Mirror Displays Help

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imac
21.5 INCH, MID 2011

Processor 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5
Memory 4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3
Software OS X 10.8 (12A269)
Graphics AMD Radeon HD 6750M 512 MB

everything is updated i checked.


Here is the problem, my screen resolution is perfect. I work for a school, and we bought the teachers these macs to use as a teacher computer. With the Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, we started to hook them up to the SmartBoard screens.

Right when we plug it in, the screen shrinks and the resolution is terrible. So we decided to change the resolution. We tried them all, and when we changed them, all of our icons on the desktop disappeared and the red x, yellow minimize, and green maximize on anything opened disappears. If we open something new, it does not show up.

We unplug the VGA cord, and everything goes back to normal. We have icons and the red x, yellow minimize, and green maximize.

This happens when the [MIRROR DISPLAYS] box is checked.

Can anyone give me some tips on what to do to makes this more friendly for the teachers?
 

chscag

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Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Whenever you select "Mirror Display" on the iMac, the resolution of the external display will default to the resolution of the iMac. That resolution is 1920 x 1080. And, if that's not the native resolution of the external display, distortion and or an out of focus picture may be the result.

By the way, using a MDP to VGA is not the best since it's an analog connection. Always go with a digital connection if possible. That would be MDP to DVI or HDMI.

A better purchase for the teachers probably would have been the MacBook Pro which can be operated in clam shell mode. That allows the native resolution of the external display to be used.
 
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I can deal with the display problems. I adjust the resolution to make it fit the majority of the screen when connect to the SB.

However, i am more concerned about the icons, such has Mac HD, CDs, Flashdrives; on the desktop disaperring when i change the display. And the exit, mimimize, maximize buttons disapearing as well.

Its there before i plug in the SB, and when i plug it in to the SB it is there. But when i make the resolution bigger it is gone.

Can i get a fix on that or is there none?
 

chscag

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2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
There is no fix for that problem because of the incompatible resolution being used on the external display. Unless you can somehow "adjust" the vertical height and or horizontal width on the external display, some of the screen will be cut off.
 

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