M18x R2 running 2 external monitors

I've spend weeks trying to figure out how to make this set up work and I've also searched through this forums as well and I cannot find exactly what I'm looking for. I want to set up my m18 to run the internal laptop screen with an additional 2 external screens. The 2 external screens I have can be connected via display port or hdmi. I have the Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000 and also dual 7970s. The 7970s can't even run without the screen going black, so I've just been using the intel.

1. I tried connecting the hdmi out to one monitor and then used a minidp to DP to the other monitor. This didn't work because it only recognized 1 of the external monitors. The only way to get both to work was to close the laptop screen.

2. I bought an adapter that connects to the minidp and USB that has two DP connections. I connected those with a display port cable to the monitors, and they just clone each other. When i go to detect them as separate in display settings, they are just recognized as one.

If anyone can point me in the right direction, that honestly would be greatly appreciated. Again, the screens I'm using only have hdmi or display port.

 

from what i remember you could always use VGA + HDMI or VGA + DP.
That is unless you need more than FHD?...

 

Hi @lilone21804,

From what I remember the onboard Intel can only run the internal panel + one other output at any one time. However if your 7970s were working then you could output to all 3 no problem. I think there's a few ways you could solve the problem.

1. Remove your primary 7970 and put the secondary in its place - maybe the second one is still working?
2. Get a new mxm card - something like a single Nvidia 970m / 980m would probably have more power than your crossfire anyway.
3. Get a usb3 -> hdmi / dp adapter. This method should work for the 3rd output but they always add a bit of lag as its effectively adding another graphics card over usb.

Cheers,

Javers

 

People who any overclocked the matrix on Alienware m18x r2 in SG mode, I have through the CRU program does not want any frequency to work, I think it is because of the built-in HD4000 because in PEG mode the value of 100hz quietly works.. ?

 

To answer this for anyone else...LVDS + 2x displays is NOT supported by HD 4000. Needs to be eDP + 2 Displays or three digital signals.




Configuration 3-Displays FAQ page:

For the Intel HD 4000 to actually support the three independent display configuration, the following criteria need to be met:

If two of the displays are DisplayPort* monitors
If one of the displays is an Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi)
If the built-in display is an Embedded DisplayPort1 (eDP) not a LVDS

I recommend getting rid of those 7970m and grab some cheap GPU like a 680m, Quadro K4000m, etc and run in PEG. Then you should be able to run 3x displays. It's a limitation with the Integrated graphics. Or try troubleshooting your 7970m. Maybe one of them is dead

Need to flash EDID in Linux. I did this to my M18xR2.

There should be two values
60Hz
40Hz

Be sure to flash the 40Hz value to your desired refresh rate. For me it was 80Hz.

So in Windows, I was able to select 60 or 80Hz. Might need to do this again with my current M18xR2 if I decide to get rid of 780M SLI for higher end cards in the future.

Reason for 40Hz and not 60Hz is so that in the event the display is no longer able to handle the higher refresh or monitor needs to warm up, you will have a clean picture at 60Hz.

 

ssj92 and there is an instruction how to do this ?

 

Don't know if it's relevant but I've been able to run 3x 1920*1200 24'' + one 4k tv @30fps with 2 770m. 4k on hdmi and daisychain display port for the classic HD ones. Did not have to modify anything.

 

I haven't run any exhaustive tests but I was able to run a 1080p screen over HDMI and a 4k 60Hz screen over mDP plus LVDS using dual 680m SLI but 1070 in SG doesn't even expose the DP to the video card to have a 4k option and can't run both at once. I also tried a single 980m and also couldn't run both external displays at once, and neither at 4k 60Hz. Do MXM cards support fewer displays than their desktop counterparts?

 

I updated the driver and now the 980m works how the 680m SLI was working before.