[dba-Tech] iMac as Monitor

[Rocky Smolin]

I agree with you about the price of monitors.  They're cheap now. But I have a good second monitor.  I also have this iMac in the closet - older one - which I could get some use out of if I set it up.  But there's no room on my desk for a third monitor.  So I thought if I could use it as a second monitor and also as a MAC, that would be great.  So that's the quest.  Can I make that work without breaking my brain?

r

-----Original Message-----
From: dba-Tech [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of John Bartow via dba-Tech
Sent: Friday, October 04, 2019 11:49 AM
To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Cc: John Bartow
Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] iMac as Monitor

Believe it or not, I've seen similar questions on some of my Mac forums. Basically, the answer is even if you succeed, its not worth the hassle. Really nice monitors that are plug and play Windows have dropped in price, a considerable amount! The monitors with HDMI connectors do video and sound or the latest have USB C connectors which do even more. USB C (the oval USB connector) is the future (for the time being 😉 They can connect everything and power everything at the same time. The only thing that will be better is wireless everything.

Apple is not great at supporting older hardware so depending on the specs it may be a recyclable item or it may be able to be upgraded (for free) to the latest version of MacOS (which we're back to referring to it as) which I believe is macOS 10.14 or Mojave (they're really into geographical areas now that SJ is gone (he was all about naming it after big cats). If the specs are good enough, then do it. Search the internets and you'll find plenty of advice on how to do so.

Once that is done, spend a few hours with it and I'm sure you'll find easy enough to use. Use it for web and email - yes, Microsoft office runs fine on Macs (just not Access). Eventually you could install a Virtual Machine of Windows and do all of your work on the Mac.

Or use the rest to wipe the data off and toss it. 

John Bartow
WinHaven Consulting

-----Original Message-----
From: dba-Tech <dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com> On Behalf Of Rocky Smolin
Sent: Thursday, October 03, 2019 3:18 PM
To: List <dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com>; 'Off Topic' <dba-ot at databaseadvisors.com>
Subject: [dba-Tech] iMac as Monitor

Can an iMac serve as a second monitor on a Windows system? 

 

I have this lovely Mac in the closet (don't ask) and would like to use it for something.  Desk space prohibits another comp but if I could replace my second monitor with the Mac then I could use the Mac for music, photoshopping, etc. while still having my second monitor for my Windows box.

 

MTIA

 

Rocky

 

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