Thinkpads Forum

I now have the Advanced Mini-Dock for my T60 and am using the DVI output to connect to my external monitor. I am currently using the Extended Desktop setup (split screen across laptop screen and external monitor).

Can the ATI Radeon X1400 in my T60 drive 3 different screens - i.e., an extended desktop across the laptop screen and 2 external monitors?

I know I cannot simultaneously use the VGA and DVI connectors on the mini-dock. But I was wondering if I could split the DVI signal out to 2 external monitors and do a 3 screen extended desktop?

Presumably 3 screens is possible with the full-blown Advanced Dock (since you can add another video card), but can it be done with the mini-dock? Maybe there's software to help enable this?

As an aside, if people have interest and someone can host them, I can put up pictures of the Advanced Mini-Dock.

serpico wrote:As an aside, if people have interest and someone can host them, I can put up pictures of the Advanced Mini-Dock.

I can host them. You can e-mail them to me at mynicknamehere at mywebsite dot org.

My website is in the url linked below this post.

The X1400 will drive only two displays directly.

I'm pretty sure you CAN use both the VGA and DVI at the same time, but you'll loose your Thinkpad's built-in display to pull that off. Play around with the Presentation Manager to set it up.

You can't split the DVI directly, since it is single-link and uses just one transmitter. But you still have many options available...

1. Look at these from Matrox:
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/offhome/dh2go/home.cfm
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/offhome/th2go/home.cfm

They take your VGA output and split it across two or three screens.

2. You can add a USB-based video card, or a PCMCIA-based video card. There's one PCMCIA (VillageTronic) that gives you two displays on a single adapter.


With the Advanced Dock, you can put in a full-blown video card to get up to four more external monitors.

Thanks Ron. I'm deciding between keeping the mini-dock or returning it and getting the advanced dock. Knowing that there are some multi-monitor solutions for the mini-dock that I can use down the road make it easier to keep the considerably smaller mini-dock.