MB won't work on batt in clamshell mode

[orangemacapple]

my mb c2d works fine in clamshell mode when ac powered. i can use my dell 24" with the lid closed or open. i can also open the lid and not detect displays so i can type on the keyboard using just the external display. the isight will also work without the mb display coming on (nice feature).

while on battery, it will work fine with the 24" AND the mb open so that both displays are usable (either mirroring or separate displays)

if i close the lid while in battery it won't wake with the 24".
if i am in ac mode with only the 24" and pull the ac power plug to put it in battery it goes to sleep and won't wake.

strange that it will power BOTH displays while on battery but NOT with the external display ONLY.

anyone else notice this phenomena? or is it just mine?

 

[bearbo]

my mb c2d works fine in clamshell mode when ac powered. i can use my dell 24" with the lid closed or open. i can also open the lid and not detect displays so i can type on the keyboard using just the external display. the isight will also work without the mb display coming on (nice feature).

while on battery, it will work fine with the 24" AND the mb open so that both displays are usable (either mirroring or separate displays)

if i close the lid while in battery it won't wake with the 24".
if i am in ac mode with only the 24" and pull the ac power plug to put it in battery it goes to sleep and won't wake.

strange that it will power BOTH displays while on battery but NOT with the external display ONLY.

anyone else notice this phenomena? or is it just mine?

that's the way it is supposed to work. not because it can't power the display. but it assumed when you are "docking" it, you need to have the AC plugged it.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86286

item number 1.

 

[orangemacapple]

that's the way it is supposed to work. not because it can't power the display. but it assumed when you are "docking" it, you need to have the AC plugged it.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86286

item number 1.

thanx for getting back on my question so quickly. i am glad to know that my mb is working properly. i thought maybe it was something gone awry with my mb.

the funny thing is that it powers BOTH displays while on battery, but not just the external display.

i only noticed it because i was going to try to exercise the battery for awhile. it would seem to make sense if it would only power the built-in display on battery -- OR the external one to conserve the battery (it powers BOTH.) it just won't power the external as it's sole display.

just seems strange idea to me.

 

[bearbo]

thanx for getting back on my question so quickly. i am glad to know that my mb is working properly. i thought maybe it was something gone awry with my mb.

the funny thing is that it powers BOTH displays while on battery, but not just the external display.

i only noticed it because i was going to try to exercise the battery for awhile. it would seem to make sense if it would only power the built-in display on battery -- OR the external one to conserve the battery (it powers BOTH.) it just won't power the external as it's sole display.

just seems strange idea to me.

i'm sure it can power one or both of them for sure, heck, it doesn't need to power the external, it just needs to send it an signal, the external display is powered externally.

im sure there're other reasons, i jsut dont know

 

[whateverandever]

thanx for getting back on my question so quickly. i am glad to know that my mb is working properly. i thought maybe it was something gone awry with my mb.

the funny thing is that it powers BOTH displays while on battery, but not just the external display.

i only noticed it because i was going to try to exercise the battery for awhile. it would seem to make sense if it would only power the built-in display on battery -- OR the external one to conserve the battery (it powers BOTH.) it just won't power the external as it's sole display.

just seems strange idea to me.

It doesn't actually "power" the external display, so it's not using much more battery. It's simply a matter of practicality. Why would you be at a computer where there is an external display to use but no place to plug in your MacBook?

The only reason an external display would be a little more GPU intensive is that if you're not mirroring it has to handle a larger memory area.

 

[orangemacapple]

Why would you be at a computer where there is an external display to use but no place to plug in your MacBook?

there obviously is a use for such a situation, ergo i would not have encountered this anomaly. my mb had been sitting in desktop mode for a couple weeks and the battery needed some exercise, so i pulled the magsafe. lo and bnehold, my macbook went to sleep.

other similar scenarios: giving a presentation and someone inadvertently unplugs the magsafe, possibly injuring the wire or connector.
you forgot to bring your magsafe to the presentation.
the magsafe fell out of your bag and cracked.
someone lusted after your magsafe and it walked away (very real threat).
or, like me, you just felt your battery needed some exercise.

whatever the scenario, it just doesn't make sense to me that it will NOT run in single display clamshell mode on battery but WILL run fine in dual display mode on battery.