SZ docking station - dual screen?

Hello there,

I’ve seen the docking station for the SZ series, there is a DVI port and a VGA port. Since the SZ series uses Nvidia GeForce Go 7400 which supports a maximum resolution of 2048x1536, according to Nvidia’s web site, I am wondering if it is possible to connect one screen to each one of the video ports. Did anyone who has the docking station ever tried to plug two screens?

Thanks

 

I know of dual dvi - using 1 dvi output from your lap that splits and connects to 2 monitors. I do think it's possible to use 1 dvi and 1 vga (maybe 1 will be shut off?) but I think you'll be seeing the same images and not an extended of the other.

 

I don’t know how dual DVI cable works, but I guess it just duplicates the signal, so, like you said, what you got on one screen, you have the same on the other.

Rather than that, I am looking to extend my Desktop on the second monitor, i.e. the DVI port could be plugged to the primary monitor and the VGA port to the secondary monitor.

Did anyone tried that on the SZ docking station?

 

FrenchDude, the Sony SZ docking station actually has a metal tab that physically blocks the VGA port when the docking station is in use. So you can only use either the DVI port (with the docking station) or the VGA port (without the docking station).

There must be a reason why Sony is prohibiting simultaneous use of VGA and DVI ports but I do not have an engineering background to be able to tell you what that reason is.

 

Another possibility that *might* work is that the DVI port AND the VGA port off the back of the docking station work at the same time.... if i had a monitor that could handle DVI i'd test it myself..... honestly i don't see any reason whatsoever on why this wouldn't be the case (both do indeed work and will give dual monitor capability)

Another option is the Matrox "DualHead2Go" piece
http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/03/29/matrox_dualhead2go/

 

It doesn't look like the nVidia GeForce Go 7400 is on the compatibility list for either the DualHead2Go or TripleHead2Go.

 

So did anybody try the VGA and DVI at the back at the same time?

Because I currently have an external LCD monitor and an LCD tv connected to my pc and like to do this with a SZ too.

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I did indeed try to use both with my docking station, and it was one or the other, it doesn't do both at once

 

Yeah. I'd like to know if I output (using a docking station or anything else) the signal to my 30 inch dell monitor, perhaps for watching movies?

 

Is it easy to switch between them?

 

Anybody try this with the Intel graphics?

 

Intel Graphics doesn't work on DVD port at all.

 

I ran into this same issue when I had my SZ 2 months ago. I returned it; this was one of the reasons. My Dell D620 does both DVI and VGA through the docking station which is what I was hoping the Sony would do.

There is a workaround that I tried and worked but I still returned the SZ due to other problems. You can buy a Kensignton USB Docking station with VGA output and plug the usb into the sony dock and have that as your 2nd monitor. Works well. I had my 22" LCD on DVI and my 19" LCD on the Kensington dock. The one problem I couldnt figure out was how to rotate the 19" LCD to portrait mode. I used some rotate software but it always crashed the SZ.

Another option which I didnt try and dont like is to buy a PCMCIA card called the VTBOOK. lets you do DVI or VGA, but I didnt like the idea of plugging in a PCMCIA card everytime I dock/undock. Good Luck!

My setup attached as pic:

 

I mean can you easily switch between two external monitors (one DVI, one VGA) in Windows or do you have to restart or?