Advanced Mini-Dock - Extended desktop across 3 screens?

[serpico]

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.

[pundit]

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.

[RonS]

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.

[serpico]

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.