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How to connect a secondary monitor to your Mac or MacBook

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Not always required connect your Mac or MacBook to the TV to enjoy the second screen. You may just need to monitor two to have more space to work with and do it successfully.

In this article, we will assist you in finding the adapter you need so that you can connect your computer to one or more monitors and guide you through the process. We will also provide you with solutions to problems you may encounter.

Before proceeding, you should know that, with the arrival of the macOS Sierra version in September 2016, some of the adapters built by Apple stopped working on certain screenshots, so make sure you buy well.

How to connect a secondary monitor to your Mac or MacBook

Below, you can find the steps you need to follow to connect a second monitor to your Mac or MacBook. We will also explain how you can see which computer has your technology and what you will need to use it.

1. Connect the second monitor to your Mac or MacBook using the appropriate ports, adapter and cable.

2. Open & # 39;System Preferences& # 39; From your computer and select the & # 39;Screens& # 39 ;.

3. Now, click the & # 39; tabAlignment& # 39 ;.

4. If you want to be able to enjoy both screens, check out the Casilla boxDouble screens& # 39; Not checked.

In the same window, you'll see that one of the two screens has a white line at the top. This shows that it is the biggest guard. You can move it to the screen you want to work as the main.

5. On the other hand, if what you are looking for is showing what you see on your Mac screen in another, you should have marked & # 39;Double screens& # 39 ;. You can also have the & # 39; checkbox checkedShow duplicate options available in the menu bar& # 39 ;.

In this case, you will see that all the screens appear one above the other and that the white menu line appears in both.

What boat does your Mac or MacBook have?

Before deciding on the adapter you will need to connect the second track, it is also important to know what your Mac has. That will depend strongly on the model, because Apple introduced and discontinued some years ago.

You will also need a cable to connect the computer to an external display. It doesn't have to come from Apple, but you have to make sure it has the right connections and the connectors are either male or female.

Mini Display. At the end of 2008, Microsoft DisplayPort was introduced, compatible with monitors via VGA, DVI or HDMI connectors.

Thunderbolt. Don't confuse the previous hole with the Thunderbolt. Although it looks similar, you can easily point it out when you buy your device after 2011 and it has a Thunderbolt logo next to it.

Both ports are compatible, which means that with the Thunderbolt port you can use the Mini DisplayPort adapter or the other one designed specifically as Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter or that of Thunderbolt to FireWire.

Conversely, a Mac with a Thunderbolt port can connect to a 4K Ultra HD television using an HDMI connector. You can use it on both computers with Thunderbolt 1 or Thunderbolt 2 ports.

Thunderbolt 3 or USB Type-C. In late 2016, Apple began equipping its machines with a new port: Thunderbolt 3, which connects other monitors with your computer at speeds of up to 40 Gbps. It looks similar to USB Type-C.

Unfortunately, not all Macs with Thunderbolt 3 or USB Type-C work with all adapters. You should get the following:

Which of your outer lines do you have?

VGA. The VGA connector is one of 15 pins that are programmed into the DE-15 connector that connects the analog signal, even though the lower screens convert it to digital. Of course, in this case the video will be HD but the audio will remain analog.

DVI. The DVI ports provide a higher quality signal than the VGA because they are digital, which translates into significant differences in HD video quality. There are different types that are distinguished mainly by the number of pins.

HDMI. The main difference between the DVI and HDMI ports is that the last one corresponds to eight audio channels, while the DVIs only interact with video. The most common is to find an HDMI port on the back of the TV.

Thunderbolt. If you have an Apple Cinema Display that works with Thunderbolt – launched in 2016 – that means your monitor is working with this type of port and you must find the appropriate adapter.

Mini Display. If you have an Apple Cinema Display you purchased between 1999 and 2011, the monitor will install a Mini DisplayPort port.

What do you need?

You can buy any adapter from other manufacturers than Apple. This, after all, will be cheap. However, it seems that those apples are still very reliable as they are the ones that provide 100% guaranteed consistency.

Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 adapter. This is adapter It costs € 55 from the Apple website and will help you connect your Mac to monitor via Thunderbolt connection.

USB-C to multi-digital adapter. Among other works, this adapter it will allow you to connect your Mac and Thunderbolt 3 to a port with an HDMI port, but you will need to purchase a separate HDMI on the HDMI cable, such as this one. Belkin.

USB-C to VGA multi-adapter. For € 79 you can have this adapter connect monitoring with a VGA port or projector. Of course, you won't be able to enjoy HDCP content and specific HD movies from iTunes.

Mini DisplayPort on the VGA adapter. Adapter for Mini DisplayPort to VGA It can be used to connect a Mac and Mini DisplayPort or a Thunderbolt port rather than an external projector or monitor that uses VGA connections.

Mini DisplayPort on DVI adapter. This too adapter, you can connect your Mac with the Mini DisplayPort or the Thunderbolt port to monitor with the DVI port, which will be compatible with HDCP content.

Mini DisplayPort converter for DVI channel adapter. You should use this adapter If your guardian has more than 1920 x 1200 resolution. To use it you will need a free USB port. Currently not available on Apple, but on Amazon.

Mini DisplayPort on HDMI adapter. At the moment, Apple doesn't make this type of adapter, so you should only use one other brand like this AmazonBasics. Remember they are not always consistent.

Solutions to technical problems that may occur when connecting the external mirror

There are several problems that may arise when connecting an external display to your Mac or MacBook. Next, we explain how to solve four of the general ones.

Problem 1. The external monitor does not work with the Mini DisplayPort adapter

The first thing to do is look at the adapter you are trying to use for Apple. Otherwise, this could be a direct problem, since starting with macOS Sierra, the only company that still agrees.

Now, if you have the original adapter, follow the steps below.

1. Disconnect the adapter, wait a few seconds and then connect it again to see if the problem persists.

2. Disconnect the adapter again and turn off the track.

3. If it doesn't work, reconnect the cable and turn off the monitor again.

4. When you open the track and see that it doesn't work, click the apple icon in the top bar of your screen and select the & # 39; Watches & # 39; Wait a few minutes and then move the mouse or type the keyboard to unlock the Mac.

5. As this does not work, perform a factory reset by returning to the apple logo and selecting the option & # 39; Restart & # 39; in the drop down menu.

6. Though it may seem stupid, try changing the light and contrast of the mirror. It may be the case and not the fault with the adapter.

7. You can also go to & # 39; System Options & # 39 ;, followed by & # 39; Screens & # 39;. Maybe you just need to change the solution.

8. In the event that this does not solve the problem, we recommend resetting the Mac in safe mode and resetting the factory settings for the screen adjustment.

9. Finally, if nothing else works, it may be time to reset NVRAM or SMC, as explained in this article. tutorial for fixing Mac unlock.

Problem 2. Mac does not receive external monitoring

When you connect your Mac to an external monitor, it should be available automatically. If this is not the case, and you are using an adapter made by Apple, we recommend you try the following.

1. Connect the view to your computer, open & # 39; System Preferences & # 39; then select & # 39; Screens & # 39 ;.

2. After that, press the & # 39; Alt & # 39; or # 39; Option & # 39; to bring up the & # 39; Find scanners & # 39;

3. Finally, click on & # 39; Find screens & # 39; and wait for Mac to successfully monitor.

Problem 3. The DVI adapter is not compatible with the monitoring port

There are several reasons why your Mini DisplayPort on the DVI adapter may not work and may not be compatible with your monitor. The DVI port on your screen and Mac may not be the same type or have two or two female connectors.

Problem 4. The screen does not have a Thunderbolt port

The Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) adapter to Thunderbolt 2 can be used to communicate with the 2016 or later MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 3 ports to monitor and Thunderbolt ports. But what can you do if your screen doesn't have this type of port?

For this you will need USB Type-C to DVI cable or adapter, but for now Apple does not. You might find one at Amazon, but there is no guarantee that it will work.

Similarly, Apple doesn't make USB Type-C to Mini DisplayPort adapters, so you can't connect your MacBook from 2016 onwards to the Apple Cinema Display backup that uses this type of port. It just doesn't fit.

How to connect a third-party monitor to your Mac or MacBook

In a sense, you can't connect the track to a USB port, but some companies have made it happen. This is the status of the DualHead2Go and TripleHead2Go module to enhance the graphics Matrox connecting two or three monitors.

To do this, the DVI / HDMI video quality of the Mac or PC is increased by the specific information transmitted by USB 2.0 or 3.0. You can check this out Matrox List to know if your computer or laptop is compatible.

Alternatively, you can benefit from the breadth of BVU Digital MultiMedia, which allows you to use only the external interface with a USB 2.0 port. Therefore, you can connect to a standard port with some of the available USB ports.

You can search Amazon or eBay for more affordable alternatives from anonymous products, but you should always make sure they are compatible with Apple products. Your search name should be something like & # 39; USB in HDMI DVI & # 39 ;.

On the other hand, you can also turn your iPad or iPhone into an external display using similar apps An air display either A duet display. That means you can use up to three or four screens at the same time on the same computer.

On the other hand, at igamesnews.com we also explain how to connect your Mac or your MacBook to the TV.



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