03-26-2009, 07:44 AM

Hi, I've got a pre Intel 1.9 GHz PowerPC G5 & as with many of these iMacs, it has started to have vertical lines appear at random places across the display (just out of warrantee of course!). Apple say it will cost about £450 to get it fixed so I am thinking I could just get a new display & connect it as this would be more cost effective (the Credit Crunch strikes again!). Will any display be compatible & what lead do I need to get? Also, I read somewhere that a second display would only mirror the original. Is it possible to make it an extended desktop on my particular iMac & how do I go about it? Any advice on this would be welcome as I am getting fed up with seeing a stripy screen! Many thanks

03-26-2009, 11:57 AM

Attaching an external monitor to your iMac is very simple.

Just get a monitor you like. Most monitors have a "VGA" port & your iMac has a "VGA" port...so you shouldn't need any adapters.

Your iMac is only capable of "video mirroring"...so no extended desktop.

Good luck,

- Nick

03-26-2009, 02:19 PM

Thanks Nick, it's good to know that any monitor will connect to my iMac (there are loads for under £200 although I guess I'll have to make sure they have at least the same speck as my existing display) but such a shame I can't get an extended desktop. I've read about a patch called "Screen Scanning Doctor" but there are various warnings about it & I'm not sure I want to totally mess up my Mac for a bit of extra desktop space.

How will it affect my iSight camera once I've connected a 2nd monitor? Will it still work?

Lucy

03-26-2009, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by LucyKMH

Thanks Nick, it's good to know that any monitor will connect to my iMac (there are loads for under £200 although I guess I'll have to make sure they have at least the same speck as my existing display) but such a shame I can't get an extended desktop. I've read about a patch called "Screen Scanning Doctor" but there are various warnings about it & I'm not sure I want to totally mess up my Mac for a bit of extra desktop space.

How will it affect my iSight camera once I've connected a 2nd monitor? Will it still work?

Lucy

Yes it's too bad you will not to be able to get an extended desktop...but then you said that your iMac's monitor was not working properly anyway...thus the questions about a 2nd monitor.

From what I read somewhere, Apple disabled the G5 1.9 mhz iMac's from being able to do an extended desktop with a 2nd monitor. And like you mentioned. I've heard that 3rd party folks have "hacks" that may allow you to get "extended" desktop. But I don't have any experience whether they work well or not.

As far as your iSight camera. If it's working ok now, I don't see any reason why it shouldn't continue working fine when you attach a 2nd monitor.

Good luck,

- Nick