Thinkpads Forum

I could really use dual display at times. I find myself switching between apps and one of them is a live interactive audio/video stream, so dual display would be oh so nice. Is there any possibility I can set this up? I'm currently using a 23" LCD display off the VGA out from my T60 most of the time, could swap out the T60 with my T61. I have dual display in my computer room with my desktop, which has a dual DVI nVidia video card, but a lot of the time I like to use a wirelessly connected Thinkpad in another room. Thanks for help... here are my systems:

T60:
Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5500
14.1 SXGA+ TFT
Integrated Intel GMA950 video
Windows XP Pro

T61:
Intel Core 2 Duo @2.40GHz, T7700
VGA Intel 965 Express GMA X3100 128MB
Display WSXGA + TFT 15.4' resolution 1680x1050
Windows 7 64bit Ultimate

Do you want to use the Thinkpad screen and an external monitor or two external monitors?
If the former, just attach the external screen to the VGA port and enable dual screens in the "Display" control panel (in W7, you have to then also click on "Adjust resolution") (or use the Lenovo Presentation Director on your XP machine, or FN+F7 on your W7 machine).
If the latter, I think you need a mini dock (type 2504) and attach one screen to the DVI port and the other to the VGA port. Follow the above steps to enable both screens.

Thank you. I think I need a pretty big screen for both, so will look at the type 2504 mini docking station you suggest. I have an extra 19" LCD, it's Vesa mountable, but don't have the mount. I'll figure out something or just buy a mount for it. Dual DVI would be better, but I figure one VGA is still going to be way better than using the Thinkpad's display.

I bought the 2504 mini dock and a Vesa stand for my currently standless 19" LCD display. Hopefully I'll have all this set up in a week or two. I envision the 19" standing beside the 23" I'm currently using. I'm awaiting shipment. Meantime I'm trying to set up dual display on the T60 14" with the 23". I downloaded presentation manager for T60, unzipped it. Your instructions indicate I could go either way (use presentation manager or not), so I'll try it without first.

Edit: I got dual display going but so far the application on the T60 screen isn't nice. Probably will wait until I have the other display set up to try and get this flying.

Received my 2504 mini docking station today (off ebay), and have things set up using my 23" via DVI and 19" via VGA, got things working. I don't know if Lenovo Presentation Director is part of this. I went to install it today and it failed to install, however I was able to get a horizontal span going on the displays and seems like all is good. Thanks again for the help.

Man, these docking stations are cheap now, I wonder what they cost back in the day. I paid $18.49 with free shipping. It has a key, don't know how that works, I won't need to lock things down. Evidently you are supposed to eject the machine before removing from the dock. Once in a while I want to go mobile with this T60 14". Can I just put it to sleep and remove from the dock or should I eject it first?

It's been a while since I used one of these docks. But if I remember correctly, "ejecting" it puts it in sleep mode. So putting it in sleep mode before undocking is just fine. As a matter of fact, sometimes I took my work T60p (running XP) just out of the docking station without ejecting/putting it to sleep first without any negative consequences (but since this is not the official way to do it, I would not recommend it).

The reason I used the Presentation Director with my set up under Win XP was that it would automatically switch to my preferred set up (external monitor = main screen, Thinkpad LCD = second screen positioned on the right) when I put the laptop back in the docking station.
Now with my work W520, Win 7 does it automatically most of the time (and if not Fn+F7 can enable it fairly quickly).

I suppose I will try to get Presentation Director installed and set up because I will want to go mobile with the T60 once in a while and when I put it back in the docking station I'll want the setup to be as it is now (Thinkpad display off, main display DVI, secondary display VGA on the left).