LCD resolution & dual monitor question

Hello, first post here so hello everyone! I hope this is in the right place on the forum. I currently have a gateway FX P-7805u laptop and I am currently thinking of getting two LCD monitors to allow me to have a dual monitor set up. I have spotted two Acer LCD monitors in the Best Buy ad for tomorrow and I planned on getting two of them. However, the resolution on those are 1600 * 600 and when I look at the different resolution settings on my laptop I do not have a option for 1600*600 resolution. My question is will I get that resolution option when I plug in the monitors and if not what are my options? I am currently running Windows 7 and the graphics card in the laptop is Nividia 9800m GTS 1GB.

 

Are you able to plug in both monitors at once on your notebook?

If you are, (I know I read somewhere here that it was possible with specific machines), then the options will be available when they're plugged in.

Oh, and the resolution you'll want/have is 3200 * 600, if its possible.

My standard advice: try before you buy!

 

Well, I was reading on this forum that with my HDMI (need to get a HDMI to DVI adapter) and my VGA output I could get a dual monitor setup going. Have I tired this? LOL No....so I am hopping that even works. But then I started to wonder if the resolution would be an issue since I do not see a option to select the resolution the monitors I am thinking of getting is requesting. Im not sure if the monitor can support 3200*600 since the resolution on the spec sheet said 1600*900.

 

No, the total resolution will be 3200 * 600 (side by side 1600 * 600 dual monitors).

Like I said, the video card you have should be able to select that resolution no problem, but simply try plugging in a VGA monitor and an HDMI (through DVI adaptor if need be) and see if you can see both (or even better all three - your notebooks too) screens.

Note that some notebooks give really crappy VGA output - so even if it works, doesn't mean you'll want to use them like that.

Would one 1600 * 600 screen, plus your notebook's screen work for you?

These are the questions you should try to answer for yourself.

 

OHHHHH, ok that resolution makes sense. I'm a little slow I guess tonight due to way to much turkey LOL. Well, I do a lot of GIS work with ESRI ArcGIS and I planned on using two monitors. The one with DVI I would use as the monitor where I view my map and graphics. The one on VGA would host my ArcCatalog program and other data which does not need to have the best looking output. Yes I would like to have good quality on that monitor as well but that is ok if it is not the best. My absolute preference is to have two LCD monitors and not even use my laptop screen. If I cant get two monitors to work I would like to use one LCD and my laptop screen, but only as a last resort. But I am worried that since I cant match the resolution on my DVI monitor that the output will look weird. Which leads me back to that 1600*600 resolution. What I have right now is..........1920*1200, 1920*1080, 1600*1200, 1600*1024, 1400*1050.....and so on.

 

lol, you need to plug in the specific monitor to show the resolution you need for it!

 

Ok, that is exactly what I was wondering. That is what I thought it would possible would do but I was unsure. Thanks a bunch for your help and when I get the monitors tomorrow I will make sure to update this thread in case others have the same questions. Thanks again!

 

Cool! Keep us posted...

 

IT WORKED!!!!!!!!

Well, soon as I got home with the two Acer monitors I hooked up one through my HDMI port via a HDMI to DVI cable. Soon as I plugged in the monitor my computer changed the resolution to 1600*600 right away. What was weird it did this even with no power cord plugged into the monitor so it kind of surprised me. So, the resolution of 1600*600 was not there before I plugged in the monitor and then it was there after. Then for the big test which was getting the second one to run off VGA. I plugged it in and NOTHING....so I went to screen resolution to see if I needed to duplicate or extend the monitors. Luckily I saw it was recognizing a 3rd screen but I could not get it to display anything. After a while I ended up making screen 2 the main one (hdmi monitor) and then after that I hit extend on 2 and 3. Then it worked!!!!!! I have a dual monitor display through my laptop with one running on HDMI and the other off of VGA. However, I tried and tried to get all three monitors (my laptop screen as well) to work but it just would not give me the option. That is fine for me because I would had not used it anyways. Oh, the one on VGA looks almost as good as the one on HDMI which is good news. Thanks again for the help.

 

Glad it worked how you wanted it to!

Can hardly wait for the new ATI systems with up to six displays at once...

 

Im going to need a lot bigger desk to hold all those monitors lol. Thanks again for the help.

 

Desk? Use wall mounts!