Close lid without sleeping?

[Trepex]

I was wondering if (especially with the new MBPs which supposedly run cooler?) whether this is possible. I'm thinking of times where I'll have it sitting on my desk and plugged into my 24" LCD... it would be really nice to be able to close the lid. Is it really bad for it to do that???

 

[heatasmallhouse]

i did it all the time with my PB. I'll be doing it tonight for the first time with the new macbook pro. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[72930]

Its fine...and Apple has 'clamshell mode' for this

There is InsomniaX for when you're not plugged in and want to have music/torrents etc. continue while closed

 

[Lovesong]

i did it all the time with my PB. I'll be doing it tonight for the first time with the new macbook pro. I'll let you know how it goes.

Running in clamshell is OK on MBs and MBPs, as most of their cooling is through the rear vents. For the PBs much of the heat dissipation was through the keyboard, thus you didn't want to do that, as it could damage your LCD.

 

[Macnoviz]

Its fine...and Apple has 'clamshell mode' for this

There is InsomniaX for when you're not plugged in and want to have music/torrents etc. continue while closed

Are you sure that clamshell mode is still available?

and if so, where can I find it?

 

[Trepex]

wow that's great!! Yeah I had a PB for work and I was warned against it. So there really is no risk in doing it huh? woot!

 

[aaronw1986]

Are you sure that clamshell mode is still available?

and if so, where can I find it?

There is nothing that needs to be "found". You just close the lid, plug in a keyboard and mouse, and you are good to go.

 

[Bearxor]

There is nothing that needs to be "found". You just close the lid, plug in a keyboard and mouse, and you are good to go.

So clamshell mode is made for using it in a 'docking' type situation? Plug in keyboard, mouse and monitor and it won't go into sleep mode when you close it?

Any way to have this happen without plugging a keyboard or mouse in? The only desktop in my house is a HTPC, and my laptop stays with me 99% of the time on a small table by the couch so I can use it while watching tv, etc... Sometimes I want to download torrents but turn the screen off and close the lid but still keep the computer on. This is extremely easy to do in Windows in the power settings but I've not seen similar options in OS X.

Since I'm probably going to run Windows on it 90% of the time anyways this may be a moot point but I'm still curious.

 

[chex]

Use InsomniaX

Running in clamshell is OK on MBs and MBPs, as most of their cooling is through the rear vents. For the PBs much of the heat dissipation was through the keyboard, thus you didn't want to do that, as it could damage your LCD.

Not true - it is ok to use it on a powerbook, but not on an ibook.

The current MBP design is pretty much the same is the powerbook's.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Use InsomniaX

Or keep the laptop plugged in, which is the way Apple designed it to work.

Clamshell operation is great for presentations. It frees up all the VRAM for the projector and the open laptop and active screen doesn't distract the audience. The Mac will go do sleep the moment the lid is closed, but it wakes with any USB or bluetooth device.

 

[aaronw1986]

So clamshell mode is made for using it in a 'docking' type situation? Plug in keyboard, mouse and monitor and it won't go into sleep mode when you close it?

Any way to have this happen without plugging a keyboard or mouse in? The only desktop in my house is a HTPC, and my laptop stays with me 99% of the time on a small table by the couch so I can use it while watching tv, etc... Sometimes I want to download torrents but turn the screen off and close the lid but still keep the computer on. This is extremely easy to do in Windows in the power settings but I've not seen similar options in OS X.

Since I'm probably going to run Windows on it 90% of the time anyways this may be a moot point but I'm still curious.

I beleive it sleeps whe you close the lid, but then you can wake it with the external keyboard/mouse. For what you are talking about, I think there is a third party app that does this, do a search. Not built in by Apple though.