[Liquid]

Hello Guys, new to the board.

Anyway, my question is this.

I currently have a G4 400 and I want to upgrade to a Powerbook G4 500. But my Concern is that I run Dual monitors on My G4 Tower, via two Video cards. I want to know if I'll still be able to use Two Monitors with a Titanium Powerbook. And by Two monitors I mean, Two EXTERNAL 17" Studio Displays, where I can drag the mouse cursor back and forth between the two screens, and they act as if they were one. I can open different windows drag them to the other screen back and forth etc.

If this can be done, If someone could explain to me how to accomplish this (in detail if possible ) I'd appreciate it.

Dual monitors is just something I've got to have, and If I can't do it with the new PowerBook, I'm going to have to pass

So Please Please Please someone give me good news.

Also I like to run my res (on the Studio displays) at 1280X1024

Thanks in advance for any insight you guys can supply.

Richie.

If the book itself can't do it, can you do it w/ a Dock Station?

[Wattsy]

No, it can't be done.

[Liquid]

Short. Sweet. And to the point...

Thanks

That's unfortunate. I think it would be something Apple should consider.

Does anyone know if it's possible for a company to produce a video card that worked via PCMCIA? Of course it would be shoving a whole lot of technology into a little card, but it's not like it hasn't been done before.

Thanks again.

[romeosc]

I think I have solution......Years ago, I used a scsi to svga adapter to run a second or third monitor from a legacy PB. I guess you could use a firewire to scsi adapter and then use the scsi to svga to run a moniter. The other moniter could be connected to the normal PB moniter port allowing 3 or more moniters to be used.


Steve

[Liquid]

Hmmm....

Sounds like an expensive Chain of Wires...

I'll look into that... Does belkin make fire to scsi? and scsi to video?

Uh, it might be possible. You want three screens total (including the TiBook's screen), right? Okay, hook one external screen up to the VGA port on the TiBook. Hook another up to a video card in the PC card slot. Voila, three screens total. What am I missing here?

[Liquid]

The fact that I don't know that anyone manufactures a PCMCIA Video card

Other than that, in theory it should work

[seanyepez]

I believe IX Micro made RoadRocket, a PCMCIA video card.

Roadrocket? Better yet: http://www.margi.com/products/displaytogo.html.

'Nuff said?

[Liquid]

You got me all excited... then I read this...
http://www.margi.com/products/titanium.html

I wonder how well it works...

It has DVI connector so I'd guess pretty good... HMMMMM.....

I'm getting swayed here.

[ddiokno]

Hi Liquid,
Welcome to MacNN Powerbook Forums! I believe what you want to do can be accomplished with the addition of any of the Magma PCI/Carbus Solutions. In essence, it is a product that (through your PC Card Slot) adds two PCI slots to your TiBook. In your slots, you can add video cards (with what you want to do, you would only need to add one card, because your internal video already supports monitor spanning)...
Best of luck!!! and if you go this route, let us know how it goes!
dave

[ddiokno]

Hey Liquid,
An even less expensive option than the Magma solutions are EasiExpansion T35 Powerbook Solutions. Basically this gives you a full size tower with USB ports, PCI Slots, Internal drive bays, and more.... and I believe it is only in the $200-$300 price range....
again, best of luck and let us know how it goes!
dave

[Liquid]

WOW!


Ok, Now I'm excited.

The EasiExpansion Bays are amazing!!

If it works without a Hitch, that's definitely the way I'd want to go, because you can run Tons of extras. I could potentially run 4 monitors with it.

Thanks for the welcome, you have provided me with the information I craved

[Raman]

HOLY SPIT! I didn't know I could do that with my Pismo!! Another reason to go PowerBook over iBook - CARDBUS!!

This is nuts, man.. Visions of 4U rackmount webservers running thru my head as my Pismo pleads for mercy.

[ddiokno]

Originally posted by seanyepez:
I believe IX Micro made RoadRocket, a PCMCIA video card.

I don't remember the specifics, but I seem to recall that the Roadrocket only worked with the Wallstreet PB's.... I think it was because the Roadrocket was a type III card that was almost twice the size of a regular PC Card and the Pismo and TiBooks couldn't accomodate it (I believe the Lombard wad the same slot form factor)... there might ahve been other reasons, but I am getting kinda hazy on the details...
The Magma or T35 options seem like the best bets... I would be very interested to hear user experiences on functionality...
regards,
dave
dave

[chemical x]

Originally posted by Liquid:
Also I like to run my res (on the Studio displays) at 1280X1024

Will he be able to run both displays at this resolution though?

To liquid....Why use the 17" Studio Display at all if screen space is so important?

[Liquid]

Originally posted by chemical x:
Will he be able to run both displays at this resolution though?

To liquid....Why use the 17" Studio Display at all if screen space is so important?

Not sure I understand the question. I use 2 Studio Displays because I prefer the use of two monitors over 1 Large monitor (ie 21" studio Display) A design firm that does all of IOMEGA, and Intels Multimedia that I was interning with had this setup and I fell in love with it. I open up Photoshop in one, Illustrator in the other, or Illustrator in one, Flash in the other etc. It works very very well.

If you're wondering why I don't have 2 21" Studio Displays, It's because if I could afford 2 of those, I'd just buy the Cinema Display

Now if you're meaning why don't I get 2 Mitsubishi, sony or the like 21" monitors because they're relatively inexpensive, that's because I guess I'm a little cynical and like the looks of the Studio Displays, they just seem to "match" a little better

I've been watching the auctions, because I'd really like to upgrade to dual 21" Studio displays, but it seams everyone wants to hang on to them right now because of the discontinuation.

If you had something totally different in mind, enlighten me

I'm sure I'll be a regular on the board, now.

[chemical x]

No, I certainly envy your setup...I agree that even a 21" can get a bit constricting at 1280X1024

...and can understand having two 17"ers for the sake of symmetry, which I probably shouldn't underestimate but....

.. wouldn't the 15" Ti screen plus a 21" or even a 19" CRT be comparable? And cheaper

I personally can't justify the premium one pays for an the 17" studio display but obviously it does look nicer atop your desk. Plus since Apple won't be selling them anymore you may have to rethink your setup down the road.

[This message has been edited by chemical x (edited 05-17-2001).]

[Liquid]

Originally posted by chemical x:
No, I certainly envy your setup...I agree that even a 21" can get a bit constricting at 1280X1024

...and can understand having two 17"ers for the sake of symmetry, which I probably shouldn't underestimate but....

.. wouldn't the 15" Ti screen plus a 21" or even a 19" CRT be comparable? And cheaper

I personally can't justify the premium one pays for an the 17" studio display but obviously it does look nicer atop your desk. Plus since Apple won't be selling them anymore you may have to rethink your setup down the road.

[This message has been edited by chemical x (edited 05-17-2001).]

I did consider the Screen of the Ti, along with a 21" monitor (sell both of my studio displays) but the Lack of symatry could be quite distracting, since I've come soo acustomed to my current setup.


I lucked out when I purchased my Studio Displays, I bought them when Apple put them on the $150 instant rebate (so price was $350) and then I bought them off of ebay, which took off a little bit more (something like $275 each) and they were brand new in box unregistered, so I paid about $550 for the pair, which is about the price of One anyway. So I feel I did all right.

I recommend the setup to anyone and everyone.

If I move up to 21" monitors, I hope that my desk can support the weight

[mycatsnameis]

I'm confused L.

If you're happy using two displays now, why not just use one external with the Ti. You can get 1152x768 on the Ti and 1280x1024 (both at 24 bit) or 1600x1200 (Ti at 24 bit, ext. at 16 bit) which will continue to give you two displays with basically the same screen real estate you had before. This way you can just sell off one of the studio displays and pocket the difference.

What you seem to be proposing is shifting from two displays to three. I agree that it's cool and symmetrial and everthing but one extra display should give you teh same functionality.

catman

[Liquid]

I don't want to rely on the screen of the Ti.

The Height of the Ti won't match up with the Studio Display, and once again the symetry issue.

Basically I want to be able to Dock the Ti, and pretend it doesn't exist when I'm working at home.

To most it may seem to be a Trivial issue, and I should probably just get over the fact, but I like the way the setup is now.

I need to take a picture so you guys can understand I guess.

It's not the Screen Space I'm interested in. It's the Drag and Dropability between the two, neither monitor is better than the other, so I don't mind which one I'm working on. Whereas if I was using the Ti, I'd Probably always want to be working on the Studio Display vs the Ti's Display, which wouldn't be beneficial to me. (I doubt any of that made sense)

Anyway.

I like Two Studio Display setup. It's like havning a CRT Cinema Display, only difference, there's a little "void" between the two. But it works great.

Honestly now that I've seen the EasiExpansion, this is no longer an issue, because I can use it as my PCI bay, which would work wonders.

Thanks for all the help guys.

One more thing.

I'd like to use the display on the Ti to watch DVD's while I'm busy at work on the two studio displays

[tooki]

Well, in theory it could work!

In practice, the software DVD decoder will eat up most of the computing power, not to mention that DVD playback requires a sizeable chunk of VRAM, so running an external display at high resolution and 24 bit will likely make playback impossible.

tooki

[Liquid]

OH yeah... I know what you're talkin' about, I've tried many times to watch a movie reduced to a tiny size up in the corner.

However,

With a Powerbook, you can get a DVD to Go card, which will allow it to run as if it was a normal Stand Alone DVD player, so you can work diligently elsewhere.

I'm not overly familiar with OSXs capabilities, but with it's RAM protection, couldn't it potentially aid in the multi tasking while watching a movie?

In anycase, my brother's HP lap top has the ability to play a DVD while working, Although I'm not really sure what it does specifically, to allow it.

[chemical x]

Originally posted by Liquid:
In anycase, my brother's HP lap top has the ability to play a DVD while working,

Now that's one feature I could live without

[freakishhair]

why not keep the desktop and just buy the Ti.. i wouldnt get rid of the desktop and trade it... i have both...

------------------
~fReAk

[mycatsnameis]

That ... is an asymmetrical solution .

(No malicious intent, just playing along)

catman