Extension monitor issue

[JimL]

I've been using my new 32 inch Sanyo TV very nicely as an extension monitor for my T42. It connects via a standard SVGA DB 15 port labeled "PC." There was no setup or twiddling necessary; it just worked like a charm right out of the box.

Recently I discovered that Windows Media Player displays, but with no picture. Is this a common problem with all SVGA monitors or just this one?

[sjthinkpader]

If you use external display only, does the Media Player still refuse to display?

[JimL]

If you use external display only, does the Media Player still refuse to display?

I have no idea, because I have never done it and have no idea how.

It occurs to me that there _may_ be a related condition in Display properties > Settings. The two graphics there indicate display "1" and display "2". The #2 is "hatched out." In the #2 context menu "Attached" is not checked. Thinking I might set #2 to Primary, I checked "Attached." This shifted #2 into extended mode with nothing displaying on the external display except a mouse cursor. Mouse control of the actual primary display (laptop screen) vanished.

A help mentions the extended desktop environment. As I said, attaching #2 puts it into extended desktop mode. I'm wondering if something is permanently in extended mode and if so how to get out of it.

There is a button in > Advanced > Displays to set #2 as both primary and extended. I don't know if I want to risk trying that. I might wind up with no display working.

[Harryc]

There is a button in > Advanced > Displays to set #2 as both primary and extended.

If you're afraid of losing the image on the internal LCD just unplug the external and it will return if not right away, certainly on reboot.

[JimL]

If you're afraid of losing the image on the internal LCD just unplug the external and it will return if not right away, certainly on reboot.

You are so right.

I did a bunch of messing around in Display properties > Settings and >Advanced > Displays, switching the primary display back and forth. Initially media player would send a picture only to the primary. Then it popped up sending to both displays. Rebooting switched it back to only one. Then after more messing around it is now booting to where it sends the picture to both.

What I can _see_ in Display properties +++ looks the same as before, but apparently something has changed in the deeper guts of things. (How's that for techno babble?)

Thanks

[Harryc]

FN-F7 is a good keyboard combination to get familiar with. It switches between internal LCD, external, and both on subsequent presses of that combination.
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-50023