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This article contains the following common questions and answers about the video out capabilities and differences of the PowerBook 1400 series computers.
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1. Does the video out connector insert differently than other PowerBook models?
2. Is there a PowerBook Display Control Panel?
3. How can I select which monitor I want to be the startup monitor?
4. What does the Hide Cursor option do?
5. I know how to change the color depth on the PowerBook 1400 series computer's display. Can I change the resolution and color depth on the external monitor using the Monitors & Sound control panel?
6. How do I turn on video mirroring? I do not see an option in the Monitors & Sound control panel.
7. When I connect the external display and drag the monitor in the icon Monitors & Sound control panel for video mirroring, the PowerBook computer's display has a 1 1/2 inch border around it. Why?
DISCUSSION
Answer: The connector faces in the opposite direction than previous PowerBook computer models. That is, the PowerBook video adaptor cable plugs in facing downwards, unlike previous PowerBook computers on which the PowerBook video adaptor cable plugs in facing upwards.
2) Question: Is there a PowerBook Display Control Panel?
Answer: No, the PowerBook 1400 series computers use the Monitors & Sound Control Panel. See Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Monitors & Sound control panel.
3) Question: How can I select which monitor I want to be the startup monitor?
Answer: There is a checkbox for "identify startup monitor". All you have to do is check the box. There is no more need to hold down the Option key while clicking on the Options button. The Happy Macintosh face is available for dragging if you select the Options button. See Figure 2 below.
4) Question: What does the Hide Cursor option do?
Answer: This option is only available when video mirroring is active. This option is beneficial when showing presentations, or other operations where you want the cursor to be hidden on the big screen. It hides the cursor on the screen which has the menu bar in non-mirroring mode. So if you want the external monitor to not have the cursor, you need to first drag the menu bar to the external monitor, then activate video mirroring, then select hide cursor.
5) Question: I know how to change the color depth on the PowerBook 1400 series computer's display. Can I change the resolution and color depth on the external monitor using the Monitors & Sound control panel?
Answer: When the Monitor & Sound Control Panel is opened a second window opens on the external monitor for the selections for that external monitor.
6) Question: How do I turn on video mirroring? I do not see an option in the Monitors & Sound control panel.
Answer: When a second monitor is recognized by the PowerBook computer the Monitors & Sound control panel will have a fourth button called Arrange. When Arrange is selected a window below shows a icon representing each monitor. When one icon is put on top of the other video mirroring results.
7) Question: When I connect the external display and drag the monitor in the icon Monitors & Sound control panel for video mirroring, the PowerBook computer's display has a 1 1/2 inch border around it. Why?
Answer: What you describe is correct if the external monitor is working at lower resolution than the PowerBook. The PowerBook computer's internal display is reduced (for example, from 800x600) to match the lower resolution (for example, 640x480) of the external monitor.
This article was published in the Information Alley on 9 January 1997.