Greetings From the Great White North,
When I think something will be so simple. It is usually not!
I have a - Pentium® 4CPU, 1.80 Ghz with 256 RAM, Windows XP Home,
- NVIDA GeForce2 MX400 video card
- VGA port on the Mother Board
Can I hook up a second monitor through the VGA port? I tried that but, the Wizard would not recognize the port at all. Do I have to change to a 2 output video card? Windows Help is not very helpful on this matter.
Any help on what I need to set up duel monitors would be appreciated. Thank You,
Wink

A dual output video card is the easiest way to go. Not only would both outputs be running from the same piece of hardware, but also running the same software. It would lessen the chances of hardware/software conflicts.

Another option would be to use a video splitter similiar to the one shown.

That is a great option when you want to have the same output on more then one monitor. Thanks for the link.

Thank You, Jason and Leurgy, it looks like I am off to find a video card, we want to use duel monitors to help build a web site, I think it would save a lot of time. Is there any suggestions for a good video card? I have not had any trouble with the one I’ve got now.
Thanks Again, have a great day,
Wink

I use the 64MB AGP MX440 SE and have not had any major problems. I think that I paid a little under $60 for it about a year or so ago.

You should be able to find one around the same price, but a 128 MG model

I'm just thinking out loud here. If you have onboard video AND a video card it is most likely that the onboard video is disabled in the bios or with a jumper. You could try enabling it and see if that will run the second monitor. Never tried that.

Again thinking out loud. If you have another video card and a free slot you could try that too. Again I've never tried it.

A very nice way of all of us to learn. I think out loud all the time. Some even make it to this site

I have set-up dual monitors in several different ways: AGP vid card+embedded, AGP+PCI, PCI+embedded, embedded + external vid card, and (1)AGP w/ dual out. It can be done, but the circumstances vary by motherboard and the OS. It usually means playing around with the BIOS and jumpers in most cases expect for the last one.

It can be some rather extensive background research on each component. The video card(s) have to allow it, working with software that is not really designed to do it, along with Windows.

It would be much easier to get one piece of hardware that would do all of it. Not only would it be more compatible with the included software (even if only in the form of drivers), but it would also save you from having to return the equipment.

Awesome comment though Leurgy.

Thanks JE. Next time I get adventurous I'm going to try it.

Thank You for the input people,
This is the conclusion I got from Windows help and cruising around my computer, Duel or multi monitors is embedded in XP Home as an option, but to be able to use this function properly the second monitor should be listed at the display , in Settings, in Display Properties. In mine It only lists the one. My thoughts on this is that, a duel port video card, Driver, would enable this function, once the second monitor is plugged in, it would add it to this display list, then you could work with it from there.
As for being adventurous, I would like to be sometimes, but the box is sealed, still under warranty, I am pretty limited on what I can do inside the machine.
Thanks Again and keep up the good work,
Wink

As I said earlier, if you re-enable the onboard video in your Bios you can use two monitors with one hooked to each port. You will not need to open the box. This will list it at the display , in Settings, in Display Properties. If something goes wrong, reboot, go back into the Bios and change it back. No harm done.

Thanks Leurgy, I went into the Bios and the On board VGA was already enabled, the only other line that might have something to do with it was, PCI/VGA Palette Snoop was disabled, I did not want to mess with that one until I know, for sure, what it is or does. Maybe the problem is the second monitors driver, it is an older model. Thank you, Wink

Still Learning,
I have been cruising the Web the last couple of days, there is information out there about Multi Monitors. I will briefly outline what I have found.
There was not a whole lot of information on using the On Board VGA, I suppose that it has poorer graphics then a Video Card, and it dose not seem to support the use of a second monitor, at least the way I want to set the system up.
What I found that will work is installing a second Video Card, preferably the same as the one already installed, saves on software conflicts, this is probably the least expensive route, or purchasing a Duel Output Video Card, making sure that it has “multiple monitor support”,
installing one of these units is probably the simplest way to go, but they can get very pricy!
From what I gathered, to make life simpler, is to install a 3RD party software, to manage the screens and the Task Manager. The one most mentioned was Ultramon from Realtime Soft, I went to there Web Site, it looks very easy to use and they will let you use it for 30 days for free. As for setting up a Multi Monitor system, there are lots of sites out there, for what seems tho be very good advice, the one I liked was, PC World, they have a how to do video, and after digging around Microsoft
, they also have step by step set up, that seemed fairly straight forward for Windows XP. If you want to see what Muli Monitors can do, take a look at 9X Media, keep in mind that this is top of the line equiment on this site, Waaaay out of my leauge, but I fell in love anyway!
Thanks everyone for your help, hopefully what I have found out, will help someone else.
Have a Great day,
Wink