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Dual Monitor with MacBook

S

stellarceltic

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 25, 2007
84
0
While I love my MacBook, I'd love to also set up my old Dell flatscreen and run a dual-monitor setup (not mirroring).

The Dell monitor (1704FPT - http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/monitors/1704fpt/EN/about.htm#Bottom View ) that I want to use has a DVI port on the back of it.

I bought a mini-DVI to DVI adaptor, thinking I could just use that, but then I realized that the end of the adapter and the port on the monitor were the same. Each had holes, neither had pins.

Is that normal? Was I supposed to just buy a cable that had pins on each end? Or am I forced to use a VGA adapter? I was hoping to use a DVI because I heard it's a MUCH sharper image.

Thanks for your help.
 
Yes, you needed the mini-DVI to DVI adapter that you have. Just use a standard DVI cable to attach the DVI end to upir monitor. DVI cables are male (pins) on both ends.
 
Thanks. I wasn't aware that a standard DVI cable was male on each end.

Another thing.... the Dell isn't widescreen. Am I going to have stretching? Or since I'm not mirroring will it appear normal?
 
The MB will allow you to set the resolutions separately for the monitor and laptop, and they include both ws and standard formats.
 
Wow you are the man. Thanks a ton.

Last question...

It looks like the adapter is DVI-D only, which is fine because the monitor is also. Where is the best place to get a DVI-D cable, and how much should I look to pay?

I remember the guy at the Apple store saying they didn't sell them.
 
My friend has a question about rotation on the MacBook: does the display prefs on the external monitor include rotation support?
 
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