Use DVD Player in Fullscreen Mode on an External Monitor

By default, DVD player will exit fullscreen mode when it’s not the active application.  This is a problem if you want to watch a movie on an external monitor while working on a primary monitor.  To get around it, go to Preferences in DVD Player (DVD Player -> Preferences… or command + ,), switch to the “Full Screen” tab, and ensure that “Remain in full screen when DVD Player is inactive” is checked.  This should achieve the desired results.

Source: MacRumors.com Forums

Use Your MacBook Pro with an External Monitor Without Sleeping

So, in a similar vein as to what pushed me to write my Applescript to resize windows, I’ve been looking at what to do about going from using the LCD on the MacBook pro to an external monitor.  Now, everyone knows that in order to use an external display, you have to connect the display adapter while the notebook is closed, plug in an external keyboard (and your power supply), and press a button, and boom, you’ve got external display action at your monitor’s native resolution.  But what if you don’t want to wait the ten seconds or so it takes to go from awake to asleep?  Messing with it, I was happy to note that the following procedure seems to work:

  1. Plug in the external display, your keyboard/mouse, your power supply, etc—with your notebook open.  The external display will mirror your notebook’s LCD, at its resolution (if supported by the display.  If it isn’t, you’ll get the highest common denominator, I think).
  2. Close your notebook cover so the display turns off.
  3. Immediately open the notebook cover, then close it just as soon, then push a button on your keyboard.
  4. Presto! Your MacBook Pro should see the display and change the resolution how you want it.

I’ve only tested this on my machine, so let me know in the comments if it works/doesn’t work or if you have a better way.