Dual Monitors in 10.1?

[solrac]

Does 10.1 support dual monitors? I just plugged in an external monitor into my TiBook 400's monitor port in the back. The plug fit in perfectly.

Then I went to the display control panel, and there's no software to activate it. In OS 9 there was a dual monitor panel, I believe.

Also, OS X does not support my TiBook's speakers as input devices. In OS 9 sound control panel, you can set the internal speakers as input devices, then talk into them! Although, now with iMovie 2 for 10.1, I can use that to record my voice, so that rocks.

But what about making the preferences as complete as OS 9? Namely, dual monitor support and sound input??? (And more I didn't think of probably)

-solrac-

 

[solrac]

I restarted my computer, to try the dual monitors in OS 9......

but it screwed up the reboot. It took me to the log in screen. Then I hit restart and it decided to stay in OS X.

But... the dual monitors worked! YES!!! Yet another reason to ditch OS 9!!!!!

The OS starting launching on the second monitor, which is a small yet cool flat screen. It looked ugly as shit. SUPER HIGH contrast and ultra brightness and super choppy graphics.

In the display control panel, a second display window popped up, and it new the name of this display! (Must be included with OS X somehow.)

It allowed me to change brightness, etc., and to calibrate it. I was able to make it look almost as nice as my TiBook's screen! (However, the colors still seem a little off, but not too bad.)

Then I was also able to arrange my TiBook to be the main screen, with the menu bar, and everything. Pretty good controls if you ask me.

However, iMovie 2 is still the only way to use TiBook speakers as input device (record your voice). Hopefully apple puts that in the sound control panel as well....

-solrac-

 

[uoba]

restarting your machine!

Yeh, I've got 10.1 running on two monitors and it's fantastic -- especially if you keep a finder window open (with column view) on the crappier monitor (unless you have 2 x cinema displays!) You can quickly flick through all your machines files on that monitor whilst enjoying your fav' apps on the other

 

[rharder]

In 10.0.x you had to restart the computer (as you found out), but I'm wondering if in 10.1 you can get away with just putting the computer to sleep and plugging/unplugging a monitor to use it. Could you test that? OS 9 worked that way.

-Rob

 

[solrac]

Why didn't I think of that?

Actually when I would leave my office (with dual monitors), then go back to my house, and open up my TiBook.... I'd notice the system would not still think there's dual monitors. Then... I could not get dual monitors back until I restarted......

but DUH!!!!! That's it! When I closed the laptop to leave... that's when it threw the second monitor away!

But this is odd....
By just unplugging the monitor without sleep mode, and letting the computer get rid of the second monitor on its own.... the desktop picture on the second monitor is saved.

This time.. I tried your suggestion. Put computer to sleep. Unplugged second monitor. Opened laptop. No second monitor, and my finder window that was on there came back to the first monitor! Cool. Then, back to sleep.... plug in monitor, open laptop again. Now...... I lost my desktop picture! Must choose it again..... Oh well..... weird....

-solrac-

 

[karavite]

Please don't flame me for commenting indirectly to your question, but I have been using dual monitors (2 each 19" Hitachi 776) on my G4 450 for almost two years and I have to tell you, I will NEVER go back to a single monitor. Dual browser windows, email and a browser, multiple views of the same document, running Photoshop or Director with the file on one monitor and ALL the various pallets and windows on the other... and a million other useful combinations make the $600 or so investment ($150 for the second card - don't need anything fancy - and $500 for the monitor) the best money I ever spent on a computer.

Now that I have a truly multitasking OS like OSX and the visual space to take advantage of the multitasking is really fantastic.