powerbook and external monitors

[jeffcon0]

Hey all!
I'm a soon to be switcher and have a couple questions for you all. I'm looking at the 12" powerbooks and would like the ability to hook up my 19" CRT monitor with a standard VGA port. I know that apple makes adapters for mini dvi to VGA but I'm wondering a few things:

1) How is the quality going from a digital source like a DVI interface, through an adapter, and into an analog CRT monitor?
2)Is the 12" powerbook powerful enough to push enough pixels for a 19" external monitor as well as it's own monitor at the same time?
3) Is it possible to close the powerbook and still be able to get a signal on an external monitor or does the whole system go to sleep no matter what when you close the lid all the way?
4)Any problems / noticible signal degradation if i run the PB through a kvm switch?

Those are my main questions but if anyone has feedback about using a 12" PB for graphic/web design i'd love to hear it. Do you find the screen too restrictive? Do you wish you got a larger model or desktop instead of the 12"? Any other comments regarding the PB are VERY welcome as i like to get as much info as possible about something I will soon be plopping down 2 grand on.
Thanks in advance and thanks for contributing to a great forum...it's been very informative for us converts!

 

[TylerMoney]

I use my 12" with a 17" external...it works fine....no problems....shouldn't have any problems with the 19"...quality is good enough for me...my external monitor is really old....I'm sure yours will be better..still..mine is works pretty good.

you can close the powerbook....but of course you need to have some sort of usb mouse and keyboard.....close you powerbook, it will go to sleep, insert you keyboarad and mouse, and the computer should come back on in your external....

One thing though.....closing your powerbook and using isn't always the greatest idea...any laptop for that matter.....it's made to be on while open...for heat circulation reasons...then agian..many people do this and have no problems...If it were me though...I just set you settings to do mirror, and turn down the screen brightness on you powerbook...either way..you shouldn't have any problems.

Also, I use my powerbook for graphic design (going to school for it)...so I use photoshope, illustrator, and Indesign...and many times they're all running at the same time...(I upgraded memmory though....another good idea for any laptop). I also use flash from time to time (and will be using dream weaver eventually). I love the 12"...I was originally going to get the 15, but it worked out I could only get the 12...and lemme tell yiou....now all I want is the 12...it's protability is amaizing...is such a sweet small beautiful machine...and runs amazingly well...(I am a pc user as well...and this laptop is my main computer now..even though I have a decent pc desktop). Sure the screen is pretty small...but it rarely affects me....I have no problem with it..sure when I use my roommates 17" widescreen iMac I get a bit jeleous....but if I really need bigger screen for short periods of time...I just use my external...in all honestly...I work fine witht he 12"........So far this is the best computer purchase I've ever made....