Cinema display as main display with MacBook Pro

A

Alex T.

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Nov 26, 2004
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I just picked up my first Mac, a Macbook Pro. I have a Cinema Display that I want to use as the main display when I'm working at home. Does anyone know how to set that option? I've looked in display settings and I don't see an option.
 
In display settings, I believe there is a tab for arrangement. When you can see the 2 screens representing your setup, click on the gray "menu bar" at the top and drag it over to the other screen in the little picture.

It's been a while since I've setup a dual display, but I'm pretty sure that'll do the trick.
 
Yes I can do that but what I want is to connect an external display and keyboard and then close the laptop screen so I can just use the external. If I close the laptop it goes into sleep mode, which I don't want.
 
With my Macbook all I do is close the lid, then click the mouse and my desktop is displayed on the external monitor. Hope this helps.
 
rainman748 said:
With my Macbook all I do is close the lid, then click the mouse and my desktop is displayed on the external monitor. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it should work just fine as long as you have a Keyboard, mouse and display hooked up.
 
i've been wanting to do this with my new macbook pro as well, and my plan was to just close the lid to the notebook.... but i read somewhere that it's a bad idea as the heat can warp the screen, any thoughts on that from anyone?
 
I doubt it would warp the screen. When you close the laptop you can see that the vents near on the back are fairly unrestricted, so as long as the fans are moving air, the heat shouldn't be too bad.
 
The book dissipates its heat mostly out of the top of the case where the keyboard is. If that's not going out into open air, it's getting trapped inside the closed case. I don't think it's going to warp your screen, but it's certainly not its optimal operating conditions. Should be cool if you just do it every once in awhile. I don't even really understand that though, since simply opening the lid gives you a second monitor and a lot of extra desktop space. What's the value in using it closed?
 
Lack said:
The disproportion in screensize/resolution between a cinema display and a MBP screen make it really hard to work.
Click to expand...

That I can identify with, but I don't actually use the internal display for "working" when I have an external hooked up. I just take the apps I always have open anyway (iTunes, Adium, etc) and shove them over onto the smaller internal display. Glancing over for a quick look to change tracks or see who's online is way more convenient (for me) than going into Expose or doing a Command-Tab, since my eyes move faster than my hands. There's also a piece of software that lets you use a second display to show the Dashboard all the time which could be super useful for some people depending on workflow and widgets. My point is that in the vast majority of cases, a second display is better than only one, even if rarely used, and the better airflow in the open case is a nice bonus as well. :)
 
Thanks for everyones input on this. The suggestion of closing the lid and clicking on the mouse to wake up the screen worked. I now have just the cinema display as my external.
 
CEpeep said:
That I can identify with, but I don't actually use the internal display for "working" when I have an external hooked up. I just take the apps I always have open anyway (iTunes, Adium, etc) and shove them over onto the smaller internal display. Glancing over for a quick look to change tracks or see who's online is way more convenient (for me) than going into Expose or doing a Command-Tab, since my eyes move faster than my hands. There's also a piece of software that lets you use a second display to show the Dashboard all the time which could be super useful for some people depending on workflow and widgets. My point is that in the vast majority of cases, a second display is better than only one, even if rarely used, and the better airflow in the open case is a nice bonus as well. :)
Click to expand...

I'm sure it is useful, but there are situations when it becomuse useless - I have had my laptop plug to two external displays (a windows based laptop) becouse of the disproportions and to save desk space (I can plug a display to more then one computer - can't do that on a laptop).
 
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