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What physical hardware do I need for an extended monitor?

Tags:
  • Hardware
  • Peripherals
  • Desktops
  • Monitors
Last response: in Computer Peripherals
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August 31, 2014 8:12:41 AM

I have an old desktop that I converted to Ubuntu Linux and want to set up two monitors for it. I'm not 100% clear on the definition of extended desktop vs. dual monitor. I just want to extend the screen, not have two separate desktops running at the same time nor the same image on two screens. The desktop I am using is about 5 years old and only has a VGA port. I was looking at something like this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...
and a Y shaped VGA splitter. Is this the right equipment or is there something else I need since I keep hearing about needing a second video card?

More about : physical hardware extended monitor

August 31, 2014 8:18:08 AM

Extended is really the same as dual-monitors, it's just that instead of having the same display on both screens the screen expands to the width of both combined. You will also want to make sure your desktop's graphics card has the capability to support two screens. What graphics card does it have? And what are your monitor resolutions?
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September 1, 2014 2:17:35 PM

turkey3_scratch said:
Extended is really the same as dual-monitors, it's just that instead of having the same display on both screens the screen expands to the width of both combined. You will also want to make sure your desktop's graphics card has the capability to support two screens. What graphics card does it have? And what are your monitor resolutions?


I have an HP Pavilion a6000la:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01035996&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&product=3435609#N420


It comes with Intel GMA 950. I just bought a new monitor that has a maximum resolution 1920x1080. The older one has resolution 1280x1024. I don't mind the difference in resolution, I just wanted to know if it was at least possible to run these two monitors on this graphics card since I'm not a computer hardware guy (hence why I came here!).
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a c 112 C Monitor
September 1, 2014 2:58:14 PM

The gma 950 supports 2 monitors but the issue is you only have 1 video port. Splitters won't give you independent monitors, it'll just duplicate. The simplest solution would be to just get a video card. The gma 950 will be disabled when a video card is plugged in. http://www.microcenter.com/product/383929/Radeon_HD_645...
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