Strange Idea: 27" C2D as second monitor & server?

[BigBrocktoon]

Don't flame me too hard, I'm only back to Macs five months after a 13 year vacation. Those days in the 90's just got too dark and scary for a young guy with limited resources...

I have a 27" i7 with 8 gigs, and a MBP 13", but a thought just struck me that as I am thinking of adding a file/media server at some point, why not just a refurb 27" Core 2 Duo, and run it as a second monitor to the i7, and have it serve, do time machine etc in the background? Would that be possible?

It's just and idea. I have no idea if the video card could drive that many pixels, if the iMac could give up it's monitor to another Mac whilst in operation, and if such a configuration is even possible.

Comments?

 

[ThirteenXIII]

I dont see how it wouldnt work, and is a completely plausible and nice idea.
If you can afford it go for it.

according to the specs it can drive another display up to 2560x1600 which is plenty for another 27" iMac display in TDM.

Mini DisplayPort output port with support for DVI, VGA, and dual-link DVI (adapters sold separately). 27-inch models also support input from external DisplayPort sources (adapters sold separately).
Support for extended desktop and video mirroring modes
Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to a 30-inch display (2560 by 1600 pixels) on an external display

How are you going to distribute the internal drive? partition it and have a smaller OS partition with backs on the second partition with your file server/media content?



goodluck, definitely curious how it works out.

 

[aiqw9182]

Get a Dell 27-inch(U2711) display and buy an external hard-drive(Firewire 800 supported). Or wait for Apple's supposed 27-inch cinema displays and buy an external hard-drive.

With a Dell 27-inch display and an external hard-drive you will spend around $1000 on the display, then you can spend $250 on an external hard drive with 2 TB's of storage or more. You'll be paying much less for more than you would be getting if you bought another 27-inch iMac.

 

[Pachang]

Don't flame me too hard, I'm only back to Macs five months after a 13 year vacation. Those days in the 90's just got too dark and scary for a young guy with limited resources...

I have a 27" i7 with 8 gigs, and a MBP 13", but a thought just struck me that as I am thinking of adding a file/media server at some point, why not just a refurb 27" Core 2 Duo, and run it as a second monitor to the i7, and have it serve, do time machine etc in the background? Would that be possible?

It's just and idea. I have no idea if the video card could drive that many pixels, if the iMac could give up it's monitor to another Mac whilst in operation, and if such a configuration is even possible.

Comments?

I think it is possible >.>
Someone before was saying that the iMac being the target monitor would still keep running in the background so I don't see why not.

I would like to know how it turns out if you go ahead with it.

 

[BigBrocktoon]

Thanks, guys for the positive feedback!

I don't know how exactly I would set up the file system, not there yet. Just wondering if the idea was sound. Thirteen xIII, that is what I was contemplating, but did not put too much mental horsepower into it yet.

aiqw: a couple hundred bucks to have matching monitors at the same level, is a cheap tax to pay, but thanks for the h/u on the Dell.

Pachang: That's great to know!

This may be a couple of months down the road... but I'll let you know what eventually becomes of this idea.