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Connecting a HDTV to Macbook Air via a Thunderbolt Display

post #1 of 5
11/13/11 at 6:11am
Thread Starter 
Hi there,

I am curious if a setup as such will allow me to switch between a thunderbolt display and my HDTV:

Macbook Air > Thunderbolt Display > [ Some thunderbolt device, e.g. Lacie SSD ] > HDTV (via a Thunderbolt to HDMI adaptor)

These facts I already know:
1) That the thunderbolt controller in Macbook Air will only support 1 external display
2) That even for Macbook Pros where 2 displays are supported, a second non-thunderbolt display can only be connected at the end of the daisy chain behind another thunderbolt device for it to work

I know the MBA will only support one external display, question is, can I choose which I want to activate - the Thunderbolt display, or the HDTV - in the Mac OS display settings? I DO NOT need both active at the same time, will only use one at a time so am happy to switch between.

OR will such a setup not work outright - i.e. Mac OS will not see/list my HDTV.

Ideas anyone?- whether I get a Macbook Air or a Macbook Pro all hinges on the answer to this question.. thanks in advance!!
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post #2 of 5
11/16/11 at 5:34am
Thread Starter 
Help anyone?
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post #3 of 5
11/16/11 at 5:54am
It can't be done. Just plug and unplug.
PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
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PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
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post #4 of 5
11/17/11 at 6:05pm
Thread Starter 
May I ask if you are answering from experience?- have you tried it?

Problem with plugging/unplugging is that I intend to connect my ethernet connection and firewire HDDs etc to the Thunderbolt display, disconnecting it to connect my HDTV would mean losing all those connections.
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post #5 of 5
11/17/11 at 6:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sensires View Post

May I ask if you are answering from experience?- have you tried it?

You can't switch between two displays connected in series. You can't choose which will be on and which won't. I don't know of a single computer that can do that (though I don't know of any non-Apple computers that can even have displays connected in series ) without something like a reverse KVM box.
PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
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PhilBoogie
That's Google alright. For a stupid company they sure do dumb things.
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