TechTalk - 2 monitors on a Notebook?

[billski]

Is there any way to dual video-head a compact notebook PC? I only have one VGA out on the back and a bunch of usb ports. I know how to do it on a standard desktop box.

 

[Beetlenut]

Is there any way to dual video-head a compact notebook PC? I only have one VGA out on the back and a bunch of usb ports. I know how to do it on a standard desktop box.

If you use the notebook screen as one monitor, you can hook-up one additional monitor through the VGA port. Then you can configure the two through the desktop properties/settings tab to function as one large monitor. That's all I got.

 

[Greg]

If you use the notebook screen as one monitor, you can hook-up one additional monitor through the VGA port. Then you can configure the two through the desktop properties/settings tab to function as one large monitor. That's all I got.

That's about the only option. I've never heard of a laptop with dual video ports. Perhaps there's a docking station that can do it though.

 

[Beetlenut]

That's about the only option. I've never heard of a laptop with dual video ports. Perhaps there's a docking station that can do it though.

I'm doing that off a docking station now. There is however a DVI port in addition to the VGA port. But I think that's an either/or proposition. I would think at a minimum it would take an additional card for the extra monitor.

 

[Marc]

I'm doing that off a docking station now. There is however a DVI port in addition to the VGA port. But I think that's an either/or proposition. I would think at a minimum it would take an additional card for the extra monitor.

Correct. It's not just a matter of having the ports available, unless you want to display the same image on both screens, then just get a splitter.

To have full functioning use of two external monitors in the Windows implentation of it, your video card has to support it (i.e. output two streams of data concurrently to the two connections). Just use the laptop screen and one monitor. Works well enough for me.

 

[TheBEast]

I've got dual monitors at work and I only have one video plugin, but the cable used splits into two connections for the monitors. Maybe that will work? Not sure if you need special software or not.

 

[hardline]

here you go

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/

 

[billski]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Yes, I want to see more real estate - put some apps on one screen, some on another. I have a sub-compact notebook, and the screen is pretty much useless for all day work. I usually dock it.
So this matrox thingy might work. I guess it's just taking the video and breaking it in half. I would have to be careful I suppose with where I put the windows toolbar - I may have to dock it on the side instead of the bottom. The 2-fer box is about $200, not bad.

 

[billski]

I've got dual monitors at work and I only have one video plugin, but the cable used splits into two connections for the monitors. Maybe that will work? Not sure if you need special software or not.

do you see the same image on both screens? I understand from Marc that's exactly what would happen.

 

[hardline]

if you split the out put you will get the same on both screens. the matrox box tricks the video card into seeing a screen the is the pixel size of two screens. so you end up with and extended desktop on the three screen.

 

[billski]

if you split the out put you will get the same on both screens. the matrox box tricks the video card into seeing a screen the is the pixel size of two screens. so you end up with and extended desktop on the three screen.

thanks!
I see a CD comes with it. I smell a driver. So. 1st dock at work, add 2 monitors and matrox special sauce. And then.... when I get home and attach to my single-screen docking station I will have to readjust some sort of driver I suppose.... sounds like a question for tech support. I suspect they will try to convince me to buy another box...

 

[hardline]

thanks!
I see a CD comes with it. I smell a driver. So. 1st dock at work, add 2 monitors and matrox special sauce. And then.... when I get home and attach to my single-screen docking station I will have to readjust some sort of driver I suppose.... sounds like a question for tech support. I suspect they will try to convince me to buy another box...

the reality is for multiple monitors you are beter off with dedicated video cards(tower). i would use the matrox box if i where just doing spreadsheets and 2d design work but i also do a lot of 3d work and i like to have the bigest badest video card so model with full textures. you just have to look at what you primary use is going to be.

 

[billski]

the reality is for multiple monitors you are beter off with dedicated video cards(tower). i would use the matrox box if i where just doing spreadsheets and 2d design work but i also do a lot of 3d work and i like to have the bigest badest video card so model with full textures. you just have to look at what you primary use is going to be.

All my work is two dimensional - documents and charts, and web pages, and spreadsheets don't count. I do have between 30 and 50 windows open at any point in time. That's where I get killed.

 

[hardline]

All my work is two dimensional - documents and charts, and web pages, and spreadsheets don't count. I do have between 30 and 50 windows open at any point in time. That's where I get killed.

ya with that many windows open your killing your video ram. how much video ram does your card have now. you might want to see if you can upgrade your video card.

 

[billski]

ya with that many windows open your killing your video ram. how much video ram does your card have now. you might want to see if you can upgrade your video card.

Why? My machine seems to run just fine now. Mobile Intel 965 Express chipset.

 

[mondeo]

Why? My machine seems to run just fine now. Mobile Intel 965 Express chipset.

The problem is, if it works by getting the machine to output, say, 2560x1024 while the graphics are used to only having to output 1280x768, there's a lot more processing the graphics have to do. Generally speaking, Intel integrated graphics are crap that can barely keep up with lower res 2d applications. If you do 3x the number of pixels that you have to do now, probably significant issues with how smooth the graphics are.

 

[hardline]

ya an ingrated card with shared memory aint going to cut it with that much open over such a large pixel area. you can try but you may not be to happy with the results.