Setting up three monitor display on win 7 laptop

[mattyj]

Hi there

I have *almost* exactly the same question as per this thread: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/337883-33-setting-monitor-display-laptop, as I have a Win 7 laptop with a Radeon HD 6490M (1GB) dedicated graphics card in addition to the integrated intel graphics, however the difference in my laptop is that as well as a HDMI port (and the important difference to the OP's question) is that I have a mini-Display Port (instead of a VGA port).

So I was wondering if in my case, I would be able to connect two additional monitors (to make three total)? 'refillable's comment in that thread says "Well yeah, you need display port... " - in my case I do have one...

But does that mean I could simply plug in 2 monitors (1 to the HDMI, and one to the (mini) Display Port) to get a total of 3 screens? Or does it mean I need to buy one of those Display Port "boxes" (eg. by Accell) that converts a Display Port to 3 Display Ports in order to get more than one screen connected?

I've got 2 screens plugged, but only seem to be able to extend the desktop on to any two, but not all three at once, as per the OP's original question in that thread.

I'm a bit of a noob in this area, and didn't know where to start, and came across this thread on Google with almost exactly the same problem and it seemed like a good place to start, I've done a lot of Googling with nothing else bringing me any closer to an answer to my question.

I also can't find anywhere whether the 6490M has the 'Eyefinity' technology or not - in which case I guess it doesn't.

So any help greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Matt

 

[DarkSable]

Here's the problem... Even if you get three monitors, you won't be able to game on them - the mobile chips will barely even run word on all three monitors.

So no, you won't come close to playing with eyefinity. (Which only works with three of the same monitors anyways.)

EDIT: At HD resolution, you need TWO high end cards to play eyefinity. Just saying.

 

[mattyj]

Thanks for your reply DarkSable

I'm not a gamer actually. What I was hoping for is one screen for my email program (Outlook), one for iTunes or something, and then my big (24") screen as my main workspace.

I got the impression Eyefinity was needed in order to use more than 2 screens with the AMD graphics card.

I've got my laptop screen, I just got a 24" recently, and a family member had a spare smaller screen they didn't need which I have been using as my second screen, but now it'd just be a spare one if I can't connect it. Only the 24" has HD capacity. I had thought given my laptop has 2 'video outputs' I'd be able to connect 2 screens to use a total of 3.

Also, I thought with Eyefinity you just needed the screens to be set at the same resolution actually, from what you say it sounds more like a gaming thing.

Don't suppose that changes the answer as to whether I can have 3 screens connected and viewable at once or not?

I would've thought, worst case, I could get one of those Display Port boxes to get 3 monitors total (as I mentioned in my first post)?

Cheers
Matt

 

[unksol]

It depends on your display port version as to whether or not one of those boxes would work. I highly doubt it would work on a laptop. Your best course of action is to ask the manufacture/check the manual as they would know how its wired. It may only allow 2 outputs if the laptop monitor is disabled. You also don't want eyefinity, that combined the screens into one.

Do you have a display port monitor? If so that means its probably not going to work. if you are using an adapter an active display port adapter may be required for it to work. Thats the case on desktop AMD cards.

For what you are doing a display link box would work fine. These output the video signal over USB. Not good for gaming or movies, but fine for desktop work or just.having iTunes up.

 

[mattyj]

Great, thanks unksol, sounds interesting.

Would you mind please explaining the resultant setup, or perhaps linking to an example of what you are thinking of? Is it a single USB to single video output box you're talking about?

So would I have the 24" connected via HDMI, and my smaller screen connected via USB?

Cheers
Matt

 

[mattyj]

Unksol? Anyone?

What is a display link box? How many screen outputs does it have/do I need to get for the setup that I'm hoping to achieve to work?

Cheers
Matt

 

[mattyj]

Best answer selected by mattyj.

 

[mattyj]

FYI, I ended up purchasing a USB to VGA/DVI/HDMI DisplayLink 'box' from eBay, which should allow me to connect an extra screen by itself, so hopefully that'll give me my solution then.
Cheers
Matt

 

[mattyj]

My USB to VGA/DVI/HDMI DisplayLink 'box' arrived today, now I have 3 screens! Too easy.
Cheers
Matt