Problems connecting and external monitor
1,384 posts
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Posted 01/02/2011 - 17:20
Not many laptops feature DVI sockets, so I would imagine either a VGA or a HDTV connector.
Best regards
Terry
K20D, Optio I10, DA 18-55 1:3.5-5.6 AL II, A 1:1.7/50, D FA 1:2.8/100 Macro, Sigma 70-300 1:4-5.6 APO DG Macro, Pentax AF 360FGZ
Best regards
Terry
K20D, Optio I10, DA 18-55 1:3.5-5.6 AL II, A 1:1.7/50, D FA 1:2.8/100 Macro, Sigma 70-300 1:4-5.6 APO DG Macro, Pentax AF 360FGZ
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Posted 01/02/2011 - 17:27
The most likely problem is that you have not selected the correct display settings in the Nvidia displays manager application. If you drill down through the advance options you should come across a panel(DualView)that allows you to either extend the laptop display onto the Dell monitor or clone the laptop display on to the Dell monitor. Which you use depends on what you want to do. The former will just give you more 'desktop' space to paly with whilst the latter will allow you to display the same on both screens. If you cannot find this option, it may be because you just have the basic Nvidia driver on your laptop, in which case you need to go to the Nvidia website and download the full version of their display manager software.
You might also find this useful link Although the support notes refers to XP and Windows 7, the procedure will be similar, if not the same, in Vista.
Jon
You might also find this useful link Although the support notes refers to XP and Windows 7, the procedure will be similar, if not the same, in Vista.
Jon
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Posted 01/02/2011 - 18:05
On the front of the panel there are some control buttons. One of those is likely to allow you to switch between input types: VGA/DVI (mine look like screens with an arrow pointing in from the left).
Press that button and make sure it is set to VGA/Analogue, which should flash up on the panel; if it doesn't it has developed a fault.
Press that button and make sure it is set to VGA/Analogue, which should flash up on the panel; if it doesn't it has developed a fault.
Link
Posted 04/02/2011 - 06:21
Decided to revisit this as I have plenty of free time today as it's a bank holiday. Shouldn't have done! Have now managed to disable my laptop screen without getting the Dell monitor working so it is impossible to do anything on my computer now (am writing this on my daughter's).
I went to that link you gave Jon, and found some stuff on Vista which looked very useful. Including a place to manually detect external monitors and switch the display over to them. However, this has only resulted in a laptop with a black screen as it is now routing all information to an external monitor that isn't receiving the signal. Doh!
Tried in Safe Mode (which I can see on the laptop) to locate the panel which I'd used to change displays, but couldn't - the Control Panel is configured differently in Safe Mode.
Does anyone know how I can reactivate my laptop display?
BTW it's not that the monitor is set wrong Shaky - I've got it on Analag (auto detect).
Oh and my Nvidia's fine, Jon (had actually gone through this to no avail the other day).
If only I could say the same about my Samsung!
Mhuni
500px
I went to that link you gave Jon, and found some stuff on Vista which looked very useful. Including a place to manually detect external monitors and switch the display over to them. However, this has only resulted in a laptop with a black screen as it is now routing all information to an external monitor that isn't receiving the signal. Doh!
Tried in Safe Mode (which I can see on the laptop) to locate the panel which I'd used to change displays, but couldn't - the Control Panel is configured differently in Safe Mode.
Does anyone know how I can reactivate my laptop display?
BTW it's not that the monitor is set wrong Shaky - I've got it on Analag (auto detect).
Oh and my Nvidia's fine, Jon (had actually gone through this to no avail the other day).
If only I could say the same about my Samsung!
Mhuni
500px
Last Edited by Dr. Mhuni on 04/02/2011 - 06:47
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Posted 04/02/2011 - 11:39
Stupid question, but have you made sure that the monitor is not at fault?
Try the monitor with the cable you use on a different computer and see if it working.
Have you tried the HotKey combination where you switch between the monitors to see if you can reactivate this way the screen?
Are any pins of the connector bent or (I know that sounds unlikely but I have seen this before!) is any of the connectors blocked or clogged up (you will have to shine a light in to the connector socket and use a magnifying glass or use a video camera on macro and zoom right (if you can) in to see in to the connector and check it on the camera screen.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Try the monitor with the cable you use on a different computer and see if it working.
Have you tried the HotKey combination where you switch between the monitors to see if you can reactivate this way the screen?
Are any pins of the connector bent or (I know that sounds unlikely but I have seen this before!) is any of the connectors blocked or clogged up (you will have to shine a light in to the connector socket and use a magnifying glass or use a video camera on macro and zoom right (if you can) in to see in to the connector and check it on the camera screen.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Link
Posted 04/02/2011 - 12:27
Solved the laptop problem. All I had to do was unplug the the VGA cable and startup. Not sure what will happen next time I try starting up with the monitor plugged in.
I don't think there is anything wrong with the monitor. I managed to get it working in the UK, so unless something has happened in transit (of which there is no evidence) I don;t think that's it. Though will investigate further as I'm having no joy trying to get the thing working.
Mhuni
500px
I don't think there is anything wrong with the monitor. I managed to get it working in the UK, so unless something has happened in transit (of which there is no evidence) I don;t think that's it. Though will investigate further as I'm having no joy trying to get the thing working.
Mhuni
500px
Link
Posted 04/02/2011 - 13:05
Sometimes all it needs is to just move it and tilt it. Had the problem with one that my neighbour wanted from me. It was working fine . Switched it off and disconnected it, taken it over to his house (about 50 meters), reconnected it and it was gone.
Good thing was that there still was warranty on it so I got a new one. When I asked why it went I was told that sometimes all it takes to move the monitor (in particular if it was in use for a longer time) and they just 'go'.
Oh well, the wonders of technique.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Good thing was that there still was warranty on it so I got a new one. When I asked why it went I was told that sometimes all it takes to move the monitor (in particular if it was in use for a longer time) and they just 'go'.
Oh well, the wonders of technique.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Link
Posted 05/02/2011 - 00:14
Doc - on the monitor OSD, have you tried Menu - Input - Scan Sources? (While connected to the notebook and receiving data assumedly.)
If you have another PC available, perhaps try this monitor on another source, just to help isolate the source of the difficulty.
Also, if possible try a factory reset on the monitor, and see what happens thereafter, just in case.
http://www.pbase.com/iberg
If you have another PC available, perhaps try this monitor on another source, just to help isolate the source of the difficulty.
Also, if possible try a factory reset on the monitor, and see what happens thereafter, just in case.
http://www.pbase.com/iberg
Last Edited by i-Berg on 05/02/2011 - 00:16
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Posted 11/02/2011 - 17:32
I had a dodgy cable!!!!
The monitor's working fine now and Fn. F4 does indeed enable me to switch between displays.
Thanks again, everyone, for your suggestions.
I just have to calibrate the monitor now and work out what to do about the re-sizing which plays havoc with the appearance of photos. Erm.... watch this space!
Mhuni
500px
The monitor's working fine now and Fn. F4 does indeed enable me to switch between displays.
Thanks again, everyone, for your suggestions.
I just have to calibrate the monitor now and work out what to do about the re-sizing which plays havoc with the appearance of photos. Erm.... watch this space!
Mhuni
500px
Link
Posted 11/02/2011 - 17:40
The wonders of technique and a cable brings it all down
Welcome back and I hope you enjoy your dual setup.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Welcome back and I hope you enjoy your dual setup.
Kind regards
SmutjeUK
It's nice to be nice!
Pentax K-5 with D-GB4 Grip, to many lenses to mention by now (serious LBA by now), TC's, Lowepro Slingshot 300 AW, Manfrotto 028 & Redsnapper RS-283 with various Heads plus various Camera Clamps (I collect them). Pentax AF 360FGZ, Pentax AF 240FT, several Metz 45 CT-1 & 5 with stands and 'Blow Up' Soft Boxes, Flash Triggers, and various Macro gear.
Link
Posted 15/02/2011 - 12:23
Inevitably (involving, as it does, me and computers) I am still having difficulties.
The good news is that the monitor is now coupled successfully to the laptop. The bad news that I can't seem to be able to set up the Dell so that it displays things properly.
Images on the Dell aren't clear in the way they are on my laptop screen and there also seems to be some re-sizing going on, as image dimensions change depending on which resolution I opt for.
I've done a search and possibly found the source of the problem - the native resolution of the Dell is apparently 1680x1050. However, I don't have this as an option when I try to change display settings in Vista (my options are 1366x768; 1280:720; 1024:768 [at which my laptop screen is set]; & 800x600).
Another peculiar thing - which may well also have something to do with the problem - is that when I try to 'Identify monitors', both monitors come up with 1, instead of 1 & 2. Also, I've noticed that I can - nominally - adjust screen 2 (which I thought was the laptop, though perhaps it's the Dell as this would make more sense) to 1680x1050, but in actuality can't as it keeps on resetting to 1024x768.
If you've manged to get to here... does anyone have any suggestions?!
Mhuni
500px
The good news is that the monitor is now coupled successfully to the laptop. The bad news that I can't seem to be able to set up the Dell so that it displays things properly.
Images on the Dell aren't clear in the way they are on my laptop screen and there also seems to be some re-sizing going on, as image dimensions change depending on which resolution I opt for.
I've done a search and possibly found the source of the problem - the native resolution of the Dell is apparently 1680x1050. However, I don't have this as an option when I try to change display settings in Vista (my options are 1366x768; 1280:720; 1024:768 [at which my laptop screen is set]; & 800x600).
Another peculiar thing - which may well also have something to do with the problem - is that when I try to 'Identify monitors', both monitors come up with 1, instead of 1 & 2. Also, I've noticed that I can - nominally - adjust screen 2 (which I thought was the laptop, though perhaps it's the Dell as this would make more sense) to 1680x1050, but in actuality can't as it keeps on resetting to 1024x768.
If you've manged to get to here... does anyone have any suggestions?!
Mhuni
500px
Link
Posted 15/02/2011 - 12:39
It sound like you are on 'clone' where both displays show the same thing. Switch to 'extend' in the display panel
My Photobucket
My Photobucket
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Posted 15/02/2011 - 13:31
Thanks Bob, Greynolds. It was the fact that it was on clone. I was thinking that it would be possible to use two screens with each set appropriately, but I guess this isn't possible. Right?
Anyway, at least my Dell is looking how I anticipated it would now.
Mhuni
500px
Anyway, at least my Dell is looking how I anticipated it would now.
Mhuni
500px
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Dr. Mhuni
Member
Geneva
Have tried the function buttons and come up with nothing.
Am getting tired of trying to sort this out - it's getting in the way of photo editing. So will leave it for tonight.
Thanks for the suggestions, all.
Mhuni
500px