Thinkpads Forum

I'm trying to figure out if it's possible for 3 monitors to function off of a W700 with a Quadro FX 2700M. I read on the Lenovo forums that a 3rd display is possible from Displayport, but I can't get Displayport to work at all... all I've got is a Displayport to DVI-I (the one with all pins for both analog and digital), and some people are saying that this port type isn't supported through the W500/W700's DP port.

I was wondering if any of you guys might know immediately what sort of Displayport adapters or cables work off the W700, and if it's even possible to run 3 displays off of the W700 with the FX 2700M.

Have you investigated the hardware device known as Triple Head to Go? Or 3H2Go?

Many simulator builders of both aircraft and automobile use these for multiple displays.

I have but on it's own it's quite pricey... I was hoping there would be a solution that could just work off of the laptop on it's own.

I think when I tried to use three monitors on the W700ds (the two internal and one external), after 5 minutes of trying to 'glitch' Windows 7 to do it, it shut down immediately.

Edit: Display port to DVI should work... I had a 27" screen I was testing for work and it did portray an image.

Saucey wrote:I think when I tried to use three monitors on the W700ds (the two internal and one external), after 5 minutes of trying to 'glitch' Windows 7 to do it, it shut down immediately.

Edit: Display port to DVI should work... I had a 27" screen I was testing for work and it did portray an image.

I'm aware the W700ds will shut down it's internal second monitor when you plug in an external display- I'm mostly curious about the standard W700 because my grandmother wants to use 2 external displays with it.

As for the Displayport adapter, it doesn't appear to be provoking anything from Windows- nothing happens at all when I plug the adapter in, regardless of whether a DVI device is plugged in, or a VGA device through a DVI to VGA adapter (since the Displayport adapter is a DVI Type I). I figured either the adapter is faulty, or the W700 somehow doesn't have it's DP port enabled. I've even tried Displayport default output in the BIOS, to no avail.

I'll have to try the adapter with a W500 I have here on hand, and report back.

Medessec wrote:I have but on it's own it's quite pricey... I was hoping there would be a solution that could just work off of the laptop on it's own.

There's no free lunch trying to run three monitors on something that old.

MikalE wrote:There's no free lunch trying to run three monitors on something that old.

My inquiry was asking if it can be done or not, and if it can't, then I'll consider it. Just trying to figure out the facts. No use in spending money on other hardware if it turns out I didn't need it.

I tried my DP adapter on the W500 and nothing. So I assume either the adapter's broken or the standard of DP on the W500/W700 is different from what the adapter complies with. I'll have to see if I can find a straight DP cable and test it with a monitor that has DP... I might have one.