One DVI and one VGA monitor (Dual setup)

[PCJake]

I've got a GTX 280 and I'm currently running it to a 24" monitor via a DVI to HDMI cable (through an HDMI switcher, but I don't think that should make any difference).

I have an older 17" VGA monitor that I'd like to add on for dual-monitor goodness, so I tried to hook it up to the second DVI port on my GTX 280 using a VGA cable and a VGA to DVI adapter. It didn't auto-detect, nor did it show up in Vista's display settings or the Nvidia control panel. Is there something else I should try, or is it just impossible to run both a digital and an analog monitor at the same time through a single GTX 280.

Here's a little diagram in case my explanation wasn't clear enough.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Go into the display settings and enable dual displays. If taht doesn't help then try a different cable. The VGA cable your using may be bad.

 

[PCJake]

Originally posted by: mpilchfamily
Go into the display settings and enable dual displays. If taht doesn't help then try a different cable. The VGA cable your using may be bad.

Could you be a little more specific about how to enable dual displays? I didn't see any option like that in display settings or the Nvidia control panel.

The VGA cable works, I tested it on another computer. I might have another adapter I could try.

 

[Billb2]

A couple of things....

You may have to reinstall the Video driver to get windows to see the second output (and monitor), though it should have picked it up on a reboot.

You'll know when it's working when Display Properties shows two screens instead of one. The just click the second and check the "Extend My Desktop..." box.

In your picture you show a VGA to DVI adaptor. Shouldn't that be DVI to VGA? Or is it just semantics?

You really don't want to use two different sized monitors. The resizing, when you move from monitor to monitor, is rather jarring. And with 24" and 17" monitors, your eveballs will, shortly, fall out of their sockets.

 

[PCJake]

Originally posted by: Billb2
A couple of things....

You may have to reinstall the Video driver to get windows to see the second output (and monitor), though it should have picked it up on a reboot.

You'll know when it's working when Display Properties shows two screens instead of one. The just click the second and check the "Extend My Desktop..." box.

In your picture you show a VGA to DVI adaptor. Shouldn't that be DVI to VGA? Or is it just semantics?

You really don't want to use two different sized monitors. The resizing, when you move from monitor to monitor, is rather jarring. And with 24" and 17" monitors, your eveballs will, shortly, fall out of their sockets.

It's working now, I just made the silly mistake of organizing cables and unplugging the monitor while I was rebooting the first time. I made sure everything was hooked up this time and Vista detected the other monitor.

I chose the wrong picture for the adapter I think. My adapter has a DVI end that goes into the card and a VGA end that goes into the monitor's VGA cable. Whether that's called "VGA to DVI" or "DVI to VGA" I don't know (I'd like to though, feel free to enlighten me).

Is resizing the only problem with having two different sized monitors? So far it's really cool to be able to have all my extra programs like AIM or Firefox open on a different screen to be monitored while I play a game or watch a movie on the big one. It also lets me play my PS3 and monitor things on my computer without having to switch back and forth constantly. It makes me want to replace this 17" with a new 22" or 24" to make 3d editing and Photoshop more convenient.

 

[Egrimm]

The first is always the "beginning", in this case to the computer, the other the end, here the monitor. So DVI to VGA

 

[Billb2]

Originally posted by: PCJake

Is resizing the only problem with having two different sized monitors?

Pretty much yeah. You may find Ultramon useful.

 

[nestlewater]

You lucked out, by having an Nvidia card, multimonitor support on ATI is atrocious.

 

[zagood]

Originally posted by: PCJake
Is resizing the only problem with having two different sized monitors?

No, it can also create financial problems">http://www.widescreengamingfor...ex.php/Surround_Gaming</a>

Make sure you use dualview instead of span. You'll be able to set seperate resolutions for each of your monitors.

-z