Can you hook up a Macbook pro to flat-screen PC monitor?

Question

I have an HP flat-screen monitor and was wondering if a Macbook pro notebook can hook up to it so I can see a larger screen.

Answer 1

Yes, it can.  The DVI port on the MacBook Pro can be used for both DVI and VGA monitors (a DVI to VGA adapter is included with every MacBook Pro).  Just plug it in, turn on the monitor, and the Mac will see the new display and send a signal to it.  From there you can set up the second screen in the Display preferences.  If the Mac does not immediately see the new display, you can click the "Detect Displays" button in the Display preferences panel and force the Mac to check the port again.  Make sure the input of the HP LCD is set to use the input the Mac is plugged into.  You will get the best results on the second screen if you set the resolution to the native resolution for that display.  Generally this is the highest resolution available on the display.

Answer 2

Yes, get a mini-dvi to vga adaptor (or it may be a different cable that you will need) and it will work correctly.