Unsolved
This post is more than 5 years old
7 Posts
0
130365
Optiplex 760, splitting the monitor signal is not working
I have a problem at one of schools I am working at.
For a while we had the optiplex 755's, when it came to splitting the signal between the monitor and a projector screen it worked flawless, there was a splitter cable supplied in the box.
Then we started to recieve the Optiplex 760, these didn't come with a splitter cable so we had to source our own. The exact same ones that were used in the 755's.
Anyway we bought these splitter cables and used them on the optiplex 760 but if we had both the monitor plugged in and a projector at the sametime then nothing would display on the monitor and only on the projector, or vice versa.
The only way we are able to split a signal at the moment using an optiplex 760 is to have two splitter cables.
this is the only setup we can get working:
HDI-VGA splitter form the PC
double VGA splitter on the end of the HDI-VGA Splitter
VGA cable from monitor to one end of the double vga splitter
VGA cable from projector to other end of the double vga splitter.
It's a mess and the picture quality isn't great due to using two splitters instead of one. Anyone came across this problem?
JJRoberts
3 Posts
0
December 10th, 2009 15:00
Ran across this exact situation at the school where I work yesterday. 755's work great. On 760's, the monitor goes into powersave when the projector is turned on.
I've scoured the web for some info about this and finally ran across your post. Have you found a better solution?
Thanks!
Masi_GC
268 Posts
0
December 11th, 2009 09:00
Folks,
A glance at the Optiplex 760 manual shows that the desktop version comes with DisplayPort and VGA outputs and the Ultra Small Form Factor version come with DVI-I connectors. Which are you using?
And I don't understand what a HDI-VGA converter is.
Masi_GC
JJRoberts
3 Posts
0
December 11th, 2009 11:00
I'm using the Optiplex 760 desktop with VGA. I'm connecting a VGA splitter to the VGA port on the pc, then one end to the monitor, other end to the projector.
I tried the same pc, same cables with a Dell 4210X projector and it worked fine.
Also tried an Optiplex 755 desktop with the Dell 2400MP projector and it worked fine.
ICHS
7 Posts
0
December 14th, 2009 00:00
Ours are the more compact 760 model, with the power supply outside of the machine.
The Optiplex 755 model used to come with a DVI - VGA splitter in the box, but the Optiplex 760 does not come with this cable. So we bought the cables in (Model number = DP/N 0WU329) DELL Y splitter (DVI Male > DVI/VGA Female)
Like the other poster has confirmed this does not work.
Masi_GC
268 Posts
0
December 14th, 2009 10:00
You guys have different video connectors and would probably need different solutions.
ICHS - you are using the USFF version which only comes with a DVI-I output (no VGA). I looked up the part number you provided but its description is a refurbished cable with no picture. From your email, I'm guessing that it is actually p/n310-5252.
Based on the price ($12.99), I don't think that Dell description is correct. There is no way it is converting digitial to analog. Instead I think it is simply splitting off the analog signal pins from the DVI-I to a VGA female connector and then the digital signal pins to a DVI-D connector. This "splitter" doesn't send the same signal to the two ends but is used for dual display purposes.
JJRoberts - you should be using a VGA-to-VGA splitter directly to the VGA port on Optiplex.
Masi_GC
JJRoberts
3 Posts
0
December 14th, 2009 10:00
I have a solution, at least in my case. I'm using a Dell Optiplex 760 desktop with digital and vga outputs.
I connected the digital output to the monitor, I connected the vga output to the projector. It works.
I then set the card to "dual display clone" in the Intel card utility in order for the monitor & projector to display identical images.
ICHS
7 Posts
0
December 15th, 2009 01:00
That part number you printed looks identical and like I said this used to work on the old 755 model. So what exactly is the difference between a 755 and a 760 that the splitter is now redundant?
Really is very poor of dell if there is no way around this problem.
Masi_GC
268 Posts
0
December 15th, 2009 09:00
ICHS,
Most end users would consider the change to be an improvement. They can support dual displays without purchasing an add-on graphics card.
Masi_GC
ICHS
7 Posts
0
December 16th, 2009 01:00
How is having one DVI-I connection on the machine an improvement?
Quite clearly doesn't support dual monitors at all as the splitter doesn't work...
Masi_GC
268 Posts
0
December 16th, 2009 07:00
ICHS,
Try connecting a monitor (NOT a projector) to both the VGA and DVI connectors. Then open the Display applet in Windows.
Does Windows recognize two monitors? If so, you can set Windows to display the same image on both monitors like JJRoberts did. If that works, replace one monitor with the projector.
Masi_GC
SESTech
3 Posts
0
December 17th, 2009 05:00
I am having the same problem at my school - we had been getting the 745s, and were able to split the signal without any problems, but our recent purchases are 760s. When trying to split the vga signal on the 760, the monitor goes black as soon as the projector is plugged in. However, I had no problem splitting the signal when using an older crt monitor instead of a flat panel. One step forward, two steps back.
ICHS
7 Posts
0
December 17th, 2009 05:00
Just a moment a go I tested a dual monitor setup, both flat panels (one using DVI and the other VGA) this was with the old splitter cable that used to come with the opitplex 755. The image cloned on the 2nd monitor instantly without any tweaking.
Haven't gone back to test, that now the PC has picked up a 2nd monitor signal, that perhaps it will now work with a projector.
Will report back if this works or not.
SESTech
3 Posts
0
December 17th, 2009 06:00
I just tried it - the vga splitter worked on the two monitors with some loss of picture quality, but when I connected the projector instead of the second monitor, the picture went black (on the computer monitor) again.
ICHS
7 Posts
0
December 17th, 2009 06:00
Ok just back from testing into the vga port on the wall, after first connecting the splitter to a flat panel monitor.
SUCCESS!
The projector was a Hiatchi model, but we have both Hiatchi and a new white NEC model. Still to check it works with the NEC.
ICHS
7 Posts
0
December 17th, 2009 06:00
Just tried the splitter with a projector going directly into the vga port of the projector and it worked for me.
SESTech are you using this kind of splitter? Part no: p/n310-5252)
I still have one more test to run though, as our projectors are ceiling mounted with a vga cable running from the ceiling to a vga female port on the wall. Teachers then plug into that point in the wall, this hasn't been working with the new model optiplex 760.