Multiple monitors on a laptop with one VGA output

threein99

So we have a laptop in work that we need to connect to multiple monitors, its a Lenovo G560 with only one VGA output. Is there any adapter I can buy to make this possible ? Here's the graphics card specs https://gyazo.com/ce78e5a4209e705a5762384558e0f329

Greenman

Maybe you might find something here. https://www.google.be/search?q=vga+output+splitter&rlz=1T4GGHP_enBE585BE585&biw=1006&bih=487&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiOn72O8eHRAhWGNhoKHQo6D0AQ_AUIBigB


JD.

threein99

Greenman wrote: »

Maybe you might find something here. https://www.google.be/search?q=vga+output+splitter&rlz=1T4GGHP_enBE585BE585&biw=1006&bih=487&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwiOn72O8eHRAhWGNhoKHQo6D0AQ_AUIBigB


JD.

Do these work well ?

I don't want the same same display on each monitor, I want to extend my desktop.

ItHurtsWhenIP

You could check out some of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=usb+port+replicators
I think they should allow you to have multiple monitors.

I have a Lenovo W530 with a full blown docking station and it runs two monitors no problem.

threein99

ItHurtsWhenIP wrote: »

You could check out some of these:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=usb+port+replicators
I think they should allow you to have multiple monitors.

I have a Lenovo W530 with a full blown docking station and it runs two monitors no problem.

Does that Laptop have only one vga output ?

aligator_am

There seems to be 2 variants of this laptop, does the one you've got have a HDMI port on it along with the VGA port?

Also, how many external screens do you need to connect to at once?

threein99

aligator_am wrote: »

There seems to be 2 variants of this laptop, does the one you've got have a HDMI port on it along with the VGA port?

Also, how many external screens do you need to connect to at once?

It only has one VGA port and no HDMI. My manager is hoping for 4 external screens but that's not looking very do-able

aligator_am

threein99 wrote: »

It only has one VGA port and no HDMI. My manager is hoping for 4 external screens but that's not looking very do-able

Something like this should do the trick, there seems to be different options so have a root around.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plugable-Graphics-Multiple-Displays-1920x1080/dp/B004D0QC0A/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1485524291&sr=8-10&keywords=usb+vga+adapter

ItHurtsWhenIP

threein99 wrote: »

Does that Laptop have only one vga output ?

It has VGA, HDMI and DP on the laptop itself.

It's a bit of effort to see what my docking station has (it's a little buried at the moment), but if I remember correctly it has 2xVGA, 2xDVI and 2xHDMI.

threein99

ItHurtsWhenIP wrote: »

It has VGA, HDMI and DP on the laptop itself.

It's a bit of effort to see what my docking station has (it's a little buried at the moment), but if I remember correctly it has 2xVGA, 2xDVI and 2xHDMI.

The laptop here doesn't having a docking station port on the bottom. So its going to have to be VGA to and USB to VGA

TerrorFirmer

I think with the older Intel HD graphics the most independent screens you can have is 2?

So if you're using those external adaptors to drive screens, and there's only one VGA on the laptop itself, you'd need a few of them which is pretty expensive and quite fiddly.

munchkin_utd

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

I think with the older Intel HD graphics the most independent screens you can have is 2?

So if you're using those external adaptors to drive screens, and there's only one VGA on the laptop itself, you'd need a few of them which is pretty expensive and quite fiddly.

the VGA adapters are only €15
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Adapters/Patuoxun-Video-Graphic-Display-External-Laptop-Windows/B00GTLBHSI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1485533032&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+vga

also, its for work, so whilst I'm not saying money is no object, if you are looking for it for a sales pitch or whatever then 3 x €15 is next to nothing compared to what may be gained if ye get a contract or impress a customer or whatever .

threein99

munchkin_utd wrote: »

the VGA adapters are only €15
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Adapters/Patuoxun-Video-Graphic-Display-External-Laptop-Windows/B00GTLBHSI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1485533032&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+vga

also, its for work, so whilst I'm not saying money is no object, if you are looking for it for a sales pitch or whatever then 3 x €15 is next to nothing compared to what may be gained if ye get a contract or impress a customer or whatever .

Its for a laptop to used for a specific trading task.

Its got one VGA and 3 USB slots so looks like a few of those VGA adapters will do the trick.

So I could extend the main display with those adapters and not duplicate it ?

ItHurtsWhenIP

threein99 wrote: »

The laptop here doesn't having a docking station port on the bottom. So its going to have to be VGA to and USB to VGA

Did you not look at the port replicators that I linked earlier? They're effectively docking stations without the docking - just connected via USB. Some of them will have multiple HDMI or VGA ports. You probably wont get 4 monitors running on them, but 2 should be easy.

TerrorFirmer

munchkin_utd wrote: »

the VGA adapters are only €15
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Adapters/Patuoxun-Video-Graphic-Display-External-Laptop-Windows/B00GTLBHSI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1485533032&sr=8-5&keywords=usb+vga

also, its for work, so whilst I'm not saying money is no object, if you are looking for it for a sales pitch or whatever then 3 x €15 is next to nothing compared to what may be gained if ye get a contract or impress a customer or whatever .

Supports resolutions up to 1920x1080 Full HD (for USB 3.0 port), but using USB 2.0 port then the maximum resolution is 600x800

Probably not ideal, but might suffice. The laptop isn't gonna be USB3 if it's only VGA.

Also not sure how well it would work with 3 of them in use at once....

But you're right in that it's cheap enough that it's not a big gamble but sometimes you get what you pay for.

ED E

1. USB2 Graphics "cards" suck. Like useless.
2. You cant use multiple together, you'll swamp the bus



If your manager wants to do this he needs to invest a bit more. Even many desktop GPUs are 3x displays only.

glynf

Matrox Triplehead2go box is an option, not as popular since GPU's have multiple outputs these days. Picked one up a few years ago and it worked perfectly, not cheap though can be piced up for reasonable money on flea bay.


One I got was DVI, not sure if you can still get VGA, but a few adapters will sort that.

threein99

ItHurtsWhenIP wrote: »

Did you not look at the port replicators that I linked earlier? They're effectively docking stations without the docking - just connected via USB. Some of them will have multiple HDMI or VGA ports. You probably wont get 4 monitors running on them, but 2 should be easy.

Sorry didnt realise they connected via USB.

If I were to get one of those port replicators is it just extending the USB 2.0 from the laptop or would the port replicator be using USB 3.0 ? I'm thinking in terms of getting the best resolution possible.

ItHurtsWhenIP

threein99 wrote: »

Sorry didnt realise they connected via USB.

If I were to get one of those port replicators is it just extending the USB 2.0 from the laptop or would the port replicator be using USB 3.0 ? I'm thinking in terms of getting the best resolution possible.

If the laptop only has USB 2.0, then the port replicator (no matter what USB ports it has) would only operate at USB 2.0 speeds.

threein99

ItHurtsWhenIP wrote: »

If the laptop only has USB 2.0, then the port replicator (no matter what USB ports it has) would only operate at USB 2.0 speeds.

I have noticed theres an ExpressCard34 slot in the laptop. I might give one of these https://www.memoryc.ie/usb/cards/usb30-2-port-express-card-34-neon-series.html a try to give me a couple of USB 3.0 ports