[kennedy]

Though a long-time Mac user, I've never used Mac's dual monitor spanning capability... but I need to know a bit of how it works to choose the right monitor to buy with my soon-to-have PB12.

1) Can you set it up to span vertically? Or only horizontally (side-by-side)?

2) The menubar and I assume Dock are only on the primary screen, right? So, I'd think you'd just want low use apps over on the secondary... or apps that don't require much menu use. True? Or is it comfy pulling your mouse way over to another screen to hit a menu?

3) Can you setup the PB such that if a second monitor is attached it automatically makes it the primary, but if not attached the built-in is automatically primary?

4) Can you hook up and unhook the monitor on-the-fly?

5) If at home, when I hook up a monitor I want spanning, but at work when I hook up I want mirroring (for putting presentations up on a projector)... how easy/hard is it to configure?

6) I assume the PB12 will drive 1280x1024 without problem. Can the PB12 also drive 1280x768 (the Samsung 172W) fine?

7) If spanning side-by-side, it seems having the same vertical pixel height (768) would be nice in the sense that if the window is full screen height on one, it will fit perfectly on the other... making the 172W especially appealing. Agree? Disagree?

8) Any other recommendations for a monitor-spanning setup with a PB12?


Thanks!

[icruise]

Originally posted by kennedy:


1) Can you set it up to span vertically? Or only horizontally (side-by-side)?

Both vertical and side by side are possible, and you can have one screen up higher than the other too.

2) The menubar and I assume Dock are only on the primary screen, right? So, I'd think you'd just want low use apps over on the secondary... or apps that don't require much menu use. True? Or is it comfy pulling your mouse way over to another screen to hit a menu?

Well, it's not that huge of a deal, but I do generally put lower usage apps on the secondary screen (the PB screen).

3) Can you setup the PB such that if a second monitor is attached it automatically makes it the primary, but if not attached the built-in is automatically primary?

Yes.

4) Can you hook up and unhook the monitor on-the-fly?

Yes.

5) If at home, when I hook up a monitor I want spanning, but at work when I hook up I want mirroring (for putting presentations up on a projector)... how easy/hard is it to configure?

Well, just enable the monitors menu item and you can switch between resolutions and mirroring/spanning relatively painlessly.

6) I assume the PB12 will drive 1280x1024 without problem. Can the PB12 also drive 1280x768 (the Samsung 172W) fine?

I think so. I use 1280X1024.

7) If spanning side-by-side, it seems having the same vertical pixel height (768) would be nice in the sense that if the window is full screen height on one, it will fit perfectly on the other... making the 172W especially appealing. Agree? Disagree?

I don't think that is much of an issue really.

[kennedy]

Given you can stack them vertically, I think the best might be to mount my 17" LCD to where it will sit just above my PB12's screen... which would put it at about eye-level, and it would keep the menubar at the top where it belongs.

Of course, I guess I'd need to get used to the dock at the left or right rather than the bottom, otherwise the dock would get in the way of moving the mouse down to the bottom screen.

Has anyone used their PB12 this way?

I'd think a PB17 with a 17" LCD above it would be particularly slick.
Anyone done that?

[slow moe]

Originally posted by kennedy:
Given you can stack them vertically, I think the best might be to mount my 17" LCD to where it will sit just above my PB12's screen... which would put it at about eye-level, and it would keep the menubar at the top where it belongs.

Of course, I guess I'd need to get used to the dock at the left or right rather than the bottom, otherwise the dock would get in the way of moving the mouse down to the bottom screen.

Has anyone used their PB12 this way?

I'd think a PB17 with a 17" LCD above it would be particularly slick.
Anyone done that?

Yeah, that's exactly how I have mine setup. My monitor sits on a shelf that raises it above the desk just enough to slip the PB's screen right up under it. That's nice because the PB can sit right where my old keyboard used to sit. I also have the two displays arranged vertically with the ext. monitor having the menubar and Dock. When using it like this, the ext. monitor becomes the primary display, and I usually dim the PB's display all the way down (off) because it's not really needed. I also use a USB mouse with the ext. monitor because it's to large (17" @ 1280x1024) to use the trackpad with.

[kennedy]

Originally posted by slow moe:
When using it like this, the ext. monitor becomes the primary display, and I usually dim the PB's display all the way down (off) because it's not really needed.

Perhaps not needed... but isn't it useful? I know on my PowerMac with 17" Apple display, I'm often wishing for a little extra workspace... especially when working with Macromedia Studio... but also with Word and others.

Anyone use the screen real estate of both, stacked vertically??
Or am I expecting more than reality?

[kennedy]

Originally posted by Icruise:
Well, just enable the monitors menu item and you can switch between resolutions and mirroring/spanning relatively painlessly.

After thinking about it some more, maybe even better would be to leave it spanning... IFF I can tell PowerPoint and/or Keynote to show the slideshow on the main screen while I leave the presentation with speakers' notes up on my laptop.

Anyone done anything like that for presentations??


Sooo much to learn...

[icruise]

Yes, I have given presentations using monitor spanning and PowerPoint. You can display your notes etc on the PB screen and the presentation on the projector.

[abbasabdul]

how do you set the external dispay as a primary display when spanning on a power book?

Originally posted by Icruise:

Both vertical and side by side are possible, and you can have one screen up higher than the other too.

[/b]
Well, it's not that huge of a deal, but I do generally put lower usage apps on the secondary screen (the PB screen).

[/b]

Yes.

[/b]
Yes.

[/b]

Well, just enable the monitors menu item and you can switch between resolutions and mirroring/spanning relatively painlessly.

[/b]
I think so. I use 1280X1024.

[/b]

I don't think that is much of an issue really. [/B]

[Love Calm Quiet]

In the displays preferences you just drag the menu bar onto the screen you want to be "primary" - and (cool if it's NOT the PB screen, when you unplug the external screen, the screens re-adjust on the fly so that the menu goes back onto your PB screen (along with desktop items) -- just like it *ought* to work!