iMac as mini monitor

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014


Hi. I'll try to be short (and hope to be clear). I have an iMac 24" 2008 (core 2 duo 2.8 - 4gb) that I use mostly for photo editing. I'm thinking of getting high performance getting a mini. My questions:


 


1. is it possible to use my iMac as a monitor of mini - does the mini dvi on iMac allow input so it can be used to make the iMac a mini monitor ( i red something like that elsewhere clicking an F2 combination key but can remember where)? If so I can use all the mini power and get al peripheral on the iMac ate the same time as the iMac would be a monitor and a iMac at the same time.


 


2. otherwise is it wise using mini for processing hard applications by a wifi net (installing the app on mini and start then in the iMac by wifi connection)?


 


3.is there any other a way to improve iMac power adding an mini? 


 


Thanks for reading.


Regards.


 


Ps.: I'm in Brazil so things get much more expensive here (about twice us prices) and there is a very weak second handed market...

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by Esteban2811 View Post

    …iMac 24" 2008… 


     


    1. is it possible to use my iMac as a monitor…



     


    Nope. You need at least a Late 2009 27" to do Target Display.


     


    There are third-party solutions that can read in video input via USB, however. Or you can screen share with the Mac Mini heedlessly over Wi-Fi or Ethernet, but that's probably a substandard solution.





    3.is there any other a way to improve iMac power adding an mini? 





    Nope.

  • Reply 2 of 3


    Bad news. Wifi or ethernet would kill mini graphics at least...


     


    Thanks for replying so soon.

  • Reply 3 of 3
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    Bad news. Wifi or ethernet would kill mini graphics at least...

    Surely you'd get enough money from selling the iMac to be able to buy a brand new display that has a warranty.

    Check what the going price is for your model:

    http://lista.mercadolivre.com.br/imac
    http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-2.8-24-inch-aluminum-early-2008-penryn-specs.html

    and see if you'd be able to get a new display:

    http://accessories.la.dell.com/sna/sna.aspx?c=br&cs=brdhs1&l=pt&s=dhs&~topic=monitores_21a23

    Check the display is IPS so it's suitable for photography. They come with 3 year warranties. Getting one with HDMI is quite a good idea too as that gives you more options for things to connect to it.
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