[geeks] iBook external screen experience

[Kurt Huhn]

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 15:08:41 -0800 (PST)
Francisco Javier Mesa-Martinez wrote:

> Hello, I have a quick ibook question.
> 
> Is there any way of forcing an ibook to drive the external video port
> at a higher resolution than the 1024x768? I am not interested in
> having dual head capabilities, simply put I want to use an extrenal
> monitor when I am at home, as main head, and then use the builtin
> screen when I am on the road.
> 

No.  Not unless you go into OpenBoot and enable true dual-head.  The way
it comes from Apple, it will only do mirroring.  You can't "mirror" at a
higher resolution - not possible in this implementation.

Once you enable true dual-head functionality, you can choose which
monitor is "primary" - at least IIRC.  That way you can use the external
monitor as the main monitor.

> Is there a way of also forcing the iBook to not go to sleep mode when
> the lid is closed? I believe there is a patch for the powerbook to do
> the same. I just wanna know if there is a way of automatig the
> process, i.e. if I plug an external mouse/keyboard/monitor then I
> wanna use the vga out port at 1200x1024 as the main display with the
> screen lid closed, and use the builtin screen otherwise.
> 

I'm not aware of a process to automate what you want to do.  There is,
however, a method for disabling the sleep-when-lid-s-closed function. 
Google is your friend in this regard - I have not done this to mine.

-- 
Kurt                  The superior man understands what is right; 
kurt at k-huhn.com       the inferior man understands what will sell.
                                         -- Confucius