T43 and dual monitor setup

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georgeb · #1 Post by **georgeb** » Sat Jun 21, 2008 10:30 am

Hello

Tried searching for this but couldn't find a straight answer on it.

I have a T43 with ATI Mobility Radeon X300 - what is the highest resolution dual monitor setup i can run? Would it be possible to run an extended QXGA desktop accross the two monitors?

I understand I need a port replicator to achieve this, what is the part number for that accessory? There a few different replicators that appear on Ebay and I don't want to purchase the wrong one. Many thanks.

georgeb · #2 Post by **georgeb** » Sun Jun 22, 2008 7:46 pm

Anyone?

How about a slightly modified question: what dual monitor setups are people using with T43s?

MangoGT · #3 Post by **MangoGT** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 12:16 pm

I have my T43 (w/ ATI) hooked up to a Samsung 22in monitor through a Mini-Dock, but I don't use a dual-monitor setup. I just dock my Thinkpad and use the Samsung.

georgeb · #4 Post by **georgeb** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:01 pm

Thanks for the comment MangoGT.

I restate the original question:

Is anyone running dual monitors with a T43 (X300)? If so can you please tell me what size monitors and what sort of port replicator? Thank you

basketb · #5 Post by **basketb** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:06 am

Not sure whether this helps you, but I used to have a T40 + port replicator II + external CRT monitor.

It drove without problems the internal screen at SXGA+ resolution and the external one at UXGA in an extended desktop setup.

fasterbybike · #6 Post by **fasterbybike** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:02 am

I have driven the internal SXGA+ monitor plus an external WUXGA from my T40p. Both with a port replicator II and the Doc II.
HTH

madkat · #7 Post by **madkat** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:22 am

it's not strictly related to the T4x series but:
i use my T30 with the port replicator - with a 19" dell via the VGA port
you just have to "turn" on the monitor as secondary display - the first time when you connect it (or dock the thinkpad) - and the next time when you connect it you can use it eithr by closing the lid or switchin between panel only/external only/panel+externel via the Fn + F4

exTPfan · #8 Post by **exTPfan** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:24 am

With a T42 (14.1 SXGA+ Radeon 9600 w64MB) I recently was running a 1600x1200 LCD off the vga on a Dock II + a 1280x1240 off the dvi. Wouldn't work the other way round. Could hotswap. Refresh was very slow but this worked quite well.

Tried a Diamond Stealth S60 card in the Dock II, but this was no better than than using the internal graphics (and the card overheated when I disconnected the fan in the Dock).

In the past, I think I once managed to get the T42 to run a 1600x1200 + 1680x1050 through a minidock (no fan), but to get it to work, I had to switch the T42 off before putting it in the dock, which was too inconvenient.

The www.thinkwiki.org shows a maximum external resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels for my machine.

So my experience has been a bit erratic

georgeb · #9 Post by **georgeb** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:23 am

exTPfan wrote: The www.thinkwiki.org shows a maximum external resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels for my machine.

where exactly did you find this detail? i looked at the T42 description but couldn't see it.

exTPfan · #10 Post by **exTPfan** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 3:22 pm

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/2378-FVU

georgeb · #11 Post by **georgeb** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 8:51 pm

exTPfan wrote:http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/2378-FVU

thanks. do you take that to mean that the max supported resolution across one or two screens?

Maccess · #12 Post by **Maccess** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:14 am

My T43 X300 + Port Replicator runs two Samsung 213T 21" 1600x1200 screens at the office (I bought another one since my last post). I take the T43 out of my bag, attach it to the dock (I don't open the laptop screen), press the power button on the dock, and off I go. I use an external PS/2 keyboard and mouse attached to the dock.

One monitor is attached to the DVI port, the other is attached to the VGA port. You will initially have problems with bad signal off the DVI port--disable the alternative DVI, and disable use low refresh for DVI.

The T43 can only run two screens max: Either two externals or one external and the laptop screen. When two monitors are active, the laptop screen is disabled.

I had to install ATI's latest Catalyst Drivers (modded with Driverheaven ATI mobility mod) = ATI tray tools (not really essential as the same tweaks can be found in CCC)

I've heard that it can support a pair of 1920x1200 (a 24 or 27" wide screen) LCDs, but I don't have these LCDs to try (and the 1600x1200s are already a helluva lot of workspace), and an S-Video monitor too (640x480?) together with the two externals. (Update: you can only run two monitors. Period. That's off the four possible outputs: Laptop LCD, VGA, DVI, SVGA.

Update: In yet another attempt to stretch the limits of my already overworked ATI x300 graphics chip, I attached a Matrox Dual Head (Analog) to the analog port and drove two 19" 1280x1024 (2560x1024 total) resolution monitors off it, while the Samsung 213T was connected to DVI. I would presume that if I had a Matrox dual head (Digital) attached to the DVI port, I could also run two 1280x1024 monitors off it (if the known weak DVI signal problem doesn't prevent it) for a total of four using only the T43s internal graphics chip.

T43 and dual monitor setup

T43 and dual monitor setup

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