Multiple monitors

ddunne82

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Hi,

I was wondering how i can use esignal over two monitors connected to the same pc? Do i need two graphics cards or can you get one with multiple outputs on? If so, where would you recommend buying one. If it is possible, how do i set up the monitors so that i can stretch it across?

I use XP with fairly top spec inc 512ram so.

Any help wold be much appreciated.

Kind regards,

David Dunne
 
Any decent modern graphics card can do what you want. Usually you will have one VGA port and one DVI (digital) port. You can attach a monitor to each using a DVI to VGA adaptor if necessary. All the software you need is built into XP under control panels->display->settings->advanced. Once you've got this going you'll wonder how you ever survived with only one monitor.
 
Thanks for your reply. Where do i get a dvi to vga adaptor? Is it a standard cable or are there different variations depending on the monitor?

Sorry if this sounds dumb but i have no idea about computers!

Thanks

David
 
The adapter you seek is a standard DVI / VGA adapter and looks like this. Your graphics card will need to support dual monitors and may look like thiis one.
 

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Thanks for your help.

How do i know if my graphics card supports multiple monitors - it has the same layout as the one on the graphic you uploaded so i assume it does? Will the display quality on the monitor connected to the vga output socket be of lesser quality than the other monitor? Or does the adaptor solve this?

Also, where can i buy one of these adaptors from?

Thanks

David
 
ddunne82 said:
Thanks for your help.

How do i know if my graphics card supports multiple monitors - it has the same layout as the one on the graphic you uploaded so i assume it does? Will the display quality on the monitor connected to the vga output socket be of lesser quality than the other monitor? Or does the adaptor solve this?

Also, where can i buy one of these adaptors from?

Thanks

David

P C World has all these components and better still, they have repair and tech dept who can talk through your requirements.

I only mention the above company because you will have one locally.
 
Advice please

I have a laptop and another monitor. No problem there...
I would like to get yet another monitor.
(and why not!)

I have spoken to 2 comp shops. One says all i need is a VGA splitter... :)

The other says that because i have a laptop i couldn't do this with a splitter because i would get the same chart on each screen ,therefore I need another 'card' inside the laptop and he said that they were hard to find. :rolleyes:
 
The price of graphics cards is high at pc world, look on the net for better spec and price
 
Graphics card

Hi,

Just found out that my graphics card doesnt have DVI - teaches me to be such a tight ****! Anyway, now i need to get another graphics card for my second monitor - does it need to be of the same make as the first one or can i just use anyone?

Thanks

David Dunne
 
Also, if you are using 2 monitors, you have to make sure they are running at the same refresh rate. The way to assure this is simply to have 2 identicle monitors running on your machine. :D
 
cs99rrf said:
Also, if you are using 2 monitors, you have to make sure they are running at the same refresh rate. The way to assure this is simply to have 2 identicle monitors running on your machine. :D

I also forgot to mention. For the cheapest components you want to have a look at

www.ebuyer.co.uk

I also noticed your spec for you machine. I would recommend upgrading your RAM to 1 GB for smooth processing, along with your graphics card. :D
 
Hello,
I am having problems is setting dual monitors in my PC. I have a DEL GX260 with an AGP port and VGA connector. The graphics controller is an Intel 82845G 64Mb. I connected the two monitors, one to the AGP and the other to the VGA connector. In the graphics controller there is an option for dual display clone. I chose this option and I have the same screen on both monitors.
When I go to the display properties, there seems to exist just one monitor recognized by the system. What am I doing wrong ?
Thanks...
 
pauloau said:
Hello,
I am having problems is setting dual monitors in my PC. I have a DEL GX260 with an AGP port and VGA connector. The graphics controller is an Intel 82845G 64Mb. I connected the two monitors, one to the AGP and the other to the VGA connector. In the graphics controller there is an option for dual display clone. I chose this option and I have the same screen on both monitors.
When I go to the display properties, there seems to exist just one monitor recognized by the system. What am I doing wrong ?
Thanks...

Hi pauloau,

Not sure what operating system you are running, if you are using Windows XP try the following,

1. Right click on your desktop
2. Select properties
3. Select the settings tab (you should now see 2 boxes in the top pane which represent each monitor)
4. Select a monitor and then select 'Use this device as the primary monitor.' in the lower pane
5. Select the second monitor and then select 'Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor.' in the lower pane.

Hope this helps.

Regards

TMM
 
TheMoneyMachine said:
Hi pauloau,

Not sure what operating system you are running, if you are using Windows XP try the following,

1. Right click on your desktop
2. Select properties
3. Select the settings tab (you should now see 2 boxes in the top pane which represent each monitor)
4. Select a monitor and then select 'Use this device as the primary monitor.' in the lower pane
5. Select the second monitor and then select 'Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor.' in the lower pane.

Hope this helps.

Regards

TMM

Thanks TMM, but the problem is that in the display properties I only see one monitor, not two.
In the settings tab, below the figure of this only monitor appears:
"Display: (Multiple Monitors) on Intel 82845G Graphisc Controller"
I am using Windows 2000.
I have the same screen in both monitors.
Thanks again.Best regards.
 
pauloau,

According to to the Intel specs that I've seen, multiple monitors aren't supported by the 82845G integrated graphics controller when used together with an AGP card. This is because the AGP card disables the on-board graphics. In order to get true multiple monitor support (rather than cloning), it looks like you can only use a PCI card in combination with the on-board graphics.

Intel may have released a BIOS upgrade to remedy this problem with AGP cards but I haven't seen one.

It's all covered here:

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intel845g/sb/cs-009081.htm?iid=graphics+845main&
 
Last edited:
sandpiper said:
pauloau,

According to to the Intel specs that I've seen, multiple monitors aren't supported by the 82845G integrated graphics controller when used together with an AGP card. This is because the AGP card disables the on-board graphics. In order to get true multiple monitor support (rather than cloning), it looks like you can only use a PCI card in combination with the on-board graphics.

Intel may have released a BIOS upgrade to remedy this problem with AGP cards but I haven't seen one.

It's all covered here:

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/intel845g/sb/cs-009081.htm?iid=graphics+845main&

Thanks sandpiper,
I have already read this Intel page but as both monitors were working at the same time I thought that the onboard card had not been disabled by the AGP card as suggested by the site.
But if you are telling that this is just a clone (as the name sais by itself), then maybe you are right.
Thank you.
Regards.
 
In fact, I described my situation not exactly the way it is.
I have said before that the monitors are connected one to a AGP port and the other to a VGA port.
Actually the first monitor (a digital display) is connected to a DVI adapter which occupies the same slot as would occupy an AGP card (the confusion stems from this fact). The second monitor (also a digital display) is connected to the VGA port. This monitor has two inputs and I am using its VGA input.
Summarizing: one digital display with its DVI input connected to the DVI port of the computer and the other monitor with its VGA input connected to the VGA port of the computer.
There is no AGP port.
Do you think if I use a VGA to DVI adapter to connect the second digital display will solve the problem?

Thanks again.
 
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