Connecting 2 x monitors to a laptop

energizer123

energizer123

energizer123

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Hi,

Just started my own business and setting up the offices. I've got two monitors on each desk both of which I want to connect to a laptop. The plan is then to use the desk monitors (as two screens) and disable the screen on the laptop.

I've purchased an HDMI splitter but the both second monitors are being detected as a single monitor. They are both 1080p so I thought the answer might be to set a custom resolution to stretch the image across both. Although within windows I'm unable to set a custom resolution. Unfortunately, the laptop only has one hdmi out.

I thought the image could be the integrated GPU in the laptop is unable to push that many pixels although I don't think that's the case. Any help would be much appreciated, I'm close to throwing the laptops out!
 
They're detected as single monitor, because all that splitter does is copy signal between them.
DisplayPort would support daisy chaning, but instead of proper license free connector designed by engineers marketing pushes that crappy license scam HDMI to everything.
https://www.displayport.org/cables/driving-multiple-displays-from-a-single-displayport-output/

What's the laptop model?
If it's modern laptop, then it likely would supprot display output through USB-C.
 
What splitter are you using? I suspect all the splitter is doing is sending the same output to both monitors.

You need something a bit more fancy for it to tell the laptop to output 3840x1080 and then split the signal to each monitor. Also in doing it this way you lose a lot of built in windows functions that you'll want for a dual screen set up - for example if Windows thinks it is only one display it will maximise across all screens, not just the active one.
 
Thanks both, that's really useful.

@EsaT - it's a brand new laptop and has USB type C. So am I correct in thinking I can get a USB C to Display Port adapter then go display port to one monitor then daisy chain that monitor into the other? How would I do that since the monitor only has one display port?
 
energizer123 said:
@EsaT - it's a brand new laptop and has USB type C. So am I correct in thinking I can get a USB C to Display Port adapter then go display port to one monitor then daisy chain that monitor into the other? How would I do that since the monitor only has one display port?
Click to expand...
Daisy chaning works with displays with multiple DP connectors. (last display doesn't need second port)
Such shame that monitors waste money into that license scam HDMI port instead of having two DP connectors.
(every single device with HDMI port carries licence/royalty for port and use of HDMI logo)
So separate cables have to be used.

Laptop's specifications should tell what things are supported by USB-C.
If its business laptop like Lenovo ThinkPad then it would be easy to find specs.
For consumer laptops precise specs are usually harder to find.

Though especially if you're intending to have separate keyboard and mouse for desk use and carry laptop with you, then some kind docking station could be easier than bunch of separate cables.
 
+1 for docks - lets you have keyboards, mice and potentially charging all hooked up to one connector, as well as the screens. They can be pricy but if seen as part of setup costs, well worth it for quality of life. My office now issues every employee with one portable device and we don't have any form of PC permanently in the office.
 
Thanks all.

Monitors are DELL S2419HN and the laptops are LENOVO IdeaPad 530S. It looks to me like monitors just have 2 x HDMI which rules out daisy chaining?

Assume my only option is a dock, I don't mind the outlay but it's space on a desk I would prefer not to use. Would this solve my issue? Alternatively, I build two cheap PCs with a cheap graphics card and use the laptop for home.

Thanks again
 
Having checked the specs of the laptop it looks like the laptop has a dedicated HDMI port and USB-C, if this is the case then you can connect one monitor directly via HDMI, for the other you will need a USB-C to HDMI cable / adapter.
 
That's consumer laptop and its USB-C port is only for data transfer and lacks DisplayPort mode.
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo...x/ideapad-530S-usb-type-c-to-hdmi/m-p/4217702
I don't think there's anything beyond simple USB hub for that, because dumb USB data transfer only port lacks flexibility.
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/accs-guide
So only one external display is possible with it.

Even standard level ThinkPad L480 would have been completely superior with support for three independent displays.
https://psref.lenovo.com/syspool/Sy...480/ThinkPad_L480_Platform_Specifications.pdf
Besides support for proper dock with all connectivity for using laptop in place of desk PC.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Think...-T480-ThinkPad-X280-X1-Carbon-6.277916.0.html


So it's either only one external monitors, desktop PC, or laptop fit for work.
 
EsaT said:
That's consumer laptop and its USB-C port is only for data transfer and lacks DisplayPort mode.
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo...x/ideapad-530S-usb-type-c-to-hdmi/m-p/4217702
I don't think there's anything beyond simple USB hub for that, because dumb USB data transfer only port lacks flexibility.
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/accs-guide
So only one external display is possible with it.

Even standard level ThinkPad L480 would have been completely superior with support for three independent displays.
https://psref.lenovo.com/syspool/Sys/PDF/ThinkPad/ThinkPad L480/ThinkPad_L480_Platform_Specifications.pdf
Besides support for proper dock with all connectivity for using laptop in place of desk PC.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Think...-T480-ThinkPad-X280-X1-Carbon-6.277916.0.html


So it's either only one external monitors, desktop PC, or laptop fit for work.
Click to expand...
Or a dock like we discussed. You can get small ones the size of a cigarette packet, or nice powered ones the size of a beer can. Definitely worth it, and certainly smaller than a PC!
 
Hi,

energizer123 did you get your setup to work? Weirdly enough I have the exact same setup as you and I'm trying to connect my two displays to my laptop. If you did, how did you manage to to make it work? Also, does anybody have any recomendations on powerd USB3 hubs with video output?

Thanks
 
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