Stupid tech questions re: dual monitors on a mac..

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
Can I use them as seperate desktops or does it have to be one large continuous desktop? I'm trying to run a slideshow or powerpoint file on a large monitor at our counter but I need to still be able to use the computer for other things.
 
Technically you can run a presentation minimized and it can keep looping on the other monitor, but you would have to be cogniscent that it's there. If you use a premier music wallpaper as a background, even if the program closes, the second screen will be functional.

This is how I run Karaoke in bars... the second screen is programed to display the lyrics, next up, and videos... while my software, web browser, playlists and such are on my screen.
 
baimun said:
Technically you can run a presentation minimized and it can keep looping on the other monitor, but you would have to be cogniscent that it's there. If you use a premier music wallpaper as a background, even if the program closes, the second screen will be functional.

This is how I run Karaoke in bars... the second screen is programed to display the lyrics, next up, and videos... while my software, web browser, playlists and such are on my screen.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I understand. Are you using powerpoint? When I run a presentation there is no way to minimize the main monitors window with the presenters notes and whatnot
 
start with PowerPoint on that second window and set the slideshow to output there. It should fill the screen and cover the program.
 
Caveat: I am a stoopid mac user who doesn't read manuals, and just tries to figure stuff out when I need to. That said, I use our Vizio as a "monitor" for streaming netflix or iTunes movies. I set up a browser window, size it to fill the Vizio screen, then can stream while still using the computer. If I make it full screen by hitting the full screen button though, it disables the other "home" monitor and blanks it out. By resizing the window manually, it ends up filling the screen anyway, without showing the borders. There is probably an easier way to do this, and maybe one can re-set the preferences for how "full screen" works, but it seems like this method would work for what you want.
 
sunvalleylaw said:
Caveat: I am a stoopid mac user who doesn't read manuals, and just tries to figure stuff out when I need to. That said, I use our Vizio as a "monitor" for streaming netflix or iTunes movies. I set up a browser window, size it to fill the Vizio screen, then can stream while still using the computer. If I make it full screen by hitting the full screen button though, it disables the other "home" monitor and blanks it out. By resizing the window manually, it ends up filling the screen anyway, without showing the borders. There is probably an easier way to do this, and maybe one can re-set the preferences for how "full screen" works, but it seems like this method would work for what you want.
Click to expand...

For some reason when I try this I still get the top grey bar of the window showing. It's not the browser but Powerpoint though.
 
on a related note, i would like to hook up my new MacBook to an external monitor. but they got rid of the mini DVI port in favor of the Thunderbolt port. so there's no video out and i haven't been able to find any adaptors. all i've got are the Thunderbolt port, a firewire port, and two USB ports. so any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
on a related note, i would like to hook up my new MacBook to an external monitor. but they got rid of the mini DVI port in favor of the Thunderbolt port. so there's no video out and i haven't been able to find any adaptors. all i've got are the Thunderbolt port, a firewire port, and two USB ports. so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...


http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Apple&#...-25-5-6991-25580-25-1758-835-25-1758-3804-0-1

I bought the one on the apple site for our Mac Mini to use a Dell monitor with the mini. IIRC Thunderbolt and mini DVI are the same physical size so it fits in the thunderbolt port.
 
Mark, you should be able to run the powerpoint on one monitor and do other things on the other. I had one of our auditoriums setup that way. If you drag the presentation to the monitor you want it to run on, it should run only on that monitor. We had it setup like that so the lecturer could have some notes on the other screen and project the slide show.
 
What you would do on a windows machine is to not minimize the powerpoint window, but hit the middle button in the top right corner (the one that lets you resize the window manually). Drag that over to the monitor you want it on, then hit the maximize button. Then it should just maximize to the second screen, even after you hit the slideshow button.

Then your other screen should be completely free from Powerpoint, while the second screen is completely full of powerpoint.
 
Chad said:
Mark, you should be able to run the powerpoint on one monitor and do other things on the other. I had one of our auditoriums setup that way. If you drag the presentation to the monitor you want it to run on, it should run only on that monitor. We had it setup like that so the lecturer could have some notes on the other screen and project the slide show.
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to try it again today when I get in. Was this on a Mac or PC though?

Prages said:
What you would do on a windows machine is to not minimize the powerpoint window, but hit the middle button in the top right corner (the one that lets you resize the window manually). Drag that over to the monitor you want it on, then hit the maximize button. Then it should just maximize to the second screen, even after you hit the slideshow button.

Then your other screen should be completely free from Powerpoint, while the second screen is completely full of powerpoint.
Click to expand...

For some reason it either has the top of the window bar on or there is a mirroring of the monitors that automatically switches on. I've got to have something set wrong somewhere.
 
I don't use Powerpoint, but when I want to keep a browser open and watch netflix or something I just drag one window to the other screen and it works fine. I have it set up so my left screen contains all the system apps and Finder, and the right is just whatever I drag over. Did you check in your display settings to see if everything's cool?
 
Help!I'maRock! said:
on a related note, i would like to hook up my new MacBook to an external monitor. but they got rid of the mini DVI port in favor of the Thunderbolt port. so there's no video out and i haven't been able to find any adaptors. all i've got are the Thunderbolt port, a firewire port, and two USB ports. so any help would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

iPad + Air Display app will make the iPad a second monitor via wifi.
A little small, but very cool.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top