Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
  • Dual monitors on a Vista laptop over VGA with a splitter
  • Stoner
    Free Member

    Is this possible?

    Mrs S is jealous of my dual monitor setup in the office and is badgering for something similar.

    She has an old Dell Vostro “laptop” (lap not really being the right word unless you have quads like Chris Hoy, it’s a monstrously big thing) running Vista. Single VGA output.

    Can I use a VGA splitter to run two VGA monitors side by side but with dual desktop function or not? Looking at mine where Ive got one on VGA and one on DVI from my desktop, Im guessing not.

    Would a new laptop with HDMI (W7)be able to handle two desktops on two screens?

    muddy_bum
    Free Member

    No I don’t think that will work. with a vga splitter you will get the same picture on both screens.
    You may be able to do dual monitors if you use the laptop screen as one and the VGA port as the other.
    I have a VGA/ DVI splitter that sounds like yours on my system. Is it a Dell? If so it’s a weird proprietary dual screen DVI connector.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    No, on my desktop I’m using two separate ports from my video card.

    I think you might be right, running one external monitor form the laptop, leave the laptop screen up as an email screen and get a wireless keyboard/mouse to be able to focus on the main one.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    cheers joe.

    £120 for the adpator is a bit too steep.

    I like that phillips – I wonder if it would work with a google chromebook – must check the linux support I guess.

    Im inclined to just get a nice 22″ widescreen for Mrs S. There’s plenty around for <£100.

    clubber
    Free Member

    I have my work laptop set up that way – eg dual monitor but with one of them being the laptop screen – I find that works very well.

    jam-bo
    Full Member

    some docking stations have dual monitor outputs.

    ampthill
    Full Member

    At the risk of teaching grand mother to suck eggs have you tried….

    Attaching a monitor to the VGA port and the right clicking over the desk top and then going to “graphics options” . Hopefully you’ll see “output to” then choose extended desktop

    It just depends on whether the laptop was designed to run 2 displays

Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

The topic ‘Dual monitors on a Vista laptop over VGA with a splitter’ is closed to new replies.