Using my iMac as a monitor for pc (With HDMI)

Hi kmd80

i use logmein to access my old PC through my nice new imac. Works great. no extra cable or hardware costs and no extra keyboards, mice and dispalys on desktop. All Free !

Hi ianhards 🙂

could you elaborate ? 🙂 I mean , is logmein a program ? where can I find it ?... thank you 🙂

It is a free remote access service that is available on the web. Just google logmein and sign up. You can also log into your pc from any Internet enables device ... Phone, tablet etc.

That may be the sort of thing I'll have to look at, but if I did decide to use the PC to do more of my actual day-to-day work, as opposed to just setting it to perform some tasks that I don't really have to be monitoring live, I'm not sure that'll work. I'll check it out, either way.

I agree , I don't think this is what I was lloking for 🙂

Orion7_11 wrote:

There are lots of videos on youtube showing people using the mini display to hdmi converters for hooking up their imac for dual monitors, xbox, pc's, etc.

this company sells them and has an instructional video worth watching:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042802 &p_id=5311&seq=1&format=2

But scroll down on that page and MonoPrice says:

"This device is not Bidirectional. It can only connect a Mini-DisplayPort source to an HDMI® display. It will not work in reverse."

I want to display my PC's VGA, HDMI, or DVI as the source to my iMac's Mini-DisplayPort, not the other way around.

Can you recommend another cable that will do this?

Thank you.

- nello

I really like maxivista. Although not free, it will allow you to use the mac as a real second monitor. It streams output over ethernet/wifi. Works great as long as you don't do HD-video to the second screen.

In windows you get a taskbar icon that you can enable, with a toolbox, where you can even say where the mac is located relative to the pc so the mouse moves over fluently.

Enjoy!

Hola buenas tardes queria saber si es posible conectar una pantalla de 27" thumderbolt display a una torre HP FHOENIX mediante algun tipo de cable o adaptador

gracias

I used a Kanex XD HDMI to Mini DisplayPort Converter for 27 inch iMac http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LGOWNQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&p sc=1and a Cable Matters SuperSpeed USB 3.0/2.0 to HDMI Adapter for Windows and Mac up to 2048x1152/1920x1200boom and it worked! I'm able to use my iMac as an secondary display for my work laptop using TDM on the Mac. Both items, the converter and the adapter, I purchased on Amazon.

Essentionally the Kanex is a Mini DisplayPort Converter to HDMI. For the laptop I bought the HDMI to USB adapter. I plug it into a USB port on the PC and on the iMac keyboard I do Command-F2 and boom.

Now the Kanex converter I bought only works with the 27 inch 2009 iMac. Not sure if there are converters for other versions of the iMac.

It doesn't seem to work with my 2012 imac and a windows 7 laptop 😟

I am trying to do the same: use my mac as a display for my pc. For those who have some money to spare I found a few payed options: Maxivista and Avatron ($20).

Did anyone else try using logmein for this purpose? If so, please share if it worked for you and if no, why not?

HI I have used the Remote Desktop app available for free on the App Store ever since I got my iMac to be able to work on my old PC on the iMac screen. It works an absolute dream and gives you the ability to flick between the two with just a swipe on the mouse. I also run a free ddns server on the PC so that I can access it from anywhere. Check it out, I think that will be your answer without spending a penny!

I am having this exact problem. It's frustrating that Apple doesn't seem to want anyone using an iMac with a non-mac computer. I was told at an apple store that it is possible to use 2011 iMacs as a monitor, that there was an adapter but they were out of stock. He said it was a belkin brand but I can't now recall what it was. I suppose if Macs only work with other Macs the way an adapter would have to work is to imitate the signal from another apple using thunderbolt, probably too sophisticated to be feasible.

Starsandtripe, how is the latency with Remote Desktop? I would've thought it would be unusable for almost all applications that require realtime response. Do you notice much lag? And how is the quality?

Additionally, are you aware whether or not it's possible to use the Remote Desktop for mac as a second monitor rather than a single monitor or perhaps a mirror of the desktop?

In other words, is it possible to have a normal, PC compatible monitor as display #1 and a mac working as display #2? This is key, as I need to be looking at many windows at once.

Hello,

Were you ever able to make this work?

M

Here's a few options, but you have to make sure what port on your PC you are dealing with. There are roughly three types of ports:

HDMI

Display Port

Mini Display Port

For the mac monitor, you are trying to get to mini display port, so if the laptop/PC had it, you wouldn't be here 🙂

If your PC has HDMI, you'll have to convert HDMI to Display Port to Mini Display Port.

If your PC has Display Port, you'll only have to convert Display Port to Mini Display Port.

The connectors are about $5 each:

HDMI to Display Port

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-HDMI-DisplayPort-Converter-Adapter/dp/B0144NS 4Z6/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1449952130&sr=1-3-spons&keywords=hdmi+t o+displayport&psc=1

Display Port to Mini Display Port

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003N3DTKY/ref=ox_huc_add_on_msg_title_1?m=ATVP DKIKX0DER