Dell Latitude C840 external monitor question

I connect up an external monitor and want to see the same display on
both screens.

NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go 64meg vid card, Dell drivers.

I use the Function and F8 and select both displays.
This is where I hit a snag.

The monitor is designed for a maximum res. of 1280 X 1024
The C840 has a default resolution of 1600 X 1200

I go into display properties and set display 1 (LCD) to the proper
resolution. Then select display 2 (CRT) for 1280 x 1024.

The problem is that it doesn't seem to work that way. What am I doing wrong?


And related? How does the S-Video out work? Do you need the special Dell
adapter or just plug an Svid cable in and into the Svid input on the
display device?

I have the Dell users guide and the service manual. Is there a better
users manual out there? Something that covers all the stuff the machine
can actually do?

--
Steve W.

Steve W. wrote:
I connect up an external monitor and want to see the same display on
both screens.

NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go 64meg vid card, Dell drivers.

I use the Function and F8 and select both displays.
This is where I hit a snag.

The monitor is designed for a maximum res. of 1280 X 1024
The C840 has a default resolution of 1600 X 1200

I go into display properties and set display 1 (LCD) to the proper
resolution. Then select display 2 (CRT) for 1280 x 1024.

The problem is that it doesn't seem to work that way. What am I doing wrong?


And related? How does the S-Video out work? Do you need the special Dell
adapter or just plug an Svid cable in and into the Svid input on the
display device?

I have the Dell users guide and the service manual. Is there a better
users manual out there? Something that covers all the stuff the machine
can actually do?


afaik both the vga and the svideo connectors on the latitude c840 simply
echo what is on the main lcd display. neither is a secondary display
port. you can test this rather simply by bringing up the image on the
external display and clicking the 'identify' button in the display
properties page... either a big number 1 or 2 will appear on the display
helping you identify which you are adjusting. i suspect the internal
lcd and the externally connected (regardless if it is connected via vga
or the svideo port) display will both show a big 1. why you have a
display 2 in the display properties page is probably due to having the
docking station software installed. the docking station for the
latitude c840 has its own video port that can be set for a different
resolution than the internal display for easy docking.

Hi!

I go into display properties and set display 1 (LCD) to the proper
resolution. Then select display 2 (CRT) for 1280 x 1024.

The problem is that it doesn't seem to work that way. What am I doing
wrong?

What you're doing there would be the thing to do if you were going to use
the two displays separately...that is to say, you'd have different things on
each one. (nVidia calls this DualView, and Dell disables it on some
machines. My LatD800 didn't support it with Dell's drivers, even though it
works perfectly.)

Since you're going to clone the information on one display and put it on
another, you need to find a resolution that is agreeable to both displays.
Then set the internal panel display to that resolution, after which you
should be able to use the hotkey to get the expected result. When the
display is being cloned, both displays have to run at a resolution that is
compatible to each one. Don't set the resolution for (or enable) the second
monitor, because technically speaking, it does not exist when you are
cloning the contents of one display to another.

You *might* need to go into the advanced display properties and use the
nVidia properties sheet to assure that the multiple displays are being
placed in the right mode. The hotkey may simply select a default or whatever
the last chosen mode was.

And related? How does the S-Video out work? Do you need the special Dell
adapter or just plug an Svid cable in and into the Svid input on the
display device?

I believe you need the Dell adapter, but the C840 may be different in this
regard. The adapter I have for the D800 breaks out into S-Video, composite
video AND coaxial digital audio output. The docking station for this machine
has the S-Video and coaxial digital audio connectors on it.

I have the Dell users guide and the service manual. Is there a better
users manual out there? Something that covers all the stuff the machine
can actually do?

There's always the information provided by the companies who made the
hardware in your system. However, not everything may apply to your system,
so using that is a guessing game. The user's manual should actually do a
pretty good job of explaining what you can do with your system unit. You may
also want manuals for the various options (docking stations, breakout
cables, port replicators, etc...) to better understand how they can be used.

And of course there is always this group. Someone may have tried what you
are thinking of and found out whether it works or not. Although this is not
guaranteed, it's a good start.

William

Christopher Muto wrote:
Steve W. wrote:
I connect up an external monitor and want to see the same display on
both screens.

NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go 64meg vid card, Dell drivers.

I use the Function and F8 and select both displays.
This is where I hit a snag.

The monitor is designed for a maximum res. of 1280 X 1024
The C840 has a default resolution of 1600 X 1200

I go into display properties and set display 1 (LCD) to the proper
resolution. Then select display 2 (CRT) for 1280 x 1024.

The problem is that it doesn't seem to work that way. What am I doing
wrong?


And related? How does the S-Video out work? Do you need the special Dell
adapter or just plug an Svid cable in and into the Svid input on the
display device?

I have the Dell users guide and the service manual. Is there a better
users manual out there? Something that covers all the stuff the machine
can actually do?


afaik both the vga and the svideo connectors on the latitude c840 simply
echo what is on the main lcd display. neither is a secondary display
port. you can test this rather simply by bringing up the image on the
external display and clicking the 'identify' button in the display
properties page... either a big number 1 or 2 will appear on the display
helping you identify which you are adjusting. i suspect the internal
lcd and the externally connected (regardless if it is connected via vga
or the svideo port) display will both show a big 1. why you have a
display 2 in the display properties page is probably due to having the
docking station software installed. the docking station for the
latitude c840 has its own video port that can be set for a different
resolution than the internal display for easy docking.


Hooked up the external and tried a few things.

With the laptop set to the LCD, Identify puts the 1 on the laptop as it
should.

When set to display on both it shows 1 on the laptop and 1 on the external.

If I select the extend my desktop to this screen then I get a 2 on the
second display.

None of the above allows me to have each display set to it's best
resolution though.

What I had hoped was that you could leave the LCD at it's native
resolution and set the external to it's best and be finished. Guess that
if I want to use the external I'll just have to live with the smaller
display on the laptop.

What I'm trying to do is set up a training location for my FD. I was
hoping to show the different lessons on the external and I could watch
on the laptop to narrate as required.

HMM I wonder if extending the desktop would allow a powerpoint to run on
the external display while I have notes open on the laptop? Haven't
tried that yet.


--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

William R. Walsh wrote:
Hi!

I go into display properties and set display 1 (LCD) to the proper
resolution. Then select display 2 (CRT) for 1280 x 1024.

The problem is that it doesn't seem to work that way. What am I doing
wrong?

What you're doing there would be the thing to do if you were going to use
the two displays separately...that is to say, you'd have different things on
each one. (nVidia calls this DualView, and Dell disables it on some
machines. My LatD800 didn't support it with Dell's drivers, even though it
works perfectly.)

Since you're going to clone the information on one display and put it on
another, you need to find a resolution that is agreeable to both displays.
Then set the internal panel display to that resolution, after which you
should be able to use the hotkey to get the expected result. When the
display is being cloned, both displays have to run at a resolution that is
compatible to each one. Don't set the resolution for (or enable) the second
monitor, because technically speaking, it does not exist when you are
cloning the contents of one display to another.

You *might* need to go into the advanced display properties and use the
nVidia properties sheet to assure that the multiple displays are being
placed in the right mode. The hotkey may simply select a default or whatever
the last chosen mode was.

And related? How does the S-Video out work? Do you need the special Dell
adapter or just plug an Svid cable in and into the Svid input on the
display device?

I believe you need the Dell adapter, but the C840 may be different in this
regard. The adapter I have for the D800 breaks out into S-Video, composite
video AND coaxial digital audio output. The docking station for this machine
has the S-Video and coaxial digital audio connectors on it.

I have the Dell users guide and the service manual. Is there a better
users manual out there? Something that covers all the stuff the machine
can actually do?

There's always the information provided by the companies who made the
hardware in your system. However, not everything may apply to your system,
so using that is a guessing game. The user's manual should actually do a
pretty good job of explaining what you can do with your system unit. You may
also want manuals for the various options (docking stations, breakout
cables, port replicators, etc...) to better understand how they can be used.

And of course there is always this group. Someone may have tried what you
are thinking of and found out whether it works or not. Although this is not
guaranteed, it's a good start.

William




Thanks for the information. I guess I figured it would be possible to
run both displays at different resolutions. Guess the only way to do
that is with a different type of video card.


--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Hi!

Thanks for the information. I guess I figured it would be possible to
run both displays at different resolutions. Guess the only way to do
that is with a different type of video card.

If that's what you want to do, it's entirely possible. (But that's
what you should have asked for! :-))

Dell's permutation of the nVidia drivers usually has this feature
disabled. If you want to use it (or a number of other features) you
may want to take a look at LaptopVideo2Go. They have driver packages
(unmodified) and a customized .INF file to add what Dell doesn't give
you.

Keep in mind, though, that two screens running at separate resolutions
are going to be treated as two separate entitites. Without a LOT of
software trickery (that I have never seen implemented) what's on one
display won't be on another when running that way.

William

William R. Walsh wrote:
Hi!

Thanks for the information. I guess I figured it would be possible to
run both displays at different resolutions. Guess the only way to do
that is with a different type of video card.

If that's what you want to do, it's entirely possible. (But that's
what you should have asked for! :-))

I just figured that would be the "normal" way it should work. That you
would be able to select the proper resolution independently. BUT
computers never seem to do things that sound like common sense.


Dell's permutation of the nVidia drivers usually has this feature
disabled. If you want to use it (or a number of other features) you
may want to take a look at LaptopVideo2Go. They have driver packages
(unmodified) and a customized .INF file to add what Dell doesn't give
you.

Keep in mind, though, that two screens running at separate resolutions
are going to be treated as two separate entitites. Without a LOT of
software trickery (that I have never seen implemented) what's on one
display won't be on another when running that way.

William

I'll take a look. Thanks again.

--
Steve W.
(\___/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

Steve W. wrote:
Christopher Muto wrote:
Steve W. wrote:
I connect up an external monitor and want to see the same display on
both screens.

NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go 64meg vid card, Dell drivers.

I use the Function and F8 and select both displays.
This is where I hit a snag.

The monitor is designed for a maximum res. of 1280 X 1024
The C840 has a default resolution of 1600 X 1200

I go into display properties and set display 1 (LCD) to the proper
resolution. Then select display 2 (CRT) for 1280 x 1024.

The problem is that it doesn't seem to work that way. What am I doing
wrong?


And related? How does the S-Video out work? Do you need the special Dell
adapter or just plug an Svid cable in and into the Svid input on the
display device?

I have the Dell users guide and the service manual. Is there a better
users manual out there? Something that covers all the stuff the machine
can actually do?

afaik both the vga and the svideo connectors on the latitude c840 simply
echo what is on the main lcd display. neither is a secondary display
port. you can test this rather simply by bringing up the image on the
external display and clicking the 'identify' button in the display
properties page... either a big number 1 or 2 will appear on the display
helping you identify which you are adjusting. i suspect the internal
lcd and the externally connected (regardless if it is connected via vga
or the svideo port) display will both show a big 1. why you have a
display 2 in the display properties page is probably due to having the
docking station software installed. the docking station for the
latitude c840 has its own video port that can be set for a different
resolution than the internal display for easy docking.


Hooked up the external and tried a few things.

With the laptop set to the LCD, Identify puts the 1 on the laptop as it
should.

When set to display on both it shows 1 on the laptop and 1 on the external.

If I select the extend my desktop to this screen then I get a 2 on the
second display.

None of the above allows me to have each display set to it's best
resolution though.

What I had hoped was that you could leave the LCD at it's native
resolution and set the external to it's best and be finished. Guess that
if I want to use the external I'll just have to live with the smaller
display on the laptop.

What I'm trying to do is set up a training location for my FD. I was
hoping to show the different lessons on the external and I could watch
on the laptop to narrate as required.

HMM I wonder if extending the desktop would allow a powerpoint to run on
the external display while I have notes open on the laptop? Haven't
tried that yet.


it is normal when enabling the extended desktop feature that both
monitors have to be the same resolution, otherwise what would happen to
the part of the image that is outside of the resolution of the lower
resolution monitor as it get moves from the higher resolution monitor to
the lower? there is a product by matrox called dualhead2go (and
trippedhead2go) that allows you to split a single video port to more
than one monitor. i am not sure if it would allow you to have different
resolutions set for each but it is worth calling them to fund out. the
device comes in analog/vga, dvi, and display port versions.