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    Front Row on 2nd display

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by hollownail, Oct 4, 2006.

  1. hollownail

    hollownail Individual 11

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    Hey guys, I ordered my dvi to svideo adapter this week. I want to basically hook it up to tv to watch videos and have front row on the tv. You know... media center stuff.

    Currently Front Row doesnt support a 2nd video output. It just blacks out the external displays. Aprantly Apple is working on fixing that for the next version of Front Row (Front Row 3 I think it is). In the meantime, is there any fix or hack for this issue?
     
    hollownail, Oct 4, 2006
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  2. RadcomTxx

    RadcomTxx Notebook Deity

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    display mirroring might work. i assume you were expanding your desktop over both monitors, and that would prollly be the problem.
     
    RadcomTxx, Oct 4, 2006
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  3. hollownail

    hollownail Individual 11

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    Well, mirroring is exactly what I want to avoid. I don't want to have front row on my MBP. I want it on the tv only.
     
    hollownail, Oct 4, 2006
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  4. cashmonee

    cashmonee Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    Are you looking to have Front Row on the tv and do not need the MBP display? I do this all the time. Turn the MBP on (obviously), plug in the power and the video. Shut the lid on the MBP, plug the video into the TV. The MBP should be asleep. Get your Front Row remote and press Menu to wake up the MBP. The desktop will come up, press menu again and Front Row should come up. I do this all the time, it should work.
     
    cashmonee, Oct 5, 2006
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  5. hollownail

    hollownail Individual 11

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    No, I need the display and I need front row on the tv. I want to be able to work and do stuff on my MBP screen while having front row on the tv.
     
    hollownail, Oct 5, 2006
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  6. cashmonee

    cashmonee Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    I see. In that case good luck. Even if you could get Front Row to show up correctly it would take a lot of resources, slowin down the rest of what you are doing. Why not just use Quicktime or iTunes on the extended part. Do you really need the Front Row interface?
     
    cashmonee, Oct 5, 2006
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  7. hollownail

    hollownail Individual 11

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    Thats what I'm going to end up doing cash... I like the way front row looks :)

    Well, I'm not sure when FR 3 is coming out, but at least I can do that with that version, so I hear.
     
    hollownail, Oct 5, 2006
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  8. hollownail

    hollownail Individual 11

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    Hey, I got my Svideo out adapter today.

    First off, unless there is a setting you can change (I couldn't find one), you cannot run a 2nd display with the MBP closed. I don't think you can change it, as it would get way too hot and possibly damage the screen. At least thats my belief. I had to reset the Pram or whatever last night cause mine stopped going to sleep when i closed the lid, and it got HOT.

    Anyway, I set the display on the output to 800x600, and it looks decent. Of course, text is pretty hard to read, but I put itunes on there. Unfortunantly you can't full screen the visualizer without having the laptop screen go black.

    Pretty silly that apple gives you all these cool things you can do and then really doesn't let you unleash it's potential.
     
    hollownail, Oct 5, 2006
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  9. cashmonee

    cashmonee Notebook Virtuoso NBR Reviewer

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    I run a 2nd display all the time with the lid closed. It may not work with S-Video, I use DVI out exclusively.
     
    cashmonee, Oct 6, 2006
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  10. xbandaidx

    xbandaidx Notebook Deity

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    On my MB, I always close my lid so I can use my external monitor at home, it's too weird using a 13.3" screen with a large 19" widescreen lcd (extended)
     
    xbandaidx, Oct 6, 2006
    #10