Connecting a second monitor

[steve4465]

Hi,

Can anyone help me with connecting a second monitor to my first? Also what cable will I need and is there any configuring to do when 2 screens in operation. I want to finish a a wordpress website on one monitor but have instructions/ tools shown on second monitor? thanks.

 

[3D Jed]

For 2 monitors you need a video card with 2 outputs (and supports dual screen). Check what type the unused socket is (HDMI, DVI etc), get a 2nd monitor that has that socket and buy a suitable cable. After connecting the 2nd monitor, right click the screen and open screen resolution. There you can set the displays to extend and you will be able to drag a window from one monitor to the other.

 

[steve4465]

Thanks Jed. Is there a way to go about getting right video card for my Asus P8 H67-M LE series motherboard or will any 2 output do?

 

[3D Jed]

I just looked on the Asus site and your board has a pcie 2 slot, so you just choose a pcie card with 2 outputs that suits your budget, then check the vendor's website to make sure it will drive 2 monitors at once (and has the sockets you want). AFAIK a newer pcie 3 card will be backwards compatible with the pcie 2 slot. The cheaper cards just take their power from the slot, but if you go for a real expensive gamer type card they usually need extra power connections to the psu (and a high power psu) so if you go down that route make sure your psu has the watts + wires necessary. BTW I use 2 monitors, and the 2nd screen was the best upgrade I've done.

 

[steve4465]

hi Jed,
I've got the ASUS p8h67-m le mobo. Also my current mobo has integrated graphics and its got PCI slots, PCI Express x4 slot and PCI Express x16 slot to add to my confusion. Its also got DVI-D on card and been told to get a DVI-D TO VGAE or USB2/3 to VGAE converter cable. These cables are really expensive due to the external graphics card.
Frankly to keep costs down what would be the best route? Being ignorant could you explain in simple steps how to add graphics card or swap it, I'm not even sure of this part? Then what needs reconfiguring or changing in BIOs? thanks again.

 

[AddRAM]

Try youtube, there are plenty of videos.

 

[3D Jed]

Just had a second look at the Asus site and it says multi vga output, so there's a chance you don't need a video card and can drive 2 screens off the mobo. The pic shows DVI, hdmi and vga sockets. AFAIK DVI and hdmi use the same bus, so you can only use one or the other in conjunction with a vga. VGA is analog and the other 2 digital. In theory you could have say a DVI monitor and a VGA monitor running off the board.

The other alternative is to get a £30 video card, stick it in the pcie x16 slot + load the driver cd. The mobo bios usually recognizes that a card is present, disables the onboard video and routes the data to the card. If you use a card it frees up some system memory.

Version #1 would be cheapest if you plan on using 1 vga monitor. If you are planning on 2 hdmi's, then #2. Me ? I've got an old HD 5770 - 2 * DVI + hdmi. Drives 3 monitors, but I have 2 due to desk space.