Dual monitor system

[puppypal41]

Can someone please explain to me how to set up a dual monitor system. i know i need either 2 video cards or a dual video card, and 2 monitors.
Help!!!

[Yuanji]

i think all you basically have to do is have two monitors and a video card with 2 outputs for VGA or DVI. most will come with a DVI and a VGA and will have a DVI to VGA adapter.

[RJ]

All current graphics cards are dual head, means they support two monitors simultaneously.
You just install the card, plug both monitors in, and then, in the properties of the card, you determine which monitor be the primary, which one the secondary, and how you want your desktop displayed (stretched over two monitors, both identical, etc. etc.)

RJ

[puppypal41]

Originally Posted by RJ All current graphics cards are dual head, means they support two monitors simultaneously. RJ

Do you mean video card not graphicss card?

[kram 2.0]

Originally Posted by puppypal41 Do you mean video card not graphicss card?

They are interchangeable words...bottom line is any Graphics Card or Video Card of any current sort should be dual head. The nice thing lately is that you have a nice little Catalyst Controller Interface to do it through

kram

[puppypal41]

Originally Posted by RJ plug both monitors in, and then, in the properties of the card, you determine which monitor be the primary, which one the secondary, and how you want your desktop displayed (stretched over two monitors, both identical, etc. etc.) RJ

How do I do this?

[kram 2.0]

Start>Ctrl Panel>Displays>Settings.

Or simpmly right click on the wallpaper and click properties. Choose which monitor to be secondary/primary and then the monitor should flicker and voila.

kram

[puppypal41]

Originally Posted by kram8806 Start>Ctrl Panel>Displays>Settings. Or simpmly right click on the wallpaper and click properties. Choose which monitor to be secondary/primary and then the monitor should flicker and voila. kram

after i got to settings, what do i do in settings where do i go? explain.

[puppypal41]

What is AGP and PCI?
How do you tell? is it on the card?

[RJ]

AGP is the port for the graphics card, and the PCI is the bus for everything else.

And when you are in the setting, everything is there. Just look and set it the way you want it. As said, choose which monitor should be the primary, which one the secondary, and how you want them to be arranged.

RJ

[puppypal41]

so what if a monitor plug is installed in my motherboard? is that a agp? do i have an open agp slot if my monitor connection is in my motherboard.
and if my monitor plug is in my motherboard do i just buy annother video card for the second monitor or do I buy a dual video card and can i use both plugs on that and not use the plug on my motherboard?

HELP!!!
AHHH!!!

[hobey19]

if its plugged into the mobo, then you are using onboard video. you may have an agp slot open if the mobo has agp. when you buy a new card, you would just use the dual head on that, not the mobo, as the card overrides the onboard video

craig

[Yuanji]

you may have to actually turn off onboard video in the bios when you buy a card tho.

[puppypal41]

so if i were to mod a computer that has a monitor plug in the mother board i would, well my choices are to: by a video card and plug a monitor into that or i could buy a dual and put both monitors in that, but how would i over ride the one in the mother board. But i sureley can add a video card and put a monitor in that and put a monitor in the one on the mother board? Right?

[hobey19]

Originally Posted by puppypal41 But i sureley can add a video card and put a monitor in that and put a monitor in the one on the mother board? Right?

no, you cannot; besides, with all video cards being dual-head, why would you want to? just get a good video card that has a VGA and a DVI port and you will be all set.

craig

[puppypal41]

Originally Posted by hobey19 just get a good video card that has a VGA and a DVI port and you will be all set. craig

Do you mean a dual headed card with a vga and dvi port? what is dvi?

[kram 2.0]

Originally Posted by puppypal41 Do you mean a dual headed card with a vga and dvi port? what is dvi?

DVI is a type of port. You see how there are two types of heads or ports that the monitors can connect to - DVI and VGA. I believe I'm safe to say VGA is the most common especially with CRTs using them. Take a look here - the port on the top is DVI and the port on the bottom is VGA.

kram

[puppypal41]

Ok everyone cut to the chase!!!

I have a computer, like most computers it has a monitor plug on the motherboard. I want to create a dual monitor system. What do I do??? Do
I get annother video card and use the plug in my motherboard and on the new video card or do I buy a dual video card and disable my onboard video? how do i disable onboard video?
Just tell me exactly what to do, what to get , and exactly that. just stop all the blah blah blah, just tell me whatt oget and how to do it!!!

HELP!!!

[Yuanji]

Originally Posted by puppypal41 Ok everyone cut to the chase!!! I have a computer, like most computers it has a monitor plug on the motherboard. I want to create a dual monitor system. What do I do??? Do I get annother video card and use the plug in my motherboard and on the new video card or do I buy a dual video card and disable my onboard video? how do i disable onboard video? Just tell me exactly what to do, what to get , and exactly that. just stop all the blah blah blah, just tell me whatt oget and how to do it!!! HELP!!!

i think that's what everybody has been telling you... check if ur motherboard has an AGP slot, get an AGP card with 2 outputs, install it, and turn off onboard in the bios.

[jong2k4]

Originally Posted by puppypal41 Ok everyone cut to the chase!!! I have a computer, like most computers it has a monitor plug on the motherboard. I want to create a dual monitor system. What do I do??? Do I get annother video card and use the plug in my motherboard and on the new video card or do I buy a dual video card and disable my onboard video? how do i disable onboard video? Just tell me exactly what to do, what to get , and exactly that. just stop all the blah blah blah, just tell me whatt oget and how to do it!!! HELP!!!

All of those questions have been answered already except how to disable onboard video. And I think I speak for more than just myself when I say that your last post isn't really inspiring me to jump up and answer that question.

All of the "blah blah blah" of which you speak are people telling you what you should know before setting up a dual monitor system.

[puppypal41]

Originally Posted by Yuanji and turn off onboard in the bios.

How do i turn the onboard video? what is bios???

[RJ]

The BIOS is the first thing that gets loaded when you turn on the computer. The BIOS is then what finally loads the operating system.
And the BIOS settings allow you to change settings of onboard components (chipset, onboard video, etc).

You enter the BIOS by hitting DEL right after you power up the computer, if you have a self-built one. And there, just look for the setting to turn onboard video off.

RJ

[puppypal41]

Originally Posted by RJ You enter the BIOS by hitting DEL right after you power up the computer, if you have a self-built one. And there, just look for the setting to turn onboard video off. RJ

what if you didnt build it? what if it is store bought? then how do you turn onboard video off?

[RJ]

If it's store bought then it's another key than DEL to enter the BIOS. Since you didn't tell me which one you have, I can't tell you the key, because each manufacturer uses a different one.

So, try all the F-Keys (F1, F2 etc.) and ESC, one of them should work.

then how do you turn onboard video off?

Ok, to finally answer your question, there is only 3 possible ways:
1) By BIOS setting
2) By jumper setting
3) Onboard gets deactivated automatically upon insertion of a graphics card
It depends on your board, which one of these ways your board used. The BIOS setting way is the most common, I believe.

RJ

[puppypal41]

Once im in the BIOS where do I look for to turn onboard video off???

[piasabird]

On a side note DVI can be both Digital and Analog. This is not always the case, but the plugs and sockets are designed to cary both.

[RJ]

Once im in the BIOS where do I look for to turn onboard video off???

Every BIOS looks different, and has different options. Therefore, nobody can tell you. But I don't believe we have to. The BIOS should be in English, so you just have to read.

RJ

[puppypal41]

I dont get it? will i read in the BIOS turn onboard video on/off?

[rjfvillarosa]

Puppypal it has been explianed to you everyway except backwards in this thread and you still dont understand, it obviously doesn't make any sense to you about dual outlet cards, bios or agp, dvi whatever. Do you have a local PC store where someone could explain it to you? I honestly think that all the information here is confusing you, can you not get some one to talk one on one with you and explain what it is all about. Maybe someone here could talk to you via IM or even by phone if it is allowed.

[RJ]

will i read in the BIOS turn onboard video on/off?

Not verbatim, but something like that, yes. It's probably an item called "onboard video", and the setting "on". You only need to change "on" to "off", and save. That's it. Now your BIOS might be a little different, but well, it is in English, so just read there, and you will find the option if there is one.

RJ