Q: Dual monitors and fullscreen fiasco, is there a work around?

jonaboff91 wrote:

 

I always used to think Mac was the best, but now I'm not so sure.

Same boat. But Mac is still the best considering build quality. OS X is still the best considering the alternatives. Problem is the alternatives are getting better and Mac is getting slightly worse. At this rate its only a matter of time when the price difference is not going to make sense anymore.

Guys I don't care dual monitors should work correctly in Lion by now and they are determinded not to fix this.

If anyone reads this do not branch out to other threads because Apple will delete this one

IMHO the mac pro hasn't been refreshed because of Intel's delays.

HP and Dell's workstations of similar specs (multi core xeon, desktop workstation class machine) have also not been updated since around the time the last Mac Pro came out (late 2010).

HP just recently announced their next-gen Z series workstations to support the Intel romley platform with PCIe 3.0 and quad channel memory...I suspect either Apple will release a refresh of the Mac Pro of similar specs based on the same or similar chipsets (with PCIe 3.0 support and quad channel memory) with similar CPUs this summer; or discontinue it entirely...but I am leaning towards a refresh, because the delay is totally explainable due to Intel's delays.

All the previous intel chipsets and CPUs are not very "upgrade worthy" in terms of refreshing an entire platform; at least that's what HP and Dell and most tech sites have said.

jonaboff91 wrote:

 

samhaque wrote:

 

Jerry Dalton1 wrote:

 

It seems to be the case that someone high up at Apple has decided that the single display is their roadmap for the future.

Haha, don't go overboard there.

Actually, I would agree with Jerry. There's this "feature", along with the fact that Apple has all but discontinued its entire pro range to focus on the consumer market, with its small-screen notebooks and all-in-one iMac, and the only external displays it makes targeted as replacements for the built in screen of your notebook, anyone could make a pretty convincing argument that Apple thinks you should only have one screen.

I don't see any of this as proof of a plan to kill off external monitors altogether. Don't change this into something it isn't. This is, OS X implementation of full-screen doesn't work with more than one monitor. Not, OS X full-screen entirely doesn't work with external monitor. And not, OS X doesn't work with external monitors. It still works with external monitors. And full screen can still be done (if you choose the right apps). I don't see a diabolical plan to kill off our secondary monitors.

And considering what this issue actually is, it's not really a big deal. This didn't even exist in 10.6. So it's not like anything was taken away. So really, why all the screaming? You need your window bigger? How about drag the sides wider and taller (like you did in 10.6 with most apps)? What's the big issue? Or just use a better app... (VLC) How about complaining about a STABLE of OS X, that WAS destroyed: Exposé and Spaces?

NorrinRadd wrote:

 

And considering what this issue actually is, it's not really a big deal. This didn't even exist in 10.6. So it's not like anything was taken away. So really, why all the screaming? You need your window bigger? How about drag the sides wider and taller (like you did in 10.6 with most apps)? What's the big issue? Or just use a better app... (VLC) How about complaining about a STABLE of OS X, that WAS destroyed: Exposé and Spaces?

This thread has had thousands of views and a significant number of contributors. If this isn't a big deal for you then that is fine, but it clearly is a big deal to everyone else here. Functionality that existed in Snow Leopard apps is now broken in Lion.

The vast majority of times I have my external monitor hooked up and my MBP lid open, and want to use full screen, it's because I want to watch a DVD in full screen on my MBP screen while I work on my external. That used to work fine in SL but doesn't work at all in Lion, using Apple apps. So, in fact, it is completely broken behaviour for me.

The fact that Apple hasn't simply overlooked dual screen support in Lion full screen, but is now actively refusing to support it (given that this thread is a year old and the requested features haven't made it into Mountain Lion) is what makes us suggest that Apple just doesn't like the idea of multiple displays anymore.

A few people have argued that the addition of full screen in Lion hasn't taken anything away, but as repeated time and time again the fact is some apps did work in full screen, properly. And now they don't. So yes. Something has been taken away.

The reason there aren't discussions like this one about Exposé and Spaces is that all of the features of Exposé and Spaces are performed by Mission Control. I totally prefer the new behaviour to SL in this regard. I know some people don't, and I understand that with many open windows MC would be very cluttered. But on the whole it does work, and there is no loss of functionality. IMHO moving these very logically related features (switching windows, switching spaces, and rearranging windows around spaces) into a single interface is both logical and intuitive. In fact the only problem I have with MC is the way it handles (surprise surprise) additional displays!

samhaque wrote:

 

jonaboff91 wrote:

 

I always used to think Mac was the best, but now I'm not so sure.

Same boat. But Mac is still the best considering build quality. OS X is still the best considering the alternatives. Problem is the alternatives are getting better and Mac is getting slightly worse. At this rate its only a matter of time when the price difference is not going to make sense anymore.

After putting three keyboards, two hard disks and a battery into this MacBook during its AppleCare coverage, I have to categorically state that it has been the LEAST reliable bit of hardware I've owned since I started computing in the 1980s. As a latecomer to Apple (mid-2007), my opinion is that if the Mac ever really was the best hardware, it was already into decline by the time I signed up. Despite the trouble I may have had with it, though, the MacBook combined with Tiger and Snow Leopard has been a very good experience.

As for something being taken away, Jona, I think it can be summed up in one word: Freedom.

Pre-Lion, one had the freedom to use secondary displays in any manner one saw fit. Apple took away that freedom in Lion and it appears to remain the case in Mountain Lion. If we don't like it, Apple seems to be saying, "You're doing it wrong."

NiqueXyZ wrote:

 

I know this thread seems like it's going on and on into the abyss and I hate to add yet another post, but I have a suggestion and a question...so I don't really know anything about OS X development, but would it be possible for someone to "hack" finder \ whatever the GUI is so that mission control would be indepenent on each monitor? 

 

Assuming this is possible, how about pledging at minimum $5 for this to get fixed and have it all go into a giant paypal donation account for the person or team of persons who can make this into a reality?

 

 

I find it absolutely ridiculous that we would have to go to this length, but if $5 is what it takes to get my expensive monitor to actually work, I'm on board.

The menu bar on on screen has at least one $5 app solution (can I state ventor names on this site? ) that puts the Menu-bar pull-down menu right under the cursor, available with a quick key shortcut, wherever the cursor is at. I personally love that solution and I find it's even better than the windows approach of putting the app menu on the app window. Very handy.  I don't have to move the cursor at all to call the tool-bar application menu. This little application is available in the App Store under Productivity and "Menu". 

On the other hand I haven't seen any App Store or other after-market solutions to the full screen fiasco. After over a year and another new OS on the way, I doubt there will be any. Apple's Mountain Lion OS (maybe the next Apple OS should be called "Tabby") reportedly doesn't addresss this problem, so now what?

Jerry Dalton1 wrote:

 

(maybe the next Apple OS should be called "Tabby") reportedly doesn't addresss this problem, so now what?

Hahaha! +1. Good to see a little humor in this otherwise depressing thread.

Hey, I just checked out VLC preferences and you can choose in Video "full screen video device". this has stopped it from blacking out my Macbook Pro monitor.

Sorry, It's actually the option in video under "display". Untick "Black Screen in Fullscreen Mode"

Yes, we know, this has already been mentioned at least 5 times in this thread, lol.

Sorry about that. I honestly didn't bother reading all 25 pages. Also, I'm new here. haha, I'll try not to repost anymore.

Just to chime in on this thread - this is a big deal for professsionals using the platform. Please resolve for the next OS!!!

Hi, I got my Thunderbolt Monitor to display iTunes fullscreen video in osx 10.7.4 by (in iTunes)

1) choose View/Video Playback/in Seperate Window from the menu

2) drag video window to external monitor

3) click the fullscreen button FOR THAT VIDEO WINDOW (you get grey on main screen) - or
4) right click and choose Fit to screen, again, for that video window (you can use other window for something else...)

Sid