Quick Q for iMac owners

[mrgreen4242]

Can you disable the built in display of your iMac and use the full amount of VRAM with an external monitor? I know on the iMac G5s (with the screen spanning hack) you had to split the VRAM between the monitors, and full screen apps would only run (properly) on the built in display.

SO, for example, would an iMac with a busted up LCD still be fully functional with an external display?

 

[Eidorian]

Can you disable the built in display of your iMac and use the full amount of VRAM with an external monitor? I know on the iMac G5s (with the screen spanning hack) you had to split the VRAM between the monitors, and full screen apps would only run (properly) on the built in display.

SO, for example, would an iMac with a busted up LCD still be fully functional with an external display?

Yes, you might have to remove the internal video cable for it to work though.

 

[mrgreen4242]

Yes, you might have to remove the internal video cable for it to work though.

Hm, very interesting... anything you can point me to supporting this? I'm not doubting you at all, I just want more info on how one would go about this...

I'm very stringly considering taking my ~$800 new computer budget and prowling eBay for an iMac with a physically damaged screen for cheap, and then custom fabbing my own mini Pro casing out of acrylic or aluminum or something cool (I'm a pretty crafty mofo - I'm like Martha Stewert meets Jonathan Ives! - no, just kidding, but I am good with tools ).

Basically, I figure it a refurb 17" Core Duo 1.83ghz iMac is $950, I should be able score one with a busted display (no way AppleCare will cover that ) for sub-$500... Then I can have my cake (iMac specs) and eat it too (mini form factor, price, and keeping using my perfectly servicable 19" LCD)!

So, um, who's with me?! Apple won't give me what I want, I will make it myself!

PS I know I could build my own Hackintosh - legal or not - for about the same $ and much less work, but it wouldn't be as cool, and it also wouldn't be "the real thing".

 

[Eidorian]

You'll need to find a service manual for the iMac Core Duo. Then you're going to need to open up the iMac and remove the video cable. Once that's done the iMac will default all of its video RAM to the mini-DVI to DVI adapter.

 

[mrgreen4242]

You'll need to find a service manual for the iMac Core Duo. Then you're going to need to open up the iMac and remove the video cable. Once that's done the iMac will default all of its video RAM to the mini-DVI to DVI adapter.

Hrm... sounds relatively doable. I think it would be a great thing to do IF I could find a good deal on an iMac with a destroyed screen... you'd think this would happen more often, what with people having kids/pets/drunken friends, but I haven't seen one anywhere.

Thanks for the help!