Filth Cheap Monitor ~ Or ....?

Stigura

See; I'm jacking in Micky and going over to Linux. Been discussing this to the bone, here:

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=111726055#post111726055

But, now that I've actually decided to get my other machine out and load Linux on it? The first question that popped into my head was, " How do I save and transfer my FF Bookmarks? ".

The second thought was, " OMG! What if I get stuck?! I'll have no access to my thread! I won't be able to ask for advice! :eek: "

So, I wondered if I could get a cheap as chips screen. Then run Both machines, so I could be in here, on this one. Whilst messing around with my other machine.

I've come up with this possibility:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/COMPAQ-Mixed-Computer-Monitor-Screen/dp/B00AKBHWUK/ref=sr_1_5?fst=as%3Aoff&qid=1578064340&refinements=p_36%3A428445031&rnid=428432031&s=computers&sr=1-5

Opinions / Suggestions most welcome.

Thanks




TL;DR? I don't know schit and I'm scared.

smuggler.ie

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/export-firefox-bookmarks-to-backup-or-transfer

Stigura

Wow! Thanks Smuggler! That was easier than falling off a slippery log!

That's that bit done, at least. Still trashed to death though, at the prospect of finding myself in trouble, during the cross over, and not having any access to this place.

Frankly? I don't much fancy trying to write what's happened on a bit of paper. Then going through all the drama of unplugging one machine and fiddling about reattaching the other. Waiting for a reply. Writing That on paper. Unplugging this machine .....

For thirty quid? I'd buy a second screen and ~ I'd hope? ~ run them both till I'm sorted.

Obviously; I can't ask questions in advance as I don't know where I may hit a problem. It's bumming me out. I got The Boss' new album, " Western Stars ", for my birthday. And this thing has no disc drive! :P Gagging to listen to it!

Johnboy1951

In truth these days, I would not be inclined to buy any monitor less than 1920x1080.
At least you know it will be useful for some time to come.

During your 'conversion' you might wish to run both machines while getting used to a new way of doing things.

Another thing you had best be aware about ....... the typr and quantity of video input connections on the monitor you get.
Most modern ones have HDMI connections.
A goodly number also have VGA and some have HDMI, VGA and DVI.

Whatever you get you should ensure it will take your existing cable and also be capable of some future change to HDMI (if that is not what you presently use).

On th other hand ..... lots of people discard perfectly working systems so there might well be a few working systems being discarded in the new year as people have upgraded their PCs.


Lots of opportunities out there

Stigura

I see ye've found me, Johnboy?

As ye see, I'm totally committed to making the break. Just treating the whole thing as the minefield it is. I'm tending to allow myself one thought ~ then sleep on it.

HDMI? I bought a set of those. Should have them around here, somewhere. I have a drawer of random bits and leads in my store room.

Not really fussed what screen I end up with. It'll be considered 'disposable'. I literally just want to be able to read 'our' thread, while I fire up on the new machine.

Be as near as I can get to anyone who knows what they're talking about being available. There's no one around here, see?

Johnboy1951

Stigura wrote: »

I see ye've found me, Johnboy?

As ye see, I'm totally committed to making the break. Just treating the whole thing as the minefield it is. I'm tending to allow myself one thought ~ then sleep on it.

HDMI? I bought a set of those. Should have them around here, somewhere. I have a drawer of random bits and leads in my store room.

Not really fussed what screen I end up with. It'll be considered 'disposable'. I literally just want to be able to read 'our' thread, while I fire up on the new machine.

Be as near as I can get to anyone who knows what they're talking about being available. There's no one around here, see?

Make sure the connector for the monitor in the back of the PC is the same as the one on the monitor you buy.

circadian

Does your current screen have multiple inputs? Plug in two computers and channel hop, might be a bit of a pain in the arse depending on whatf you're doing.

Stigura

:eek: OMG! I've never heard of such a thing. But, could that be the thirty quid question???

I've just grabbed this shot of the back of my monitor. I'm sure this'll mean more to you two than it does to me. But, yes: It Does look like I could screw in another blue plug!

No idea what one does then. But .....

Johnboy1951

Your monitor should have a menu from which you can choose which input you want displayed.

Stigura

Thanks. I'll look into that.

I have buttons, along the front. But, I don't touch schit I'm not allowed to. I'll find out what model this is and shall find the manual, on line. Or in my store room? I normally keep manuals in there.

Dark in there now though. And soon time to feed the creatures. Then, I let my head shut down for the night

circadian

Stigura wrote: »

:eek: OMG! I've never heard of such a thing. But, could that be the thirty quid question???

I've just grabbed this shot of the back of my monitor. I'm sure this'll mean more to you two than it does to me. But, yes: It Does look like I could screw in another blue plug!

No idea what one does then. But .....

The white one is DVI and the other hdni, check connections on your other computer to see if it has either of those.

Stigura

Johnboy1951

The blue one is VGA ...... matches the blue cable connector going into the monitor.

Stigura

Yeah, but; The little machine's already plugged into that one, John

My brain's starting to hurt, now. Do they do any sort of 'Splitter Box' worth considering, perhaps?

Johnboy1951

We know that one PC has a VGA connector only (pic above), but what about the other PC?
Does that have a second video output connection as well as the VGA in use?
Maybe a HDMI connection?

If so maybe it could use something like this (a male version)
https://www.harveynorman.ie/tvs-headphones/tv-and-audio-accessories/tv-cables/ednet-hdmi-to-dvi-d-adapter.html
and plug into the DVI port of the monitor, leaving the VGA for the old PC.

Stigura

Sorry. I grabbed that shot down in the dark. Doesn't look like there's much there?

It's an Acer Veriton NG281G, seemingly? Funny little thing.

Johnboy1951

no, no second output.

Stigura

Second monitor then ???

Johnboy1951

Stigura wrote: »

Second monitor then ???

One of these might be an option

https://www.ebay.co.uk/b/Dvi-Female-To-Vga-Male/158840/bn_7023466047

to adapt the VGA cable end from the PC to a DVI plug for the monitor.

Stigura

:eek: Ten times less? Should do for a session or so? Looks like a plan! :cool:

smuggler.ie

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

We know that one PC has a VGA connector only (pic above).

Isn't that DP symbol on first PC?

Johnboy1951

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Isn't that DP symbol on first PC?

I see the symbol you mean, and indeed you might well be correct.
I am unsure though, because I cannot get a good view of the socket itself.
(maybe tired old eyes at fault there)

########


Before anything is decided by Stigura, that HP needs to be booted with a live Linux, and the hardware details posted.
It just might not play well ...... or even be non-booting if it is in storage a long time.

smuggler.ie

I could not stand switching between inputs anyway.

I can't imagine work on single monitor since got use to multi-screen setup (3 'rd one for VM's , server)

Stigura

Come on now, gentlemen; Let's not be dashing my hopes at the final fence here. HP's been kept in my tool room. Nothing else in there comes to grief. Dry and well ventilated. Even paper's okay in there. (Store room, on the other hand, is a bloody nightmare of dampness, no matter what I do!)

Anyway, I got a much better shot of the back of my little Acer, off the net. Look:

Does that show ye what ye trying to see?

And, as for working with two screens? Not a big issue, is it? I'd only hope to be doing it for under an hour. It's just in case I come unstuck and want to come running back in here for help Not like I'm gonna spend the rest of my days messing about like that.

If I could hire an eighteen year old girl, I could have her dive in here on a phone. I've watched them. Thumbs clattering about. They can write a text with those thumbs quicker than I can type!

As it is though .....

circadian

Stigura wrote: »

There's a cable for everything.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rankie-DisplayPort-Cable-Resolution-Ready-Black/dp/B00Z05JMKO/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=displayport+to+hdmi&qid=1578155439&sprefix=display+port+to+hdmi&sr=8-3

That port with the funny looking D to the left of the blue VGA socket is a displayport. You could use the above cable with the HDMI on the monitor. Couple of quid, sorted.

Stigura

:eek: And I've just dug a set of HDMI plugs out of my drawer! Got them right here in front of me!

circadian

Stigura wrote: »

:eek: And I've just dug a set of HDMI plugs out of my drawer! Got them right here in front of me!

You could lick up a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter for them.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Displayport-Adapter-Benfei-Display-Converter/dp/B017Q8ZVWK/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=Dp+to+hdmi&qid=1578159627&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE1WE1YNUFTUDgySFAmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAxMTY3MjQxRU1CU0owN0o5QVJMJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzODYwNzMxNlNRMk80OURTTDJaJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Stigura

Hang on. Ye losing me now. WTF is that thing? What am I supposed to do with it?

Sorry; I tried to read the Amazon blurb. But, nothing really sunk in

This is how thick ye dealing with here. Ye really do need to type slowly and avoid big words. This is why I tend to go away, to digest stuff over night.

bonzodog2

HDMI and DisplayPort are both digital video sockets. You can get adapters very cheap, They are different shapes so the plug from one won't fit the other. I use one on a Dell laptop to connect to a TV with HDMI.

smuggler.ie

Talking about top tech here....
https://www.target.com/p/melissa-38-doug-shape-sorting-cube-classic-wooden-toy-with-12-shapes/-/A-706975#

Stigura

LMFAO!!! Smuggler nailed it!

Stigura

Okay; Circadian, far above, suggests my screen has an HDMI plug hole. My HP has one too.

Can I not just stick my HDMI plugs into those? This is what's confusing me about the Other plug thing that he showed me on Amazon

I mean; If I need it? I'll buy it. No hesitation. I buy a lot of things. I've got a fuggin drawer full!

Actually; I've got some little white box here. That was something to do with something HDMIy. Wonder what that was? I'll dig it out tomorrow and show ye. Be a laugh if it was the equivalent of that thing!

Johnboy1951

If you have a HDMI cable then it likely has HDMI plugs at both ends.

The function of the DP to HDMI adapter is to allow you to use that HDMI cable to attach one end to the DP port on the HP.

Stigura

Oh! Is that what I have behind my screen then?

Okay. If that's what I'll need, I'll get one. Got to have the stuff to do the job. And it's still a hella lot cheaper than the cheapest screen!

Johnboy1951

Check the cable/s you have and the connectors available to make sure you have the correct information and will be buying the correct adapter.

Stigura

And how will I know?

The cable, I see, has " High Speed HDMI Cable With Ethernet " printed on it.

The (identical) plugs say " HDMI Ver. 1.4 "

Ah! The original order appears to say they're; " High Speed 0.3m 1.4a HDMI Cable 1.4V 1080P HD w/ Ethernet 3D Ready HDTV 30cm "

Probably means about as much to me as " Difenacoum " would to you?

Johnboy1951

Check the physical connectors on the cable against the sockets on the PCs.

I expect " Difenacoum " would have similar properties to warfarin.

Stigura

Matter of degree with modern SGARs. But, that sort of thing I know inside out. It's all natural to me.

But, " 1080P HD w/ Ethernet 3D Ready HDTV " :eek: NOPE!!!

Bottom line is: Ye'd be ill advised to assume I know much more than pressing the button at the start of my day. That Really Is about as much as I know

Once learned enough about driving a truck that I was trusted to be left alone all day. Loading it, in a barn. Reversing it out and driving it to the fire site. Off load and drive back in. I did that all day.

But, if it had stopped working ....? I might have found the oil dip stick. I don't even know why I have these leads / plugs. Mate told me to get them, years ago. Can't remember why.

I'll buy things you people tell me to buy too. But, I'm reliant on ye every step of the way for what to do with them.

Now ye see why I'm terrified of losing the internet / touch with this place? If any of ye were within striking distance? I'd quite happily pay ye the going rate to come here and do this for me. So much less grief.

As it is? I feel I'm blindfolded and heading for a mine field

Stigura

Take it This is no use here? I got it, when I got the HDMI cable. Not even sure what we were trying to achieve. It's the 'little white box' I referred to earlier.

What could that have been about

Johnboy1951

without seeing the connections I am guessing ........ an adapter to split out analogue audio from the HDMI data?

Stigura

Ah! That rings a distant bell. I'd got a little TV to PS on? Couldn't hear a thing. There's an audio jack in that box. Seem to remember the idea was to listen on headphones.

Didn't work :rolleyes: Ended up giving the TV away and now I can't use mt PS at all.

I'll send for that thing that goes on the HDMI, tonight. Dunno how long it'll take to arrive. See what happens then, I guess?

Stigura

Ye know where ye stand with Stigura!