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Is this MBP configuration possible?

kdum8

kdum8

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 8, 2006
919
12
Tokyo, Japan
Hi,

I am thinking of buying the 15" MBP later this year and when I am using it at home I want to run in it clamshell mode (ie. closed but running) and have the display on TWO large flat-screen monitors that are on my desk, (no larger than 30" each, possibly less). So I envisage the MBP being under the desk with just the two large display monitors, a wireless mouse and keyboard on top of the desk. Is this possible to setup with the MBP?

Cheers. :eek:
 
The MBP will only drive one monitor.
I believe there are devices out there that take a single signal and split it between two monitors, but not without undesirable side effects. And you'd still be limited to a combine resolution of 2560X1600.
 
mopppish said:
The MBP will only drive one monitor.
I believe there are devices out there that take a single signal and split it between two monitors, but not without undesirable side effects. And you'd still be limited to a combine resolution of 2560X1600.
Click to expand...


Does this mean one monitor PLUS the laptop display or instead of? So I take it that it can run successfully in clamshell mode with no problems then?

I have seen windows setups whereby you move the mouse to the edge of the screen and it pops onto an adjacent screen. Would this be possible using the MBP's built in and one external? Sorry for the raft of questions. Surely some professional users have this need?
 
kdum8 said:
Does this mean one monitor PLUS the laptop display or instead of? So I take it that it can run successfully in clamshell mode with no problems then?

I have seen windows setups whereby you move the mouse to the edge of the screen and it pops onto an adjacent screen. Would this be possible using the MBP's built in and one external? Sorry for the raft of questions. Surely some professional users have this need?
Click to expand...

yes that is possible, you have 3 choices with a mbp:

1. use it on its own

2. use it with an external so that you have both the mbp and external display (external display can be up to 30")

3. you can use the mbp in clamshell mode with one external display, with a wireless KB and mouse, or wired ones if you so desire
 
mopppish said:
The MBP will only drive one monitor.
I believe there are devices out there that take a single signal and split it between two monitors, but not without undesirable side effects. And you'd still be limited to a combine resolution of 2560X1600.
Click to expand...

As anyone here managed to get the split working on two monitors? If so, is it worth it?
 
kdum8 said:
Hi,

I am thinking of buying the 15" MBP later this year and when I am using it at home I want to run in it clamshell mode (ie. closed but running) and have the display on TWO large flat-screen monitors that are on my desk, (no larger than 30" each, possibly less). So I envisage the MBP being under the desk with just the two large display monitors, a wireless mouse and keyboard on top of the desk. Is this possible to setup with the MBP?

Cheers. :eek:
Click to expand...

Just thinking... I don't know if this would be possible or not but I thought I would throw it out there...

would it be possible to add an "express box", i think thats what its called, it would add a PCIe slot which in return you could possible add a PCIe graphics card if there is such a thing? I only did a little research so i don't know if the cards that there are would work. After this you could then possibly add another monitor to that card.

thats my idea... not the most cost friendly solution... if it would work

here is the express box http://www.magma.com/products/pciexpress/expressbox1/
 
afbuckeye said:
Just thinking... I don't know if this would be possible or not but I thought I would throw it out there...

would it be possible to add an "express box", i think thats what its called, it would add a PCIe slot which in return you could possible add a PCIe graphics card if there is such a thing? I only did a little research so i don't know if the cards that there are would work. After this you could then possibly add another monitor to that card.

thats my idea... not the most cost friendly solution... if it would work

here is the express box http://www.magma.com/products/pciexpress/expressbox1/
Click to expand...


Anyone else have any idea if this is feasible as afbuckeye suggests?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
kdum8 said:
Anyone else have any idea if this is feasible as afbuckeye suggests?
Click to expand...

also note... if you look at the bottom of the magma page it says what graphics card mac users can install... which is the GeForce 7300 GT...

still don't know if this is possible but it seems like it could work...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That should actually work fine, as it adds an additional video card.

Edit: It also seems to just be adding the Video Card for processing ... I don't see a place to hook up the other monitor?
 
I saw this a while back

Josias
07-04-2006, 02:41 PM
There have been 453 threads on this, and every time I have sent a link, leading to an adapter (http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/03/02/matrox_3screen_tech/), which makes it possible to drive two monitors through one plug.

I would only advise you to do this on the MacBook Pro though, sonce it support 3840x2400 at max (Duallink DVI), which is two 1920x1200 displays, or two 23" ACD's. Since the MacBook only has a Singlelink DVI plug, it will only support half resolution (1920x1200), which is why I only would go dual external monitors with MBP.

In your case with two 24" Dell monitors, get a MacBook Pro, and this adapter. The X1600 will run the two Dell screens, plus the MBP's internal display, but you will have to max out the RAM to 2 GB, otherwise this will be at bad ass speeds.
 
chex said:
I saw this a while back

Josias
07-04-2006, 02:41 PM
There have been 453 threads on this, and every time I have sent a link, leading to an adapter (http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/03/02/matrox_3screen_tech/), you will have to max out the RAM to 2 GB, otherwise this will be at bad ass speeds.
Click to expand...

Doubtful at best, the dualhead2go does its job completely in hardware. All MBPs, regardless of RAM (and VRAM) configuration, can drive a single dual-link display at its native resolution.
 
chex said:
I saw this a while back

Josias
07-04-2006, 02:41 PM
There have been 453 threads on this, and every time I have sent a link, leading to an adapter (http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/03/02/matrox_3screen_tech/), which makes it possible to drive two monitors through one plug.

I would only advise you to do this on the MacBook Pro though, sonce it support 3840x2400 at max (Duallink DVI), which is two 1920x1200 displays, or two 23" ACD's. Since the MacBook only has a Singlelink DVI plug, it will only support half resolution (1920x1200), which is why I only would go dual external monitors with MBP.

In your case with two 24" Dell monitors, get a MacBook Pro, and this adapter. The X1600 will run the two Dell screens, plus the MBP's internal display, but you will have to max out the RAM to 2 GB, otherwise this will be at bad ass speeds.
Click to expand...

link doesn't work
 
vagarach said:
Doubtful at best, the dualhead2go does its job completely in hardware. All MBPs, regardless of RAM (and VRAM) configuration, can drive a single dual-link display at its native resolution.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by this? According to their website, it doesn't matter whether your laptop can only support one screen or none, this is an independent system. See the explanation on their website:

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/gxm/products/th2go/
 
chex said:
I saw this a while back

Josias
07-04-2006, 02:41 PM
There have been 453 threads on this, and every time I have sent a link, leading to an adapter (http://www.tgdaily.com/2006/03/02/matrox_3screen_tech/), which makes it possible to drive two monitors through one plug.

I would only advise you to do this on the MacBook Pro though, sonce it support 3840x2400 at max (Duallink DVI), which is two 1920x1200 displays, or two 23" ACD's. Since the MacBook only has a Singlelink DVI plug, it will only support half resolution (1920x1200), which is why I only would go dual external monitors with MBP.

In your case with two 24" Dell monitors, get a MacBook Pro, and this adapter. The X1600 will run the two Dell screens, plus the MBP's internal display, but you will have to max out the RAM to 2 GB, otherwise this will be at bad ass speeds.
Click to expand...

Just so I understand this correctly, if I just get a bottom of the line macbook pro (2.16ghz c2d) and the digital dualhead2go, I can run 2x 23" acds if in clambook mode? Has anyone actually done this? I'm thinking about dropping the money for it but I want to make sure that it works. Has anyone even run screens with higher resolutions than the 30" in clambook mode to see if it is possible when the computer doesn't have display things on the internal screen?
 
excalibur313 said:
Just so I understand this correctly, if I just get a bottom of the line macbook pro (2.16ghz c2d) and the digital dualhead2go, I can run 2x 23" acds if in clambook mode? Has anyone actually done this? I'm thinking about dropping the money for it but I want to make sure that it works. Has anyone even run screens with higher resolutions than the 30" in clambook mode to see if it is possible when the computer doesn't have display things on the internal screen?
Click to expand...

You'll be able to run 2x23'' ACDs but the laptop will see them as one monitor, so everything (dock,menubar,etc) will be split right down the middle.
 
I hate to ask, but what's the point in getting a notebook if you will keep it closed anyway? Or is this a "take my notebook, but when I'm home run it with several monitors?" type of a thing?
 
excalibur313 said:
Just so I understand this correctly, if I just get a bottom of the line macbook pro (2.16ghz c2d) and the digital dualhead2go, I can run 2x 23" acds if in clambook mode? Has anyone actually done this? I'm thinking about dropping the money for it but I want to make sure that it works. Has anyone even run screens with higher resolutions than the 30" in clambook mode to see if it is possible when the computer doesn't have display things on the internal screen?
Click to expand...

Excalibur, you might want to check out this similar recent thread if you haven't already:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/214102/

Just remember that from what I can gather if you run 2x23" acds using the dualhead2go then you will still only have one desktop, but it will be split across two screens. I am not sure that it can support having to different screens at once but somebody could correct me on that.
 
Aea said:
I hate to ask, but what's the point in getting a notebook if you will keep it closed anyway? Or is this a "take my notebook, but when I'm home run it with several monitors?" type of a thing?
Click to expand...

Because I need mobility as well as large home screens where I do a lot of my work, trading and the like. So sometimes I also need to take it on the road and I only like having all my files on one pc. When you get back to base though, nothing like having 2 large monitors, wireless keyboard and mouse with the computer hidden away from view...
 
Wether open or closed, the MacBook Pro's DVI port supports one "Dual-Link" DVI connection, which supports digital resolutions up to 2560x1600. Through analog (with the DVI to VGA adaptor,) with the lid closed, it supports resolutions up to 3840x1200. This is sufficient to allow Matrox's DualHead2Go Digital with two 1920x1200 displays, or their TripleHead2Go with three 1280x1024 displays.

Please note that Dual-Link DVI has 2560x1600 as a maximum resolution. For higher resolutions (like the ultra-high resolution 3840x2400 monitors from IBM and ViewSonic,) you use *TWO* Dual-Link connections. (Yes, the single monitor connects to TWO video ports.) The MacBook Pro can *NOT* run those monitors, since it only has one output, not two.

But, please note that "Screen size" has very little to do with resolution. For example, the resolution of current digital cinema projectors is low enough that a MacBook Pro could run those projectors just fine (and you could surf the web or do your iPhoto organizing on a theater screen.) Whereas the 3840x2400 screens are only 22", smaller even than Apple's one-quarter-resolution 23" Cinema HD Display.
 
kdum8 said:
Excalibur, you might want to check out this similar recent thread if you haven't already:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/214102/

Just remember that from what I can gather if you run 2x23" acds using the dualhead2go then you will still only have one desktop, but it will be split across two screens. I am not sure that it can support having to different screens at once but somebody could correct me on that.
Click to expand...

Why does it matter that they are treated as one screen other than the fact that the menu bar goes across both screens and the dock, if centered, would be split across both as well? (Okay, I know that you wouldn't be able to move around each individual screen in system preferences, but if you are just using those two screens side by side, who cares?)

EDIT: I wonder if there is a program that would allow you to move the dock off center but still on the bottom of the screen to get around the screen splitting program...
 
excalibur313 said:
Why does it matter that they are treated as one screen other than the fact that the menu bar goes across both screens and the dock, if centered, would be split across both as well? (Okay, I know that you wouldn't be able to move around each individual screen in system preferences, but if you are just using those two screens side by side, who cares?)

EDIT: I wonder if there is a program that would allow you to move the dock off center but still on the bottom of the screen to get around the screen splitting program...
Click to expand...

I think that the point is that you have two independent screens so that you can run completely different things at the same time. Having them stretched over one giant desktop on two screens isn't really ideal. I am surprised that given how popular MBP's are, that there isn't an easy solution to this. Are future revs likely to have this capability?... I wonder
 
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