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Eug Wanker · Aug 9, 2005, 12:32 AM

Just a heads up: Screen Spanning Doctor works fine on my new July 2005 12" iBook 1.33.

OogaBooga · Aug 9, 2005, 01:09 AM

Now if they could just figure out how to get all the 32 mb to the external display...

mpancha · 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by OogaBooga

Now if they could just figure out how to get all the 32 mb to the external display...

on my iBook G4 (1.2ghz model) I did the video spanning hack and I think I'm using all 32mb on both monitors. Here's a screenshot of my hardware profile/video:

does that mean its actually using all 32 on each monitor, or is it just misleading and saying 32mb on both monitors just b/c the card has 32mb vram?

OogaBooga · Aug 9, 2005, 10:31 AM

It's not possible to use 32mb for both monitors. It's split to 16mb for each monitor.

amazing · Aug 9, 2005, 10:37 AM

I thought core image was supposed to be supported? Is it supported when using without an external monitor? e.g. is 32 MB sufficient for core image for the iBook by itself, but not when split to 16 MB for mirroring?

OogaBooga · Aug 9, 2005, 10:52 AM

He has an older iBook. Hence the "Radeon 9200".

mpancha · Aug 9, 2005, 02:22 PM

yea, mine is the last version (the one before the current "new" ibook).

so basically when it says 32mb vram that's just what the vdo card has, not what its actually able to use on a specific monitor?

OogaBooga · Aug 9, 2005, 02:51 PM

Ok.

When you're not hooked up to an external display, all 32mb is allocated for use on the internal LCD display.

But the second you plug in that external display, the iBook suddenly has to drive two displays at once using the available 32mb VRAM. So it gives 16mb to the external and 16mb the the internal.

Both displays have to use different areas of memory, since the data for the two displays can't occupy the same memory simultaneously.

Simple math: 32 / 2 = 16

G.O.O.D. · Aug 10, 2005, 09:21 AM

Let me get this straight, when you want to watch a DVD on a TV when you're travelling or something you'll only be getting 1/2 your VRAM to the TV even with the laptop closed? If that's the case then that's rediculous, I don't believe that's the case with any PC laptop. Hopefully I've misunderstood.

~BG

Eug Wanker · Aug 10, 2005, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by G.O.O.D.

Let me get this straight, when you want to watch a DVD on a TV when you're travelling or something you'll only be getting 1/2 your VRAM to the TV even with the laptop closed? If that's the case then that's rediculous, I don't believe that's the case with any PC laptop. Hopefully I've misunderstood.

~BG

The amount of GPU RAM is essentially irrelevant if all you want to do is watch DVDs on a TV from your iBook.

G.O.O.D. · Aug 10, 2005, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

The amount of GPU RAM is essentially irrelevant if all you want to do is watch DVDs on a TV from your iBook.

But you will encounter trouble if you're hooking up to an external display with the laptop closed? Only 16 MB can be used then?

~BG

gametime10 · Aug 10, 2005, 06:45 PM

What external monitor are you using? I'm particularly curious to know the performance with a 2005FPW...

OogaBooga · Aug 10, 2005, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by G.O.O.D.

But you will encounter trouble if you're hooking up to an external display with the laptop closed? Only 16 MB can be used then?

~BG

Yes. And if you're doing that sort of stuff you're better off with a PB which can allocate all 64mb (or 128mb) to the external display.

The iBook doesn't support true clamshell mode.

JMan09 · 08:27 PM

What about when using the screen spanning doctor in clamshell mode(it says you can)? Can you still only get 16mb to the external display?

Also how does a new 12" ibook work with a 2005fps dell monitor with or without the hack??

Forbodium · Aug 10, 2005, 10:15 PM

If you are using the iBook in mirror mode with a TV (or anything else), will the VRAM still be divided in half?

OogaBooga · Aug 11, 2005, 11:28 PM

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.

The ONLY time 32mb will be used on a display is when you're running the iBook standalone, with no other external displays attached to it.

Doesn't matter if it's in mirrored mode, spanning mode, clamshell mode, Terminator mode, etc.

Which is why I wish the spanning hack would enable "true" clamshell mode. "True" meaning all 32mb VRAM to an external display (while the lid is closed obviously).

Forbodium · Aug 12, 2005, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by OogaBooga

Which is why I wish the spanning hack would enable "true" clamshell mode. "True" meaning all 32mb VRAM to an external display (while the lid is closed obviously).

Isn't that firstly a requirement of the iBook being able to run while closed? I haven't kept up much on iBook evolution after 2002. Back then though, iBooks needed to be open in order to work. Can the Powerbooks be run while closed either?

mpancha · Aug 14, 2005, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by Forbodium

Isn't that firstly a requirement of the iBook being able to run while closed? I haven't kept up much on iBook evolution after 2002. Back then though, iBooks needed to be open in order to work. Can the Powerbooks be run while closed either?

The span doctor hack allows u to enable "clamshell" mode. the first option in the setup is to enable spanning, second is to enable clamshell.

personally, I did not enable clam shell mode b/c I'm not too sure about heat from the ibook with the lid closed. I was under the impression that the ibook disperses heat from the keyboard.

Forbodium · Aug 14, 2005, 02:34 AM

Has anyone tried simply turning off the book's LCD?

The reason I ask all of these questions rather than trying it myself is that my iBook is one of the few that the SpanDoctor doesn't work with. I do plan on getting a new one soon though.

mpancha · Aug 14, 2005, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by Forbodium

Has anyone tried simply turning off the book's LCD?

The reason I ask all of these questions rather than trying it myself is that my iBook is one of the few that the SpanDoctor doesn't work with. I do plan on getting a new one soon though.

well on the older ones (I had a first gen, iBook 500, about a week after they first came out back in 2001), I used to hook up an external monitor, and then turn the brightness all the way down to darken the LCD, but it would be nice to be able to shut the lid and not worry about overheating.

Forbodium · Aug 14, 2005, 09:58 AM

Mine is from about 2002 and the LCD can be turned completely off by holding down dimming key until it's black. I am wondering if doing that will divert the resources over to the external monitor.

sine -''-..- · Aug 14, 2005, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Forbodium

Mine is from about 2002 and the LCD can be turned completely off by holding down dimming key until it's black. I am wondering if doing that will divert the resources over to the external monitor.

When the screen is blank like that, the backlight is just off. The screens is actually still displaying the picture, you just cant see it easily.

It diverts nothing

gametime10 · Aug 16, 2005, 02:45 PM

I have the new iBook and a Dell 1905FP and I am able to get it to work fine in spanning mode (1280x1024). I can also get it to work in clamshell mode (have everything set up in spanning mode, close the lid and let the iBook sleep, then unplug the USB cable). If I check under system profiler, it will only have the Dell LCD as a display. The iBook LCD will be off and I can even open the lid again so that it can cool properly.

Strangely though, the desktop acts as if there is an additional screen to the other side of my Dell LCD, opposite of where my iBook is. In other words, my mouse can go past to edge to where there is nothing there, and will function as if there was a desktop there (I can drag windows outside to the invisible desktop, using hot corners will require me to go to the invisible desktop, etc...)

If I check my displays menu bar icon, it seems to be trying to span to a Television (which isn't there). Unfortunately, if I try to go into the display preferences, System Preferences will crash. I'm guessing even without a real display there, the iBook's video memory is still being split 16/16. But if I check under System Profiler, it will only list the Dell LCD as the only screen. Strange...

OogaBooga · Aug 16, 2005, 04:14 PM

Yeah, the screen spanning doctor is a hack. And like all hacks, it's not guaranteed to work 100%. If you ever plan on using an external display with your Apple laptop, just get a PowerBook.

gametime10 · Aug 16, 2005, 04:29 PM

Don't get me wrong... I've gone back to using it in regular spanning mode and it still works great for my level of usage. Saved several hundred bucks, and I get better significantly battery life and airport. Can't complain. =)