Problem setting up dual monitors with 7/GeForce GTS240 Graphics Card

[Zepher]

Ya, 1 Monitor will have to be DVI or HDMI and the other has to be VGA.

that USB adapter will work as well, but I would try to invest in a better monitor.

But, buying that adapter will give you the option of running 3 screens down the road if you buy a DVI/HDMI monitor.

Be carefull, just because there are three connectors doesn't mean it will support three monitors. The video card has to have the circuitry to support it. You may be able to connect three monitors to that motherboard but end up with each monitor showing the same screen (mirrored) with no way to change it. I've seen lots of (low end) video cards with VGA and DVI that didn't support dual monitors.

PainfulGlory, read the manual for that PC and see what it says as far as video support. If no paper manual came with it have a look for a PDF version on the CD that should have come with it.

I never said 3 monitors, just 2. And we know it has the circuitry for a Digital and Analog display built in, since there is a DVI-D, HDMI (these most likely share the circuit so you can only use one or the other), and the VGA.

I just looked up motherboard and it also has only a DVI-D connector, as well as a VGA, HDMI and Display Port.

 

[alphanumeric]

Ya, 1 Monitor will have to be DVI or HDMI and the other has to be VGA.

that USB adapter will work as well, but I would try to invest in a better monitor.

But, buying that adapter will give you the option of running 3 screens down the road if you buy a DVI/HDMI monitor.

Be carefull, just because there are three connectors doesn't mean it will support three monitors. The video card has to have the circuitry to support it. You may be able to connect three monitors to that motherboard but end up with each monitor showing the same screen (mirrored) with no way to change it. I've seen lots of (low end) video cards with VGA and DVI that didn't support dual monitors.

PainfulGlory, read the manual for that PC and see what it says as far as video support. If no paper manual came with it have a look for a PDF version on the CD that should have come with it.

I never said 3 monitors, just 2. And we know it has the circuitry for a Digital and Analog display built in, since there is a DVI-D, HDMI (these most likely share the circuit so you can only use one or the other), and the VGA.

I just looked up motherboard and it also has only a DVI-D connector, as well as a VGA, HDMI and Display Port.

Fair enough, but the same holds true for VGA and DVI. Just because it has both connectors doesn't necessarily mean you can use both of them at the same time and get seperat displays on each monitor. The video card has to have dual monitor support for that too work. It's been my experience that with onboard video, that the VGA and DVI connectors just feed back to the one common source. You can think of it this way, the digital signal feeds the DVI and then the same signal just goes though an analog converter and feeds the VGA connector. They just supstituted DVI-D/VGA connector for a DVI-I connector so you don't have to use an adapter to connect a VGA monitor. I only mention it because I would want to know for sure before I went out and bought another monitor.

 

[Zepher]

I know what you are saying. I did previously type that if he could borrow a DVI monitor, to test it out, but I left the room and came back and changed what I had written.

 

[stormy13]

Hey guys how about we wait to hear back from PainfulGlory as to whether he is connecting the monitors to the onboard connectors, or to the video card.

 

[alphanumeric]

I know what you are saying. I did previously type that if he could borrow a DVI monitor, to test it out, but I left the room and came back and changed what I had written.

The motherboard manual "should' say if it supports dual monitors. I say should because some of them suck big time in the amount of info thats in them. I've seen some translations in to english that just leave you shaking your head and wondering WTF does that mean.

 

[Zepher]

Hey guys how about we wait to hear back from PainfulGlory as to whether he is connecting the monitors to the onboard connectors, or to the video card.

http://www.sevenforums.com/804735-post10.html

 

[stormy13]

Except that according to the specs for his computer and that he said it came with a GT 240 in it in the first post, he should not be connecting the monitors to the onboard connectors.

P.S. For what it's worth that motherboard does not have onboard video, the "onboard video" is actually integrated into the CPU.

 

[Zepher]

Except that according to the specs for his computer and that he said it came with a GT 240 in it in the first post, he should not be connecting the monitors to the onboard connectors.

P.S. For what it's worth that motherboard does not have onboard video, the "onboard video" is actually integrated into the CPU.

If the video ports are on the motherboard, then it's considered onboard video.

 

[PainfulGlory]

Hi guys, thanks for all the help so far, although I seem to be getting nowhere fast, lol

I seem to have linked the wrond PC from Aria, in my order history it says that one, but I did pay £469 not £524, so I think the model I got seems to have been discontinued (i've had it about 6 weeks, but was away for 3 so only now had chance to tackle it.)

It does NOT have the seperate graphics card ports, it only has the ones ive linked in the 2 pics I put up. Grr

Was busy last night so over the weekend need to try a couple of things

1, borrow a monitor with DVI-D connections to try that.

2, read the manual to look to see if it supports dual monitors.

3, try and find a VGA to USB adapter to see if that works (but I cant find one that works/supports windows 7)

Arrgh!

 

[PainfulGlory]

EDIT: The pin layout for the two adapters in your posted picture look like DVI-D (Single Link) and DVI-D (Dual Link)? Whats on the other side?

They are DVD-D (single link) & DVI-D (dual link), both have VGA connections.

 

[alphanumeric]

If they are DVD-D then they must be converters not adapters? The two terms are easily confused. If they are converters then you don't need to buy anything to test for dual monitor support. If they are adapters I don't see how they could work. Do they look like this:> DVI-D to VGA converter digital to analog DVI VGA video monitor or more like this:> DVI to VGA Adapter (Male to Female). The converter has electronics in it to actually convert the digital signal to an analog (VGA) signal. The adapter just has wires in it to reroute the signals to different pins.

 

[PainfulGlory]

If they are DVD-D then they must be converters not adapters? The two terms are easily confused. If they are converters then you don't need to buy anything to test for dual monitor support. If they are adapters I don't see how they could work. Do they look like this:> DVI-D to VGA converter digital to analog DVI VGA video monitor or more like this:> DVI to VGA Adapter (Male to Female). The converter has electronics in it to actually convert the digital signal to an analog (VGA) signal. The adapter just has wires in it to reroute the signals to different pins.

Sorry, not doing very well here am I.

They are adapters, small units like you've described.

 

[stormy13]

Have you tried plugging the monitors into the video card yet instead of the onboard video ports?

 

[alphanumeric]

OK, thanks for the clarification. That has me confused though as to how they would ever work? Mine is just the opposite, the digital pins are missing not the analog. Anyway I guess it's back to plan "A", borrow a Monitor with a DVI connector and cable if you can for further testing. I wouldn't get too bumbed out about it, sometimes technology induces head scratching moments. Some of use are smarter than others on this stuff, but we weren't born that way. I've learned a lot by trial and error. All you can do is try to save the next guy some of the error.