Laptop as a desktop with external monitor?

Big-Mac-Please · 6 Sep 2006 at 21:53

Hello

I have a sony VAIO laptop and I also have a mac mini with a lovely 20" widescreen dell monitor!

I would like to know if its possible to some way use the laptop with the dell monitor. The laptop has video out but is the simplest way to attach a USB keyboard and mouse and then shut the laptop lid and work like that?

I know lots of people do this sort of thing but I don't exactly know how!

Cheers for anyhelp!!

BigMac

manoz · 6 Sep 2006 at 22:05

Does your laptop have D-Sub out or DVI output cos you could use that and even extend your laptop's desktop onto it so you can use both screens. This is what I do

Big-Mac-Please · 6 Sep 2006 at 22:18

Yea it has VGA out

I have used it with my HD tv so I know it works fine

So where do you put your laptop when you use the extra monitor? In front, side?

I can't decide where would be best to put it to use the keyboard on not be at a odd angle to the monitor?

I hope that makes sence lol

Cheers for the quick reply manoz!!!

manoz · 6 Sep 2006 at 22:53

I never use my laptop keyboard anyway so I have an external one(rather cheap thing). That way I can sit a good distance from both screens and have more keys. I've also raised the back of my laptop by resting it on a roll of fat sellotape. That keeps the laptop monitor inline with my other monitor.

I've got laptop on the left and monitor on the right but you can set it anyway you want by moving the virtual monitors around on the display control panel. Hope that helps.

Chaos · 7 Sep 2006 at 00:33

On my IBM laptop there is a key combination you press to toggle the output to the vga port, maybe the sony has something similar ?

Gaman · 7 Sep 2006 at 14:12

Chaos said:
On my IBM laptop there is a key combination you press to toggle the output to the vga port, maybe the sony has something similar ?

I haven't yet come across a laptop that doesn't offer this feature so I suspect the Sony does as well. It's usually the FN key + an F key and you can usually tell as there'll be a little graphic of a screen with 2 lines on either side (meant to represent a presentation screen I think) on the correct key. If not just check the manual and it should be listed under output options.

One other thing - the combination on some laptops *cycles* through different settings (VGA port enabled, laptop screen off; VGA enabled, laptop enabled; VGA disabled, laptop enabled etc) so if everything goes black keep cycling

Big-Mac-Please · 7 Sep 2006 at 19:25

Haha

Yea the laptop does have that function as I have used it

The real gray area for me was the keyboard and mouse side of things but I guess I will just have to give it a try and see how I get on.

Cheers for all the help! If anyone else has any experiance with this style of setup please give your feedback on it!

Gaman · 8 Sep 2006 at 10:33

Well the way my brother does it is with a USB hub - printer, mouse, keyboard etc all plugged into that and then you just have to plug one lead in rather than a load when you get home (+monitor)

Or you could go down the route of a docking station but I suspect that would be more expensive (£100+ ??) :eek:

Big-Mac-Please · 8 Sep 2006 at 14:07

Thats a good idea

All things to think about

londonbairn · 8 Sep 2006 at 15:35

Big-Mac-Please said:
Hello

I have a sony VAIO laptop and I also have a mac mini with a lovely 20" widescreen dell monitor!

I would like to know if its possible to some way use the laptop with the dell monitor. The laptop has video out but is the simplest way to attach a USB keyboard and mouse and then shut the laptop lid and work like that?

I know lots of people do this sort of thing but I don't exactly know how!

Cheers for anyhelp!!

BigMac

I wouldnt close the laptop, a lot of laptops have vents on the top for cooling.