Dual Monitors on XPS 8300 Help!!

Question

I am trying to setup my dual monitors on the new Dell 8300. Video card is ADM Radeon HD 1GB DDR3. It has DVI, HDMI and VGA ports. My two older Dell monitors only have VGA connections on them. First monitor hooks up fine directly into the VGA slot. Serious issues with the second monitor:

First I tried a DVI-D to VGA connector and the machine would not even see the second monitor.

Next I tried a DVI-D to HDMI to VGA connector, the machine now sees the second monitor but I am not getting anything on the monitor...it seems like it wants to receive the image but it is not.

I have confirmed that the second monitor works just fine. I was running these same two monitors on my older XPS just fine.

I spent 5 hours on the phone/chat with Dell last night with no real solution. They suggested I get an HDMI to VGA cable. But when I call around to local computer stores they say this will not work.

Does anyone have a solution. These two monitors are in great shape and I do not want to replace them. The reason I made this purchase is the video card said it did support dual monitors and VGA and DVI.

HELP!!!!

Thanks so much!

RoHe · Accepted Answer

And one more thing...

I think it's totally CHEAPO for Dell to install video cards in the XPS 8300 with a DVI-D port and not a DVI-I port.

When you configured your system, did it explicitly say the video card was DVI-D and not DVI-I? If it didn't, maybe you can complain (loudy but politely) to Dell and get them to swap this video card for one with a DVI-I port. Asking is free.

Note that I am not a Dell employee and I cannot say what (or not) they'd be willing to do to accommodate your situation.

RoHe · Answer

I presume you mean an XPS 8300 and Win 7.

Did you open BIOS Setup (press F2 before Windows starts to load) and check the graphics configuration setting?

Graphics Configuration: Intel Multiple Monitor Feature - Enabled or Disabled (Disabled by default)

If not already Enabled, change that setting (Note: the Setup Guide says the setting is AUTO for dual monitors). Be sure to save the change before exiting BIOS.

Then read this and this. It's also possible you have to open a Control Panel for your video card and look for a setting to enable dual monitors too.

RoHe · Answer

And no offense, but are you connecting both monitors to the correct outputs on the add-in video card, and not to the outputs for the on-board graphics?

CindyRed · Answer

Hi Ron and thank you for responding. Yes, I did change the graphics config in the bios.  I read the two links and I have also done all of that.

CindyRed · Answer

Yes, using the video card.

RoHe · Answer

Exactly which video card do you have? There should be a number that goes with ADM Radeon HD like 6450, 6750...

Are there any settings in the ATI Catalyst Control Center control panel that need to be enabled for dual monitors?

Is this video card DVI-d or DVI-i and are you using the right cable? In order to support a VGA monitor, the port on the card and cable/adaptor have to have 24 pins (3 rows of 8) as on the left in this image plus the 5 pins on right. A DVI-d-only connector and adaptor will just have the 3 rows of 8 pins.

Do your monitors only have VGA ports?

You said VGA>VGA works for one monitor, but If you connect just one monitor using DVi>VGA, does that work?

Maybe you got a bum video card? If you're under warranty, perhaps Dell should replace it...

Edited

CindyRed · Answer

Sorry, it's the ADM Radeon HD 6450.

We've checked the Catalyst Control Center -- everything seems fine there.

The video card has a DVI-d -- it does not have the extra 4 pins.

Yes, my Dell monitors only have VGA ports.

Tried connecting DVI to VGA only (one monitor) and no, it did not work.

When I was on the phone with Dell they uninstalled and reinstalled drivers for video card.

For troubleshooting purposes, I grabbed a spare monitor from the office that has a DVI port and cable....hooked that up and it does work. So it's straight DVI to DVI. Maybe I have a bad connector??

It does not seem to like connectors...

RoHe · Answer

If the video card only has the 3x8 set of pins on the left in the diagram I posted, without the 5 pins on the right in that diagram, it cannot support a VGA monitor, no matter what you do. Those 5 pins carry the VGA signal, and without them, you're out of luck.

You have two ways to use two monitors:

1. Buy one new monitor with a DVI port.

2. Buy a DVI-i video card with those 5 extra pins to support your existing VGA monitor.

Only you can decide which is the best way to spend your money.

Sorry 'bout that. :emotion-9:

CindyRed · Answer

This is the port on the video card:

RoHe · Answer

And you can always try to sell the existing video card on eBay if you opt for a new one, and want to recoup at least a few dollars on the purhcase.

RoHe · Answer

As I said, that port does not support a VGA monitor. Only a DVI-i connector supports both DVI and VGA monitors.

You might think about buying a new flat panel that you connect to the DVI-d output on the video card and connect one of the old ones to the VGA output on the video card. That way, if the old VGA monitor goes out, you still have a spare.

Otherwise look for a suitable video card with a DVI-i connector so you can use your currernt monitors.

CindyRed · Answer

One final question...the only port on the video card I have not tried to use yet is the hdmi port.  Could I connect hdmi to the vga port on the monitor?

RoHe · Answer

HDMI is a digital signal, VGA is an analog signal. You can't just connect an HDMI output through some cheap cable to a VGA monitor. You would need an HDMI>VGA Converter box (not just an adaptor).

You can Google around to see how much HDMI>VGA Converters cost. But in the long run, I think you'd be better off putting the money into a new monitor or new video card. Once your old VGA monitors die, the HDMI>VGA converter becomes a useless brick. So the money might be better spent elsewhere - That's my 2-cents for what it's worth.

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Dual Monitors on XPS 8300 Help!!

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