Is it possible to have both a mac and a pc run on the same monitor. I have a dell which i use mostly for graphics and word processing, am planning on getting a mac for graphics only and using the. How to Use a Monitor with a MacBook Pro. You just got a MacBook Pro and want to use it like a desktop? Go to your local Apple Store.
Advertisement Using an extra monitor for work can be an amazing productivity boost. No more split-screen action between Microsoft Word and Chrome, and no more having to prioritize which panel should be on top. Multi-monitor setups also look cool and can be used as a media screen when not in use or when you’re gaming, but definitely not when you’re meant to be working. If you don’t have another monitor, but do have a separate laptop, you’re in good hands. It is extremely easy to So you set your Mac up with a second monitor, which was really exciting – but now you've no idea what to do with all that space.
Without cables, using your home network, with a host of tools to help you get the job done. Let’s take a look! The Benefits Of Multi-Monitor Multi-monitor hook-ups are not uncommon.
You’ll see them everywhere; your Doctor may be using one monitor for notes, and another for diagnoses. Even using a single extra monitor can You need space for several documents, to get an overview and swiftly shift between tasks. What's true for your desk also applies to your virtual workspace.
We show you how it matters., provided you keep using it for activities! If you’re used to clicking through multiple windows, or hitting Alt + Tab like there is no tomorrow, consider the massive amount of extra working space you could be utilizing. Of a multi-monitor setup, as alluded to above, is remaining on task. There is an ease to switching on a film when the second monitor is in use, or using it to display pictures, or other distracting media.
Don’t do this! Creating a multi-monitor setup with a laptop usually works one-way: using your local network. Most, DVI, or HDMI outputs, meaning the connection will only work in one direction. If you’re happy to use your laptop as the primary system, by all means, proceed.
Otherwise, read on. Multi-Monitor Software Two of the biggest reasons for using more than one monitor are Working Space, followed closely by its accomplice, Frustration with the Split-Screen. Several applications let you easily share your mouse and keyboard between laptop and desktop. N.B: I’ve tested all of these connections using a Windows 7 Ultimate desktop connecting to a laptop running Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview. I’ve long used Synergy for exactly this scenario, and it continues to be one of the most popular device cohesion applications.
Synergy comes with an auto-configuration tool, a network wizard, and an option for Browsing the Internet can be scary when personal information is involved. However, Synergy isn’t free. It comes in two flavors; a basic version for $10, and a pro-version for $29. Both are lifetime licenses, though only Pro-users have access to SSL Encryption.
Synergy kindly provided us with 15 free codes, which we will be giving away to our readers. You can get one on.
InputDirector offers almost exactly the same functionality as Synergy, but without the frills of a nicely designed UI. However, it shouldn’t put you off, and it only takes a moment to configure your Master/Slave settings to get up and running. If you do have troubles, there is an extensive User Guide. A free version is available for Personal Non-Commercial Use, and we are advised to the author for license pricing information.
ShareMouse is one of the simplest of all to set up, working straight out of the box for me. ShareMouse is full featured, Better known as Copy & Paste, a tool for students to lift passages from Wikipedia, the Clipboard can save you loads of typing time.
We'll show you how to use it like a pro., drag-and-drop file sharing, and an interactive monitor manager. I also like the slight screen-fade on your unused screen, so you know exactly which monitor you’re using. ShareMouse is free for Personal Non-Commercial Use, but you are limited to a maximum of two monitors. Or, you can register for professional use, granting you up-to 19 networked monitors/systems, encryption, and a handful of other tools. Mouse without Borders is a workspace unification application When you think of Microsoft, what's the first thing that comes to mind? It might take you a little longer to think of something positive.
We're here to help with that., an internal development “team” used by Microsoft employees. Any employee can approach The Garage with an idea, and they’ll have the power of over 2,300 eager Microsoft minds behind it.
![New mac laptop New mac laptop](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125377274/929460793.jpg)
Mouse without Borders “makes you the captain of your computer fleet,” so long as your fleet doesn’t comprise more than four systems. In typical Microsoft fashion, Mouse without Borders uses a system of codes to connect your systems, also displaying the network adapter you’re connecting through.
It also comes complete with drag-and-drop file sharing, and a useful Clipboard feature. I gave the free Multiplicity trial a look over, and it is a delightful application offering the full-spectrum of keyboard and mouse sharing tools. However, once the free trial runs out you’ll be asked to upgrade to a basic license which only offers you control of 2 PCs for a one-off $19.99, or if you require more, licenses scale up to 50 PCs for $329.99. If you do need professional support for your multi-PC network, the latter seems to be reasonable value for a professional application (though I haven’t scoured the market for other deals, so don’t take that as gospel, please).
If you’re just linking your laptop and desktop, I would advise one of our other options. External Monitor Roundup I’m a big Synergy fan, but you will not be disappointed with any of the other applications on this list. Each of the keyboard and mouse sharing applications come with There are many things to consider when you want to use two more more monitors. Configure your dual monitor setup with these tips., and each of them complete their main task to a high standard. With that in mind, I will leave the final decision to you, dear reader. And for more ways to use your laptop, check out If you want all the fixings of a PC with the convenience of a laptop, these laptop docking stations are great. What is your multi-monitor application of choice?
Have we missed your favorite from the list? Let us know what you think below!
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Reader David Camp would like to use an iMac’s display as a second monitor. He writes: My wife’s running an old iMac G5, and we’d like to move her to a MacBook Air. She sees my setup with a laptop and second monitor and wants to know if her iMac can be used as a second monitor. I apply the extra consonants to indicate that while it’s possible to project the image of one Mac’s screen on another Mac, it doesn’t work in a way you probably expect. What you likely want to hear is that there’s a way to string a video cable between the MacBook Air and the iMac and have the iMac behave just like an external monitor. Regrettably, there isn’t (at least not one that doesn’t require a soldering iron and far more skill than I possess). Rather, you use VNC (Virtual Network Computing) over a network to place the image of one Mac’s screen on another screen.
Specifically, try Patrick Stein’s $30 ( ). It works this way: Make sure that both Macs are on the same network. Install ScreenRecycler on the MacBook Air (the Mac you want to project to the other Mac). You’ll be told that you need to install a driver—go right ahead and do that and restart your Mac when prompted. Launch ScreenRecycler on the MacBook Air after the restart. On the iMac (the Mac you’ll use as the display) launch a VNC client (a trial copy of Stein’s $40 is included). ScreenRecyler will tell you the address to use for your connection if it and the VNC client don’t automatically connect over Bonjour.
If needed, enter that address information into the VNC client and, in short order, you should see an image from the MacBook Air appear on the iMac’s screen. Open the MacBook Air’s Displays system preference. You should see two monitors represented—the MacBook’s display and the ScreenRecycler display (which appears within the VNC client window on the iMac). You can now arrange the position of these displays by dragging the second one into the proper position (to the right of the main display if the iMac sits to the right of the MacBook Air, for example). It’s likely that you’ll also have to adjust the resolution of the ScreenRecycler display. You do this within the Scr.Recycle1 window that appears on the MacBook Air’s screen.
Arrange your monitors in the Displays system preference Now to the important point: How’s the performance? Tolerable, depending. And by that I mean that there is very definitely a lag between one computer and another.
The severity of that lag depends on the speed of your network. That lag will produce artifacts on the iMac’s display when you move objects on that screen. For this reason, I’d maintain the MacBook Air’s screen for objects that move a lot—windows that display movies or you use for photo editing. The iMac can work as a place to throw program palettes or documents you want to read rather than extensively work with. I’m an advocate of the multi-monitor setup—I use two 23-inch monitors with my Mac Pro.
Having become accustomed to such a responsive setup I’d find ScreenRecycler’s lag distracting. But you may not.
Give the demo a try and see what you think. If it doesn’t appeal to you, browse where we recommend monitors for every budget.