Same output on monitors 2 and 3


  1. Posts : 4
    Win 7 64 bit
       #1

    Same output on monitors 2 and 3


    I have an ATI Radeon 4800 that outputs my primary and secondary monitors from its 2 DVI ports. I have added a Radeon 5450 with VGA output to add a third monitor. Everything works and I get my primary display plus two different extensions, but that is not what I want. What I want is for monitor 1 to be primary and the same extension to go to monitors 2 and 3. Is this possible? If I didn't need VGA to go to a VGA monitor and a VGA projector I would just split the DVI going to monitor 2. I'm hoping that I don't have to buy a new monitor and projector.
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  2. Posts : 1,670
    win 10
       #2
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  3. Posts : 2,752
    Windows 7 Pro x64 (1), Win7 Pro X64 (2)
       #3

    I don't follow what you want.

    Do you want to run in "clone mode", where your desktop is just one single monitor and the identical screen is presented on all three of your display devices?

    Or do you want to run in "extended desktop mode", where your Windows desktop is essentially three monitors wide, and the entire triple-wide desktop is spread horizontally across all three monitors?

    Or am I still not understanding your objective?
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  4. Posts : 1,670
    win 10
       #4

    from what i get from the title of the thread and the body of it. is he wants to extend the display but have monitor 2 and 3 be cloned(mirrored)
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  5. Posts : 2,752
    Windows 7 Pro x64 (1), Win7 Pro X64 (2)
       #5

    oscer1 said:
    from what i get from the title of the thread and the body of it. is he wants to extend the display but have monitor 2 and 3 be cloned(mirrored)
    Interesting goal, I suppose.

    I've not worked with a setup that had two video cards, nor one that had three monitors. So I don't know if Catalyst Control Center (or Windows display properties) can configure things as you describe... which is really an extended desktop of only "two monitors wide", where the second monitor is also simultaneously cloned to a third monitor (thus showing exactly what's on monitor #2).

    If so, I would think the best chance would be to have monitors #2a and #2b on the second video card (new HD5450), using the DVI output for #2a and the VGA output for #2b. At least with that setup I could imagine a possible configuration where both monitors connected to that one video card are sent the identical output.

    And then it might be possible for Windows to spread its desktop to be only TWO MONITORS WIDE, i.e. across #1 and then onto #2a and #2b simultaneously.

    But I don't know. Never tried to achieve this.

    As you suggested earlier, perhaps a DVI splitter cable like you pointed to would be a hardware solution that seems like it should work (from the second DVI port on the primary video card), eliminating the need for the second video card entirely.
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  6. Posts : 4
    Win 7 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I want to extend the desktop and mirror monitor 2 and 3. DVI splitter would work great but would require me to buy a new monitor and projector. I will try setting this up with #2 and #3 running from the same card and see if there are any more options that way.
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  7. Posts : 1,670
    win 10
       #7

    ok keep us posted how it goes. the dvi splitter was one dvi and one vga
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  8. Posts : 4
    Win 7 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Thanks for that last post. I didn't know that a DVI VGA splitter existed. If I had known that from the beginning, I could have saved the expense of the 2nd card. I have ordered a splitter and will post the result after it's installed.
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  9. Posts : 1,670
    win 10
       #9

    ok good luck hope it works out
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  10. Posts : 4
    Win 7 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    The splitter did not solve my problem. It would drive either the VGA or the DVI with HDMI attached to it, but not both at the same time. The only way to get a signal to the VGA is to disconnect the DVI connector. It looks like I will have to replace my VGA monitor and projector with HDMI and use an HDMI splitter.
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