MAMalody Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 Is it possible to have a dual monitor setup when you work off a laptop? I have been told by some it is okay and others no. I would like to have a dual monitor setup this year, the laptop and a stand alone. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcb39 Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 Is it possible to have a dual monitor setup when you work off a laptop? I have been told by some it is okay and others no. I would like to have a dual monitor setup this year, the laptop and a stand alone. Mike Since my new laptop has an external VGA port, I have to assume it is all right. When I have more time, I will get the book out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jainen Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 >>Is it possible to have a dual monitor setup when you work off a laptop?<< There are several ways to achieve this. If your video chipset has multi-monitor support, the external VGA port can be configured with appropriate drivers. Otherwise, you can add a second video card, either inside the box or externally with a docking station or expansion setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacun Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 Yes, you can just connect another monitor to your laptop. The only problem I have noticed is that if you extend your monitor real estate, (you use the laptop monitor and the external monitor becomes an extension) the setting stays and it is hard to set up back to normal operation. (normal operation means that you see the same thing on both monitors). This becomes an issue when you use a projector with your laptop since your laptop thinks that the proyector is the external monitor and therefore it uses it as an extension of the regular laptop monitor. If you have a docking station, this problem is non existent since your laptop has a docked and non-docked hardware profiles. (Sorry for the (), but I have hard time explaining this). PS. I have not seen a laptop that doesn't support an external monitor, you might need to accomodate the monitor to use the outlet on the laptop but that's about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel in Hawaii Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 Just remember that they are talking about using the LCD as one monitor and an external monitor as the second in the dual configuration. Most laptops are setup to use one or the other until you change the settings in software. Using TWO EXTERNAL monitors is generally not available in a laptop (although I HAVE seen a couple expensive ones that have dual external monitor ports (thus giving a total of 3 monitors if you count the LCD) but that was quite a while ago, I don't know if they are still available) as they don't have any expansion slots for inserting additional video cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacun Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 No... Idiot, they are talking about the laptop's own monitor and a second external monitor. This is a quote from the original poster. "I would like to have a dual monitor setup this year, the laptop and a stand alone." You can attach a second monitor and use it as an extension of the built-in LCD. When you first open a program, it will open on the regular screen then you move it to the second monitor and close it... ever after, that program will open on the second monitor. To revert that setting is hard if you want to use an external monitor as a replica of the LCD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel in Hawaii Posted August 21, 2007 Report Share Posted August 21, 2007 No... Idiot, they are talking about the laptop's own monitor and a second external monitor. This is a quote from the original poster. "I would like to have a dual monitor setup this year, the laptop and a stand alone." You can attach a second monitor and use it as an extension of the built-in LCD. When you first open a program, it will open on the regular screen then you move it to the second monitor and close it... ever after, that program will open on the second monitor. To revert that setting is hard if you want to use an external monitor as a replica of the LCD. I realize they were mentioning that, I just wanted to clarify, hence my statement 'Just remember'. I have been using dual monitors back from the day of the Mac Plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAMalody Posted August 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 Since the consensus is that this is doable, I will have to look more closely into this. It sounds like it would be great. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacun Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 "I realize they were mentioning that, I just wanted to clarify, hence my statement 'Just remember'" You are right Idiot, sorry I didn't read it carefully. I missread your statement about "using TWO EXTERNAL monitors is generally not available in a laptop". In your case, you are talking about a laptop with 3 display outputs, which I have only seen when laptops are using a docking station or as you said, expensive laptops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJG CPA Posted August 22, 2007 Report Share Posted August 22, 2007 I have been using a 2nd monitor with my laptop for about a year. It works great. I have my laptop plugged into a docking station and the 2nd monitor plugs into the docking station (although if I didn't have the docking station, the monitor would plug directly into my laptop). As I understand it, most laptops come with the port for an external monitor, as this is a common occurence. On the desktop settings, you just have to click the box to extend your desktop to the external monitor. When you're not at the office (plugged into the 2nd monitor), you sometimes have to uncheck this box or your programs will try to open to the 2nd screen and you won't be able to see them on your laptop screen. The 2nd monitor has been a great productivity booster as I can have last year's tax return open on one screen and the current year open on the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Posted August 23, 2007 Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/s...s/monitors.mspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAMalody Posted August 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2007 Great page! How hard is it to go back and forth between a dual monitor setup to single. I work out of two offices and would only have the dual setup in one office. Some have indicated that this could be a problem. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacun Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 If your laptop is attached to an external monitor on one location and the other location does not have an external monitor, NO PROBLEM at all. You computer will behave properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAMalody Posted August 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 If your laptop is attached to an external monitor on one location and the other location does not have an external monitor, NO PROBLEM at all. You computer will behave properly. Is that to be interpreted that I would not have to reset my software each time I would change? I would only have to set it when I initially add the second monitor and after that I am home free? Sorry, for the question. I am just trying to make sure that I am not assuming anything. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacun Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 In your case, you only need to configure it once. Ever after the computer will utilize the second monitor at one location and only the "built-in" on the other location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 This has been a very helpful discussion, and the link was great. I think I'm going to resurrect an old unused laptop I have lying around & connect a second monitor to it just for email & related tasks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacun Posted August 24, 2007 Report Share Posted August 24, 2007 Also, if you need music in your office 24/7, just connect an old computer with Winamp and loop it by having 20 songs, your first favorite radio station, another 20 songs, your second favorite radio station, and so and so. Old computers are perfect for emails or music playing devices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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