report that the official adapters are more reliable, but I've had success with the third-party variety. Or, if you're a fan of, it offers a Lightning cable to connect directly to a Mac, though the Mac will need to be Thunderbolt-compatible (and you'll have to fork over $999 for Apple's display). Arranging the displays Once you've acquired all the necessary parts, set up your monitor, power it on and plug it into your Mac's Thunderbolt or Mini DisplayPort.
At this point, make sure you're logged into your computer and have both screens powered up. After connecting everything, your Mac will begin mirroring its display to the new monitor automatically. Unless you're giving a presentation, the mirroring feature isn't all that useful, so we'll need to jump into System Preferences Displays Arrangement. Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET In the configuration window, you'll see both displays stacked to indicate mirroring mode. To disable mirroring, uncheck the box just below the display preview window located next to the 'Mirror Displays' text. Both screens will go black for a brief moment.
When they come back you'll have two different desktops, with the menu bar and dock being restricted to only appearing on one. OS X will automatically determine the ideal resolution for both screens, but should you want to tweak this setting, you can do so by selecting the Display tab within Displays the preferences panel. Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET Using the arrangement window, you can move adjust the layout of your monitors to reflect how they are actually set up on your desk. Keep in mind, this will also determine the side of your screen to which you move your mouse to switch between displays. So long as the displays are 'touching' in the arrangement window, you can arrange the displays however you'd like.
Tv Vs Monitor For Mac Mini
Top, bottom, right, left - it doesn't matter. As just mentioned, the menu bar and dock is only present on one display (technically the menu bar is present on the secondary display, but its transparency is nearly see-through), making it the primary screen. In this same settings pane, you can drag the white bar that represents the menu bar to the screen you want to set as primary. Again, the displays will go black, then light back up to reflect the new settings. IMac as second display Have an extra iMac sitting around the house? Did you know you can use it as a second monitor for a MacBook? All you'll need is a Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt compatible MacBook, iMac and the appropriate cable to connect the two.
Tv Or Monitor For Macbook Pro
The cable will need to be plugged into the Mini DisplayPort or Thunderbolt port on your Macbook, and then again in the corresponding port on the iMac. Apple posted a list of iMacs and the respective cable requirement for each.
If you’ve been holding out for a new standalone desktop display from Apple, you’re either going to take news of the as a sign of good things to come, or as a cue to finally purchase a new 4K or 5K display from someone else. For most, especially considering Apple itself is recommending you purchase a third-party display, the latter option is going to be the more likely. While Apple didn’t recommend any specific third-party alternatives during its of the Thunderbolt display last week, we’ve done the work for you and put together our top picks for the best 4K & 5K displays for Mac available to buy right now. Things have come quite a long way since my last roundup of the best displays for Mac a couple years back. Dell still makes it into my top picks in most price points, but there are some new and now less expensive models available and also a few more contenders from the other guys. And prices are now more reasonable than ever with a few year old or newer models available for well under $1000 or even $500 price points. As always, support for 4K displays will depend on your Mac.
All the displays on our list have been tested with Macs, but you’ll want to first look into for the various Mac models if you’re unfamiliar. $500 – $1000 Top pick: The sweet spot for specs, Mac compatibility, and price point, the ($498) gets you a solid display with Dell’s specs and build quality not unlike the company’s more expensive options. Currently available for $498 shipped from Amazon, this is our top all-around pick for under $1000 and it really represents the best bang for buck currently. It replaces our top pick from a (also from Dell) but at a third of the price.
There aren’t built-in speakers, but you can use the audio line output with your own or Our runners-up at this price point include:. $1000+ If 5K isn’t a necessity, and for most it probably isn’t, then you can get. A step up in specs from our top pick, this is the way to go if you want a top of the line display and have over $1000 to spend. You’ll get built-in audio that you don’t get with our less expensive top pick model, and you’ll of course get the larger 32-inch panel alongside some other slightly better specs that come with Dell’s PremierColor tech, making it a suitable option for pros if the specs on the $500 aren’t cutting it. Another solid option at a price point to consider is the relatively new. The design might leave a bit to be desired, but the specs and the colors put it on par with the other monitors in this category and so far it’s received much praise from users.
Dell’s premium 5K offering is the UP2715K. It packs in an impressive 5120 x 2880 resolution that Dell points out is almost double the amount of pixels in its Ultra HD 4K monitors. Originally priced at $3000 by Dell, you can currently.
And on top of the considerable jump up in resolution and therefore screen real estate, other upgrades over the $500 top pick include built-in stereo speakers from Harmon Kardon, VESA mount support, and a media card reader. Keep in mind, for about $300 more you can and of course that comes with a full computer built-in. But for that price, this is about as good as it gets and one of the only real 5K options to consider for your Mac currently.
Budget picks: ($37 4): Similar specs and an almost identical design to our top pick, but comes in a smaller 24-inch package and a lower price point. ($447): This 4K display from LG gets good reviews from Mac users and is a step up in style and quality from the Samsung option below.
($399): This is similar to a model. This is one of the lowest priced 4K options with decent specs and good review from Mac users.