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Use a PowerBook's built-in keyboard and external display System
I've seen hints (1, 2) for running PowerBooks with the lid closed, but nothing about this, which is better, IMHO.

I have a mouse but not an external keyboard. I wanted to use my external VGA monitor and the built-in keyboard without using the LCD on my 12-inch PowerBook. After some testing, I found a method that works:
  1. Connect VGA monitor
  2. Set to mirror mode
  3. Unplug USB mouse
  4. Close lid and wait for sleep
  5. Plug in USB mouse and wait for wake up and the VGA monitor to come on
  6. Open lid (be careful not to let it bounce and put itself to sleep again).
You should now be able to use the internal keyboard and the USB mouse. The LCD is not turned on and it does not show up in the Displays menu item. The external VGA display has whatever setting you want - I use 1280 x 1024 at 85Hz.

[robg adds: I tested this, and it works as described (the trackpad works, too, obviously). To get the LCD panel back, just hit the "Detect displays" button in the Display prefs and it will activate.]
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Use a PowerBook's built-in keyboard and external display | 22 comments | Create New Account
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Use a PowerBook's built-in keyboard and external display
Authored by: geek-e on Mar 26, '03 10:04:20AM

Another way to get the LCD back is something I learned in the manual of all places! (at least for the 15" tibooks)
On newer models there is an icon for toggling between mirror and dual display mode on the F7 key. Hit that and it should sync up again.
Also, hitting cmd-F1 will do the same on older models and cmd-F2 will re-sync. That's a nice feature when you're presenting on a projector and don't want to restart the machine to get the video to appear on the projector.



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Use a PowerBook's built-in keyboard and external display
Authored by: skyhuv on Mar 26, '03 10:09:15AM

I typically use a powerbook as a multimedia player hooked up to my TV. I use the powerbook keyboard and trackpad, but the tv as the display....

The method I have for doing this is to simply turn on display mirroring, and turn off the brightness of the powerbook display.



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Displays can end up entirely disabled
Authored by: bq on Mar 26, '03 11:53:15AM
I've struggled with an issue that's related to this with my pBook 667. I often use a second monitor at one location, then sleep my machine by closing the lid, then open it back up at a different location without a second monitor.

What sometimes happens is that the machine is "alive" but there is no active display. Connecting a second monitor doesn't work, and hitting the detect displays/mirror displays button does nada.

I suspect that it has to do with screensaver mode. I have my screensaver set to require a password, and this may be blocking any attempts to detect further monitors.

Sorry for the worrying without solutions, but you might want to consider this if you find your machine is suddenly working in the blind.

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Displays can end up entirely disabled
Authored by: DavidRavenMoon on Mar 26, '03 07:41:29PM

Why don't you disconnect the external monitor, and then put your machine to sleep? This way when you wake it, it wont be trying to supply video to a monitor that isn't there.



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Displays can end up entirely disabled
Authored by: gustou on Nov 07, '03 03:28:08AM

I don't know whether if it's a bug or a "Strange/Hidden Function" but you can disable all your monitors. Here's how:

1- Plug any USB device
2- Plug the power cord
3- Plug a second screen
4- Close the lid. Wait for the mac to go to sleep.
5- Unplug the USB device
6- The mac will wake up, open the lid.

You're trapped... You can not do anything anymore... No sleep, no more screen... You need to restart using ctl-alt-power...

It happens to me almost every evening when I unplug all to go home. Someone almost always ask for a last minute little thing, I open the lid just after unplugged the mouse... Arg I'm stuck...

If anyone has an idea to prevent this stupid thing it would really help.



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Why don't you use your brightness-button?
Authored by: Argent on Mar 26, '03 01:02:56PM

On my 12-inch iBook I just use the F1 key to adjust brightness of the
iBook's monitor. I turn the iBook's monitor of, the brightness of the
external VGA monitor is not effected. That's it!
Don't know if that works with the PowerBooks as well.

greetings
Argent



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brightness-button dosen't completely turn off the LCD display.
Authored by: TiNY on Mar 26, '03 02:35:09PM

Argent said: "Why don't you use your brightness-button?"

When you use the method mentioned in the hint, the LCD screen is completely turned off. If you only turn the brightness down, the LCD is actually still on. If you look at the screen in bright light you can see that the LCD is still displaying the desktop even though it is not backlit.



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Why don't you use your brightness-button?
Authored by: mweissen on Mar 26, '03 02:47:37PM

The PowerBook can use an external VGA monitor to extend the OS X desktop. So you get 1152x768 on the LCD and an extra 1280x1024 (or whatever) on the CRT. The menu bar and the dock goes on one of the screen (it's configurable), the other screen is "attached" to the first along one edge (also configurable). This feature is not available on the iBook.

Both 'Books can do video mirroring, showing the same image on both the LCD and the external monitor. This sets both the LCD and the external monitor to the same resolution, usually 1024x768. Your tip "why don't you use the brightness button" essentially means video mirroring with one screen turned off. The video chip is still aware of both screens.

The guy who posted the trick wanted to disable the LCD. His trick makes the PowerBook believe (for a while) that the internal LCD is not there, enabling the PowerBook to focus only on the external screen. I don't know, in theory this could enable higher resolutions, color depths and/or refresh rates for the external screen. If you have an extremely good or extremely large screen (a plasma display?) or are paranoid about color matching, it could be worthwhile to use only the external screen in this manner. Myself, I stick to using the LCD and VGA in parallel.



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Use a PowerBook's built-in keyboard and external display
Authored by: TiNY on Mar 26, '03 02:22:13PM

On my powerbook G4 (400mhz) I found that just clicking my usb mouse button (instead of unplugging and replugging) was sufficent to wake it from sleep after the lid was closed.



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Use a PowerBook's built-in keyboard and external display
Authored by: cawaker on Mar 26, '03 02:30:14PM

I do this all the time, all I do is start up the PB with a monitor attached and I leave the lid closed until the sign on screen in os x shows up, it causes the built in display to turn off and direct all the VRAM to the external monitor. Then I open the lid and I have an external keyboard, mouse and monitor, so it's like a desktop machine, but the built in keyboard and trackpad still work also. To switch back i just put the machine to sleep and unplug the external monitor.



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External Display for PB 12"
Authored by: r0nster on Aug 02, '05 05:29:33AM

Hi,
I'm currently using 867 MHz PowerPC G4 12" and am thinking of getting an external display. Being not very good with technical stuff, I wonder if you can help me with a few questions?

1. What is a good monitor you would recommend (apart from Apple displays)? Preferably decent enough for graphic design/web usage.

2. Is it just plug-and-play? Will the monitor come with the needed cables to hook up to my PB?

3. You mentioned that to use external display, I turn power on & then close the PB's lid? Only when external display shows startup, then i can open lid to use internal keyboard & trackpad?

That's about it...for now. Heh. Thanxs. :)



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External Display for PB 12"
Authored by: zpjet on Dec 21, '05 09:42:35AM
  1. i am a happy user of new apple cinema 20" together with pb 15". it was costy but it feels very good. but as i looked into apple-history.com, your powerbook has mini-vga, right? the same as on iBooks. so your choice is limited only to VGA (analog connection) displays (apple displays have only digital connection - DVI). there's many displays to choose from and some of them are very cheap, still maintaining good colors and sharpness (dvi displays are sharp naturally - their pixels exactly reflects contents of vireo RAM). the best is to go to a big retail shop and have a look. i recommend to check upon controls, too: if it has AUTO settings which makes the picture look the best. also, i find a bit strange that 19" displays still have resolution only 1280x1024, as 17" do. maybe you could look for some wide screen display, they have more pixels. you could also think about future and get the model with both interface - DVI and VGA. btw, if you want to be serious about colors, the only way is calibrator - which can make almost every display look right.
  2. yes it is. the screen will come with its cable but you will need that small adapter to hook it up, hope you still have it or it is $20. it will immediately display either mirrored display or extend your desktop- this could be controlled by a key F7 (not sure about this PB) or, together with position of the second screen, in Arrangements in Displays in System Preferences.
  3. the best way is to close the lid of PB to sleep it, plug the display, wake it up with a USB device. but i hope you will appreciate more pixels and less neck pain by using BOTH displays in unmirrored mode. also getting an external keyboard and mouse is great, especially if you're going to do graphics. i work with adobe creative suite, and work on my documents on the big display, while keeping all the palettes or source documents on powerbook's display.


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Wallstreet is flawless
Authored by: Mithrandir on Mar 26, '03 04:34:02PM

I've used this set up since I got my PB Wallstreet 3 years ago. It has never been an issue except with some games and even those can be convinced to use the external display. My LCD display has not been turned on in months.

I can't operate with the lid closed at all though.

Why are the new PBs so touchy about this?

---
M

Ultimate Art Gallery
http://UltimateArtGallery.com



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Wallstreet is flawless
Authored by: mrmister on Mar 26, '03 04:50:58PM

They are? Though people keep warning about it, according to Knowledge Base there's no problem using the TiG4 1 Ghz with an external display and keyboard while it is closed.



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Why?
Authored by: wfolta on Mar 27, '03 01:45:55AM

I'm not being facetious: why would you not want to use the internal display? It's more pixels added to your desktop. You have the top up to get access to the keyboard anyhow, so it's not like it won't be in the way. I'm a little puzzled...



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Why?
Authored by: elmer-12 on Mar 27, '03 02:33:28PM

More monitors ==> more places for windows to pop up, more places to lose your pointer and icons, more visual distraction, more strain on your video card and your eyes. Not all of us use programs with a million palette or tool windows.
The lid being open does not mean it's in the way necessarily - this depends on the angles, relative distances, and the position you're sitting in ==> no problem for me.



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I totaly disagree with this logic. If features overwhelm you, go PC.
Authored by: BrunoUsesBBEdit on Jun 20, '03 09:10:44AM

I totaly disagree with this logic. If features overwhelm you, go PC.

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--==<< B r u n o >>==--



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Why?
Authored by: zpjet on Dec 21, '05 09:10:51AM

speaking about health issues... two screens keep my neck exercising all the time.



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Why?
Authored by: rmac on Mar 27, '03 08:50:17PM

I do this with my old 500 Mhz G4. The video card can only do thousands of colors at 1600 x 1200 on an external display if the laptop monitor is in use, but can do it in millions if all the memory goes to it. For doing color critical print work, using a high resolution, color calibrated monitor in millions of colors is worth losing the LCD screen real-estate. Plus the LCD looks very dim and yellow next to a big CRT.



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I totaly understand this point, and will use it when I have to do 32bit graphics.
Authored by: BrunoUsesBBEdit on Jun 20, '03 09:14:21AM

I totaly understand this point, and will use it when I have to do 32bit graphics.

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--==<< B r u n o >>==--



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Why?
Authored by: danyoung@mac.com on Mar 29, '03 06:09:59PM

Well, I play movie files from my iBook on my TV using an S-Video adapter. I have been worried that I was wearing out my display at an alarming rate. Now I can preserve it.

Thanks to all for good variations on this tip. I'm trying them all.

Dan

---
i love my mac more than most people love life



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Why?
Authored by: micdego on Nov 01, '03 12:54:31PM

i probably missed most people who were posting here but i'm really posting this for the unfortunate soul who stumbles across the original post. why not use both displays? in short, because video ram is finite. like rmac said when he has both displays active he doesn't have the same resolution options. this is because when you use two displays the powerbook splits the available video ram between the two displays, as they should. the amount of video ram available dictates a number of things about the quality of the display. so if you're sitting there with a 23" hd cinema display and a powerbook, disable your powerbook's display, the extra realestate isn't worth it.



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