iMac displayport input?

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Level 1

32 points

iMac displayport input?

Will the Display Port on the new iMac's support an input signal? I thought I remembered people touting a few years ago how you could use the iMac as a stand alone monitor.

The reason I'm asking is, I'm considering buying an iMac as a second desktop computer but... I need to be able to continue to use my Desktop PC and was hoping to use the iMac as a monitor. I have a graphics card with a Display Port output, and I could have sworn iMac's supported an input Display Port signal but when I look at the iMac page it just says DisplayPort output.

Posted on Jun 13, 2011 6:24 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Jun 13, 2011 6:38 AM in response to mightymilk

Only the 27" model has input supported on the DisplayPort/Thunderbolt second port.
That said, Screenrecycler offers seamless second display integration of Mac with a second Intel Mac from http://www.screenrecycler.com/ (G5s won't work). You can also use Screen Sharing or VNC options to bring a second networked Mac into the existing Mac as a window. Screen Sharing is built-in to the Sharing System preferences of 10.6, and built-in to iChat on 10.5 and 10.6 if you setup a Rendezvous window connection between two Macs on the same network. A Firewire over IP network is very fast for this kind of connection, while ethernet and airport are much slower.

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Answer 2

mightymilk Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 13, 2011 6:51 AM in response to mightymilk

Thanks for the quick response. I'm planning on going for the 27" since my current display is a 24" and I don't want to downsize. I don't believe Screenrecycler or Screen Sharing would work for me anyway, since I'm trying to use the iMac Display with a PC... not a Mac. But thanks for the info.

Take care!

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Answer 3

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Jun 13, 2011 6:52 AM in response to mightymilk

There is also Microsoft Remote Desktop client for the Mac, which lets you setup a PC with Remote Desktop software to view in on your PC's window. It is only a client software, and it is free from http://www.microsoft.com/mac/

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Answer 4

mightymilk Author

Level 1

32 points

Jun 13, 2011 7:23 AM in response to a brody

Does the Display Port input work with PCs that have a Display Port output?

I read something about the Display Port input only working with other Macs... so I'm not sure what to believe.

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Answer 5

a brody

Level 10

85,314 points

Jun 13, 2011 7:30 AM in response to mightymilk

I've never tried it, so I can't say. One thing I know that is weird about DisplayPort, it has built-in DRM blocking which causes certain DRM videos to not come in. Remote Desktop does not function over DisplayPort, but rather over your networking. However, since Thunderbolt is also a data port, that may change matters.

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