dual monitor help

Brett

Brett

Well-known member
Ive been using a second monitor with my laptop for dual screens. however I just
got a new desktop today... never used dual monitors with a desktop.. however of course theres only one vga slot.. am I going to have to buy a second graphics card?... or is there some type of an adapter I can buy?
 
So are you going HDMI into the monitor or VGA? Do you mean that your graphic card only has a single VGA slot period (must be REALLY old then) or is it an extra VGA slot? If it's an extra slot then you just need to get a VGA to HDMI adapter. If your graphic card only has one slot then you need to buy a second card or get a card with dual HDMI slots.
 
no its a brand new pc. its a NVIDIA GEFORCE 9100 graphics card and im just going VGA its got a 24 prong slot as well. I really just dont know what I need. A buddy of mine just told me to get a vga cord splitter.
 
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Your buddy doesn't know what he's talking about, since that wouldn't do you any good. You need an adapter from either HDMI or DVI to VGA, depending on what the '20 prong slot' is, assuming it's one of those. And assuming your monitor needs VGA.
 
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It sounds like onboard graphics.

Buy a £30 dual head dvi card of novatech and be done with it XD
 
Is it possible that you could provide us with a pic of the back of your computer? Without some details the only answers you can get are pretty generic ones.
 
Dual-"head" video cards are pretty inexpensive. Most straightforward method may be to just replace the existing video card with one that has two outputs.
 
Nick Walters said:
Is it possible that you could provide us with a pic of the back of your computer? Without some details the only answers you can get are pretty generic ones.
Click to expand...
4214797538_1c9752ccf0.jpg

4214807516_7af5c77e24.jpg
 
Well, that's a pretty standard setup. Just use the existing DVI connector for one monitor and buy a VGA->DVI adapter for the other monitor.
 
Also there is a slight chance that both of those connectors contain the same video signal. Since you say you are already familiar with a past 2 monitor setup, please follow the same procedure you would in that setup, and ensure that your display properties show that a second monitor can be enabled:
dual_monitors_properties.png


It should look something similar to the above, although since you don't have the second monitor hooked up or enabled, the 2nd one would be grayed out in your window.

{also I realize this is the first post on the second page...there is a post BEFORE this one...the last one on the first page you need to read first}
 
Nick Walters said:
video.JPG

Now you need two monitors. If you already have two, will you take a picture of the connectors they use?
Click to expand...
4215252712_1748812fb8.jpg

this is the unconnected monitor even though it has a vga plug in it
but like the person above was saying I guess I can use the same
cable with that end on it.. i honestly really didnt even know what
type of port that was.. Ive always just used the standard vga.
but this is coming from a guy whos had the same laptop since 2004..
it finally died on me so Im trying a desktop this time. just didnt know
I would have this much trouble just trying to hook up 2 monitors for editing..
 
Nick Walters said:
Also there is a slight chance that both of those connectors contain the same video signal. Since you say you are already familiar with a past 2 monitor setup, please follow the same procedure you would in that setup, and ensure that your display properties show that a second monitor can be enabled:
dual_monitors_properties.png


It should look something similar to the above, although since you don't have the second monitor hooked up or enabled, the 2nd one would be grayed out in your window.

{also I realize this is the first post on the second page...there is a post BEFORE this one...the last one on the first page you need to read first}
Click to expand...



then here lies a new problem... Ive got Windows 7 now aswell.. not too familar
with the new setup.. but I cant even find the display setting for locating or setting up dual monitors like I could in XP
 
Unless you have a very ancient monitor it should come standard with a DVI port as well as a VGA port. DVI is the newer digital connection. Doesn't really matter, you can also get a DVI to VGA adapter and just go the other way.
 
It's not actually alot of trouble, it's just when someone doesn't know something it can be a tad difficult to explain...certainly through a forum.

Now I actually havn't used Windows 7 yet, but I know in XP if you minimize all your windows, right click on the desktop, and left click properties...then the display properties will come up.
 
Nick Walters said:
For physically hooking up the second monitor you can use this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...7001&cm_re=vga_adapter-_-12-267-001-_-Product

That will allow you to keep using your VGA cable with the second video output which is called "DVI"...one of the good things about DVI is that in addition to doing it's digital thing, it carries an old school VGA signal, which one can use through the use of an adapter like in the above link.
Click to expand...

thanks Nick for all your help. youve helped out alot, think I may head up to Best Buy now to see if they have one.
 
no luck.... :( bought a vgi to avg cable.. it recognizes the monitor on the display settings and everything.. i see two monitors that I can adjust.. but one of the monitors is always black. ive switched both the avg cables and everything they both just alternate the inactivity.. I tried installing the newest drivers from NVIDIA and everything... this is just crazy.. Im pretty close to just installing windows XP all over again.
 
Brett said:
no luck.... :( bought a vgi to avg cable.. it recognizes the monitor on the display settings and everything.. i see two monitors that I can adjust.. but one of the monitors is always black. ive switched both the avg cables and everything they both just alternate the inactivity.. I tried installing the newest drivers from NVIDIA and everything... this is just crazy.. Im pretty close to just installing windows XP all over again.
Click to expand...

I think you mean DVI instead of Avg? And VGA, not Vgi? Otherwise you may have just gotten some adapter that I have no idea about...and that might be your problem.

If it is a spelling/memory problem(human) : If you are switching monitors to the port with the adapter, then you know it isn't a monitor problem. Have you right clicked the black monitor and then left clicked the option which should read "attached" or something similar.
 
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