To all the guys who helped me diagnose and figure out how to get the MB to operate w/ an external monitor/tv and sound/stereo.
The big secret? You have to have it plugged in to work in "docked" mode. The software is purposefully designed to only work closed w/ ext peripherals (makeshift docking station w/ monitor, kb, mouse, etc.) while it's plugged in.
Kind of bites for presentations when you need to be unplugged and hooked up to presentation peripherals with it closed. The software is just designed that way. So the workaround of manually dimming your screen & lowering the lid w/out closing all the way is the way to go.
Now the only thing want fixed is the mfin' keyboard! On mine you have to HAMMER the "o" and "j" keys to get the letter up (and yes, I'm still here so that I don't have to be on the weekend. I turn 35 on Sunday and I don't want to be at work for it). The cool thing about the flat keyboard design that I enjoy is that the keys are usually VERY responsive to lighter touch typing. So, I'm w/in the 90 day period - I'm sending it in for a new kb.
Also did the 10.5.1 upgrade. The graphics response has improved a bit, even though the description of the update on the Apple site doesn't say much about the chipset, but I think the general performance updates helped a bit. I still would love a firmware rev. that really gets it going and also fixed the whining noise (I've got that too, and it's not temperature related according t iStat)... hopefully that will be soon.
Anyway, thank to everyone who helped. I've bee a techie for 10+ years and only just fell in love w/ macs about 4 years ago... I should have joined macrumors sooner... what a kickass community.
The big secret? You have to have it plugged in to work in "docked" mode. The software is purposefully designed to only work closed w/ ext peripherals (makeshift docking station w/ monitor, kb, mouse, etc.) while it's plugged in.
Kind of bites for presentations when you need to be unplugged and hooked up to presentation peripherals with it closed. The software is just designed that way. So the workaround of manually dimming your screen & lowering the lid w/out closing all the way is the way to go.
Now the only thing want fixed is the mfin' keyboard! On mine you have to HAMMER the "o" and "j" keys to get the letter up (and yes, I'm still here so that I don't have to be on the weekend. I turn 35 on Sunday and I don't want to be at work for it). The cool thing about the flat keyboard design that I enjoy is that the keys are usually VERY responsive to lighter touch typing. So, I'm w/in the 90 day period - I'm sending it in for a new kb.
Also did the 10.5.1 upgrade. The graphics response has improved a bit, even though the description of the update on the Apple site doesn't say much about the chipset, but I think the general performance updates helped a bit. I still would love a firmware rev. that really gets it going and also fixed the whining noise (I've got that too, and it's not temperature related according t iStat)... hopefully that will be soon.
Anyway, thank to everyone who helped. I've bee a techie for 10+ years and only just fell in love w/ macs about 4 years ago... I should have joined macrumors sooner... what a kickass community.