IT'S POSSIBLE! Dual monitors on mini-dock

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CoolRunnings · #1 Post by **CoolRunnings** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:02 pm

Hey, I've got a T42 hooked up to a mini-dock. Until recently I thought it wasn't possible to do multiple monitors with one hooked up to the DVI and the other hooked up to VGA on the mini-dock but I was playing around with the IBM presentation director earlier today and found out that it is indeed possible! However, here's my problem now... I have a Samsung 710N-2 LCD display that I got on a really good deal and I want to get a 2nd one but these only support VGA out... As a result, I am unable to hook them up without an adapter... Here is the catch. The docking station supports DVI only. You can't hook up an adapter to VGA on that DVI port as it is missing the 4 pins necessary to convert the signal to VGA. How annoying! Is anyone aware of any way around this so I can do dual-VGA monitors on this setup? If so, I'm all ears!!! Thanks!

trikster2 · #2 Post by **trikster2** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:35 pm

You have not purchased the 2nd monitor yet?

Here's your solution:

http://product.samsung.com/cgi-bin/nabc ... =MJ17BSABY

trikster2 · #3 Post by **trikster2** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:37 pm

or better yet get something that pivots.

I run with 2 monitors and having one that pivots is wonderful for working on any text documents or even browsing the web (the 1024 width is closer to the 800x600 width many web pages are designed for).

CoolRunnings · #4 Post by **CoolRunnings** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:54 pm

I haven't purchased the second monitor yet. That Samsung is EXACTLY what I'm looking for... Now to find it for an affordable price... Almost everyone I see who has it is charging well over double what I paid for the non-DVI version...

#5 Post by **RonS** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:23 pm

Just so I understand... Are you saying that, using the mini-dock, you saw a total of three displays in the Display Properties -> Settings window?

If not, perhaps you saw Windows automatically switching between whichever connector had an active connection, but never having a total of three at any one time.

CoolRunnings · #6 Post by **CoolRunnings** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 11:53 pm

No, I have two monitors working at a time, not three. If I had three, that would just be plain awesome...

I'm almost positive that's not possible though. Oh well.

awolfe63 · #7 Post by **awolfe63** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 12:15 pm

I have 2 monitors running off of my mini dock.

(2 20" 1600x1200 LCDs - 1 pivots - as mentioned, this works great)

I have the opposite problem - now that one is DVI - I don't want to use the analog connector any more.

CoolRunnings · #8 Post by **CoolRunnings** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:13 pm

Wow! Dual 1600x1200 screens must be awesome. I can't justify that type of cost right now... The Thinkpad + accessories has wiped out my computer budget pretty well.

kev009 · #9 Post by **kev009** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 9:42 pm

Does the TP monitor function independent in a 2 monitor config for a total of 3? Is it possible to split the DVI out? Only possibility of 3 monitors with dock and PCI video?

awolfe63 · #10 Post by **awolfe63** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:50 am

CoolRunnings wrote:Wow! Dual 1600x1200 screens must be awesome. I can't justify that type of cost right now... The Thinkpad + accessories has wiped out my computer budget pretty well.

My 24" 1920x1200 is supposed to arrive today

I suppose I could make you a deal on one of the 20 inchers

Seriously though - I have always found that screen real estate substantially improves my productivity. In this case, I am reviewing tens of thousands of pages of documents on 1 screen in acrobat and taking notes on the other in word. If someone else is paying for my time - whether it is an employer or a customer - the extra few hundred dollars for a larger screen or the extra thousand for a second screen is covered in no time.

awolfe63 · #11 Post by **awolfe63** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 11:56 am

kev009 wrote:Does the TP monitor function independent in a 2 monitor config for a total of 3? Is it possible to split the DVI out? Only possibility of 3 monitors with dock and PCI video?

Interesting question. I decided to try it.

I can't get 3 images with the internal graphics. VGA+DVI, LCD+DVI, or LCD+VGA. I suppose there are also combos with TV.

The mini-dock VGA always has the same signals as the T42 VGA.

CoolRunnings · #12 Post by **CoolRunnings** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:02 pm

I can get two external monitors to work with different data on both but the Thinkpad display has to be disabled for this to work.

awolfe63 · #13 Post by **awolfe63** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 10:57 pm

OK - my last post was confusing.

Does the TP monitor function independent in a 2 monitor config for a total of 3? Is it possible to split the DVI out? Only possibility of 3 monitors with dock and PCI video?

Interesting question. I decided to try it.

I can't get 3 images with the internal graphics.
I can get VGA+DVI, LCD+DVI, or LCD+VGA.
I suppose there are also combos with TV.

The mini-dock VGA always has the same signals as the T42 VGA.

IT'S POSSIBLE! Dual monitors on mini-dock

IT'S POSSIBLE! Dual monitors on mini-dock

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