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Intel iMac graphics card lcd connection?
Tuesday, February 27, 2007 / Hardware, Intel Macs
I am looking into buying an iMac 20″ maybe the 24″. I understood I can connect another screen to the iMac.I am interested in potentially utilizing the iMac screen as display for Mac mini when I have to install software or do other major interactive updates (which will be an issue through vnc). I noticed a few pics of the internals (Article) but could not figure out if it has a separate graphics card and if we could bring the DVI from the screen out. I try to avoid to keep a second screen around only to use every few months.Details or suggestions are welcome
The Intel iMacs support the use of external displays. This feature allows you to have two screens running on your iMac, the built-in display and an external display. Only the 24″ iMac has an upgradeable graphics card, this is for future advances in video card technology.It sounds like you are wanting to use the iMac’s built-in display to view video from the Mac mini. This would not be possible without a video encoder of some sort. The best option would be to buy an external display that supports multiple connections, DVI and VGA. Then have dual monitors on your iMac most of the time and switch sources from DVI to VGA on the external display when you want to work with the Mac mini. The DVI connection can stay connected to the iMac and the VGA cable could run to the Mac mini.That would get you the most use out of that extra display.Hope that works for you
