Displays: n00b Questions from an old-timer

[StarbucksSam]

Hey all, I apologize how elementary these questions may be - I did a search and I guess I didn't know what the right query was so I hope that someone will be kind enough to answer without grumbling about how stupid the questions are.

I have a 12" Rev. E PowerBook with Superdrive. I'm upgrading it to 1.25 gigs of RAM this week, but that's probably not relevant.

My Dad is giving me his 23" Apple Cinema Display (in mid-December when he gets a 30") from the generation before the current ones - it has that pinstripe thing going on - that generation. Anyway, I have the appropriate adapter and tested it for about a minute and it works with my computer but I didn't get time to do anything to answer these questions:

1. Can I have my PowerBook be closed and run off ONLY the larger screen. If yes, I'm assuming I need a keyboard/mouse connected. Is this correct?

2. This one is REALLY bad: I know the display is powered from the wall - it can't run off of the computer. However, if I have my PowerBook unplugged and I am using the second display, does the run the battery down faster?

3. Another horrible one: Does the second display use any RAM? I think it just makes the video card work harder... but I have NO experience with dual screens - sorry guys.

Thanks in advance for putting up with these.

 

[psycoswimmer]

Hey all, I apologize how elementary these questions may be - I did a search and I guess I didn't know what the right query was so I hope that someone will be kind enough to answer without grumbling about how stupid the questions are.

I have a 12" Rev. E PowerBook with Superdrive. I'm upgrading it to 1.25 gigs of RAM this week, but that's probably not relevant.

My Dad is giving me his 23" Apple Cinema Display (in mid-December when he gets a 30") from the generation before the current ones - it has that pinstripe thing going on - that generation. Anyway, I have the appropriate adapter and tested it for about a minute and it works with my computer but I didn't get time to do anything to answer these questions:

1. Can I have my PowerBook be closed and run off ONLY the larger screen. If yes, I'm assuming I need a keyboard/mouse connected. Is this correct?

2. This one is REALLY bad: I know the display is powered from the wall - it can't run off of the computer. However, if I have my PowerBook unplugged and I am using the second display, does the run the battery down faster?

3. Another horrible one: Does the second display use any RAM? I think it just makes the video card work harder... but I have NO experience with dual screens - sorry guys.

Thanks in advance for putting up with these.

1.) Yes. And yes, you will need a mouse&keyboard.

2.) I don't know for sure, but I want to say yes. The powerbook is having to power a larger screen.

3.) Another one I don't know for sure, but I'd think no. It will just run the video card more.

Sorry for the unsure answers. I hope someone else can give some definite answers.

 

[StarbucksSam]

Thanks so much for your reply. For some reason, the subscription didn't notify me...

Really though, that helped a lot.

 

[gekko513]

2) The MacBook pro goes to sleep if it's disconnected from power with the lid closed even if it's connected to an external display. I also had a 12" PowerBook once, and I seem to remember that it didn't go to sleep. If it doesn't go to sleep or if you keep the lid open it shouldn't use a lot more battery.

3) Yes, it uses more video RAM when it powers two displays. Well, actually I'm not 100% sure, come to think of it, but they do say the VRAM is split 50/50 when running two displays and most things are double buffered.