Help with display/resolution on Macbook Pro and external display!

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Afternoon everyone,

First, I would like to say hello as I am new to the forums!

I currently have a Macbook Pro with the following specifications:

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro4,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.6 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB

also, my display is:

Color LCD:
Resolution: 1920 x 1200
Depth: 32-Bit Color
Core Image: Hardware Accelerated
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Built-In: Yes
VGA Display:
Resolution: 1024 x 768 @ 60 Hz
Depth: 32-Bit Color
Core Image: Hardware Accelerated
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Rotation: Supported


As you can see I have my MBP hooked up to my 42" Samsung Plasma TV. I have just a few questions concerning the resolution and look of my external display.

1. It is not mirrored, so I was wondering if there is anyway to have another visible dock on my external display? (which is positioned on the right side of my desktop).
2. Any way to change the desktop wallpaper of this external display?
3. My Samsung is 720p, and my VGA settings are 1024x768...should it be set at this?
4. To all my fellow WoWers or any gamers, how do I set World of Warcraft to be a fluent resolution on my television? In-game at 1024x768 seems blurred and out of balance in terms of my UI and bars.

Sorry about the long post, and thank you to all who answer!!
 
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Hello, chuckwagon6916,
I also had that problem yet it was with a projector. First, go to System Preferences > Displays > and change the resolution to 720 x 480 (if it looks odd, go to 720 x 480 stretched, which I doubt stretched would be good at all.)
That may fix the resolution problem, considering your TV is 720p. As for changing the background, I'd figure changing the background on the Laptop would change it for the TV. Now, I do not play WoW, but try changing the in game resolution to something starting with 720, and it should fix.
You may want to mirror it. I don't believe there is a way to add another dock to the output.
Good luck!

EDIT: The Resolution should be set to 1280x720 on the MBP and probably in game settings. Thank you duncanbrodie1 for the correction.
 

Slydude

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The backgrounds can be either the same or different for each screen depending upon how you want to do things. To change the screen on the TV right click on the existing background and choose Change Desktop Background. That brings up the Desktop and Screen Saver preference pane on each screen and you can choose different backgrounds for each screen.
 
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Hello, chuckwagon6916,
I also had that problem yet it was with a projector. First, go to System Preferences > Displays > and change the resolution to 720 x 480 (if it looks odd, go to 720 x 480 stretched.)
That may fix the resolution problem, considering your TV is 720p. As for changing the background, I'd figure changing the background on the Laptop would change it for the TV. Now, I do not play WoW, but try changing the in game resolution to something starting with 720, and it should fix.
You may want to mirror it. I don't believe there is a way to add another dock to the output.
Good luck!

Correction: if your Samsung HDTV has a native resolution 720p then you should set the resolution to 720p!
This is not 720x480, it is actually 1280x720.
720x480 is standard definition and would in fact look absolutely disgusting on your display. Also, DO NOT stretch the image under any circumstances please.
And there is no way to have dual docks running on one system unfortunately (although it would be very cool)
There is a way, however, to create different sets of docks which can be interchanged via a preset keystroke. You'll have to do some research on that if it interests you.
hope that helps.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
13" MBP Late 2010 2.4ghz, 4GB, 250HD - 2010 iMac 21.5-inch 3.06GHz Intel Core i3, 500HD, 4GB
Correction: if your Samsung HDTV has a native resolution 720p then you should set the resolution to 720p!
This is not 720x480, it is actually 1280x720.
720x480 is standard definition and would in fact look absolutely disgusting on your display. Also, DO NOT stretch the image under any circumstances please.
And there is no way to have dual docks running on one system unfortunately (although it would be very cool)
There is a way, however, to create different sets of docks which can be interchanged via a preset keystroke. You'll have to do some research on that if it interests you.
hope that helps.

Whoops, thank you for the correction. I remember setting my resolution to some with 720 when I had it hooked up to a projector. Once again, thanks. :)
 

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