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Possible to have VGA-HDMI dual monitor setup
Thread poster: Reed James
Reed James
Reed James
Chile
Local time: 01:33
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
Mar 17, 2013

Hi. I recently bought an all in ome computer and I want to connect my old flat screen monitor to it. The old monitor is not HD. I bought a VGA-HDMI cable, but nothimg happens when I comnect it to my computer. Do I need special software to accomplish this? TIA.
Reed
 
Steven Segaert
Steven Segaert
Estonia
Local time: 08:33
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
+ ...
Video card Mar 17, 2013

Hi Reed,

I think you first need to find out whether your video card supports two screens.

For help on how to find out, you would be better off checking in on a hardware help forum of some sorts. They can tell you how to find out what video card you have, and how to see what it can do.

Hope this helps!
 
Rolf Keller
Rolf Keller
Germany
Local time: 07:33
English to German
Yes and No Mar 17, 2013

Reed D James wrote:

I recently bought an all in ome computer and I want to connect my old flat screen monitor to it. The old monitor is not HD. I bought a VGA-HDMI cable


So you bought an HDMI-output (computer) to VGA-input (monitor) cable, right? This will work only with certain computer models which have a non-standard HDMI port. Probably you don't have such a computer. There are expensive (200 EUR?) HDMI-to-VGA converters to solve this problem, though.

Do I need special software to accomplish this?


No, Windows is able to use several different monitors simultaneously. But the settings (BIOS, Windows, graphics card, motherboard jumpers) must be ok.
 
Stanislaw Czech, MCIL CL
Stanislaw Czech, MCIL CL  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 06:33
Member (2006)
English to Polish
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Try this Mar 18, 2013

I assume that you are using Windows Vista or 7
Once the extra monitor is connected:
Right click on your screen
Choose Personalize
Choose Display
Choose Change display settings and than either:
Choose Detect or try clicking next to display - it should show available monitors - if you can see two than choose in Multiple displays option: Extend these displays.

If the above doesn't work make sure that your graphic card drivers are up to date.
... See more
I assume that you are using Windows Vista or 7
Once the extra monitor is connected:
Right click on your screen
Choose Personalize
Choose Display
Choose Change display settings and than either:
Choose Detect or try clicking next to display - it should show available monitors - if you can see two than choose in Multiple displays option: Extend these displays.

If the above doesn't work make sure that your graphic card drivers are up to date.

Good luck
Stanislaw


[Edited at 2013-03-18 13:52 GMT] ▲ Collapse
 
Rolf Keller
Rolf Keller
Germany
Local time: 07:33
English to German
Addendum Mar 18, 2013

Rolf Keller wrote:

So you bought an HDMI-output (computer) to VGA-input (monitor) cable, right? This will work only with certain computer models which have a non-standard HDMI port.


Addendum: Most (all?) of these "certain models" are AFAIK business notebooks because they often have to be connected to VGA beamers.


[Bearbeitet am 2013-03-18 11:46 GMT]
 
Reed James
Reed James
Chile
Local time: 01:33
Member (2005)
Spanish to English
TOPIC STARTER
Thanks for all your input Mar 21, 2013

The man at the store where I bought my computer said that I should have dual monitor capability if the 2nd monitor is HD. I bought the VGA-HDMI cable on a whim. Now I see that I might have to buy an HD monitor to make this setup work, though I seem to have seen VGA-HDMI scenarios on YouTube.

@Stanlislaw: When I right-click on my screen, I don't see anything about a display. Do I have to go to the Control Panel to do this?
 


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Possible to have VGA-HDMI dual monitor setup






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