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whats the benifit - second Monitor on an iMac

S

star555

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 17, 2008
127
0
Cambodia - Thailand
Ive seen several questions about how to connect up a Second Monitor to an iMac its some thing ive never really thought of until I saw the questions, So If ive got a 24 inch iMac , what can I do better by having a second Monitor connected , is having a second monitor helpful in any way..?

Whats your thoughts about having a second monitor ..?


star:)
 
The benefits of having a 2nd monitor are just that, you have a 2nd monitor. Another monitor means more space for your windows, more space to have more things open and visible at once etc.
 
edesignuk said:
The benefits of having a 2nd monitor are just that, you have a 2nd monitor. Another monitor means more space for your windows, more space to have more things open and visible at once etc.
Click to expand...

Exactly...

Multi tasking made easier. And more space to edit that super hi res image you need to edit etc etc
 
edesignuk The benefits of having a 2nd monitor are just that, you have a 2nd monitor. Another monitor means more space for your windows, more space to have more things open and visible at once etc.
Click to expand...

would that mean you can have Two applications running at the same time on Two different monitors, controlled from one keyboard..?


star
 
star555 said:
would that mean you can have Two applications running at the same time on Two different monitors, controlled from one keyboard..?


star
Click to expand...
Kind of, you would have to switch between what is the active window, but you could.
 
star555 said:
would that mean you can have Two applications running at the same time on Two different monitors, controlled from one keyboard..?


star
Click to expand...

Yes. If you were working with design programs, for instance, you could have InDesign open on one screen and Illustrator open on the other so you wouldn't have to constantly switch views.

I like to have Bridge open on one monitor and ID on the other, so I can hunt for files to place without hiding my ID windows from view.
 
I love having two monitors. Allows you more workspace.

It's also great for running two operating systems. I'm using Fusion to run Windows XP. My second monitor can display Windows while my main monitor has Leopard making it very easy to drag and drop files between the two systems. Almost like having two computers in one.
 
Chris Blount said:
<snip>
It's also great for running two operating systems. I'm using Fusion to run Windows XP. My second monitor can display Windows while my main monitor has Leopard <snip> Almost like having two computers in one.
Click to expand...

Also great for testing website designs between platforms if your into that sort of thing ;)
 
Have I got this correct, I can have an application running on the main iMac screen, I can be clicking away on this application etc, then if I move my mouse pointer over to the far left where the second external monitor is I would then see my mouse pointer mover over to the left and appear on the right side of the external monitor, then I could click away on the application thats being displayed on the external monitor to the left of my main iMac display ..?

star:)
 
star555 said:
Have I got this correct, I can have an application running on the main iMac screen, I can be clicking away on this application etc, then if I move my mouse pointer over to the far left where the second external monitor is I would then see my mouse pointer mover over to the left and appear on the right side of the external monitor, then I could click away on the application thats being displayed on the external monitor to the left of my main iMac display ..?

star:)
Click to expand...

Exactly. Its just like having 1 super wide screen monitor, but in 2 parts.
 
star555 said:
Have I got this correct, I can have an application running on the main iMac screen, I can be clicking away on this application etc, then if I move my mouse pointer over to the far left where the second external monitor is I would then see my mouse pointer mover over to the left and appear on the right side of the external monitor, then I could click away on the application thats being displayed on the external monitor to the left of my main iMac display ..?

star:)
Click to expand...

Yeah. In essence, you have one huge monitor. Your mouse and windows move seamlessly between the two.
 
For example:

(grabbed from apple site)

index_dualdisplays20060721.png
 
Would you guys PLEASE STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are making me want a 2nd monitor and that's all I need to start thinking! :mad::eek::)
 
Has spaces kind of take the place of having multiple monitors? It took me a while, but running spaces help me considerably by removing clutter and having dedicated spaces for applications.
 
Mac Addict said:
Has spaces kind of take the place of having multiple monitors? It took me a while, but running spaces help me considerably by removing clutter and having dedicated spaces for applications.
Click to expand...

I would think that Spaces would only "replace" the need for multiple monitors when you have a bunch of stuff you don't need to see at the same time. For graphic/web designers, film/video editors and the like, the need is really just for more real estate on your screen, which cannot be afforded by Spaces.
 
CrimsonTide said:
Exactly...

Multi tasking made easier. And more space to edit that super hi res image you need to edit etc etc
Click to expand...

This is the best reason ...

When working in photoshop I keep all the tools on the main screen and just the image on the 2nd screen.

I learned this when I had a Power Mac G5 .... I used a cheapo 15" LCD for the main and a nice 22" LCD for the work being done.
 
Here I go again, so if I am surfing with Safari on the main iMac display, and on the external monitor I have photoshop running, I can just move my mouse pointer over from safari to photoshop and click away on this application , I seem to remember some where that you could not use one keyboard for two separate applications on Two separate displays..?, am I missing some thing..?

star:)
 
star555 said:
Here I go again, so if I am surfing with Safari on the main iMac display, and on the external monitor I have photoshop running, I can just move my mouse pointer over from safari to photoshop and click away on this application , I seem to remember some where that you could not use one keyboard for two separate applications on Two separate displays..?, am I missing some thing..?

star:)
Click to expand...

If you stop thinking of it as two monitors and start thinking of it as one big monitor, you'll get it much faster. You can move your mouse back and forth without problem. Your keyboard will control anything, anywhere on either screen. You can even have a window stretching across BOTH screens. They are the same screen.
 
star555 said:
Just wondering about this...

Video mirroring allows you to show the same image on two different monitors. You cannot set up the second display to create an extended desktop.

from... http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58467


star:)
Click to expand...

If you notice, it's talking about iMac models with a VGA port (AKA, iMac G3s).

The following models may have a VGA monitor port:
iMac (Slot Loading)
iMac (Summer 2000)
iMac (Early 2001)
iMac (Summer 2001)
Click to expand...
 
Thanks Guy's as the saying goes......By George I think he's got it :)

so now if I think of the iMac display & a separate external monitor as One big monitor I can't go wrong .

So I'm going to give it a try and connect a second monitor to the iMac, any advice or tips ..?


star:)
 
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