Adding second moniter

Question

As an artist I want to use a second moniter next to my easel to have reference photos showing. No videos or computer stuff, just the photos from my Picture settings that I have edited with Photoshop. I spoke to Dell Support and was told all I had to do was plug into the HDMI port nect to the VGA on the back of my computer and then plug other end into my second moniter. I got the basic blue desktop with no icons, but I cannot get a picture to show on seconf moniter even though it is on the desktop moniter. What am I doing wrong, or is there more to do?

BTW When I go to Settings to see where it shows which or both screens I want to see there is not that feature in my settings. This 80 y.o is very confused and frustrated.

Chino de Oro · Accepted Answer

Hello Oilpainter, assuming monitor 1 is on your desk and monitor 2 is next to the easel.  In the display settings, click on monitor 1 picture, under Multiple displays, select option duplicate these display.  Tick the box below, make this my main display.  Reboot to see if both monitors are on and displaying the same screen.

Oilpainter · Answer

I have an Inspiron 3670. Sorry for the slow reply. We are having a severe storm here in South Texas and power is going off and on.

ieee488 · Answer

Which model Inspiron do you have?

Chino de Oro · Answer

Hello Oilpainter, go to Settings => System and under Display you will find Multiple displays, select your 2nd monitor and change to Mirror mode from Extend mode.

Oilpainter · Answer

Thank you Chino de Oro. That did get the photo to the second moniter, but the first (main ) moniter goes black and I cannot control the second rom the keyboard to select a photo. I went to the Extend to change it, but only have three choices: Extend, Monier 1 or Moniter 2. There is not mirror. Am I missing something?

ieee488 · Answer

I am not sure what you are trying to do exactly.

Per https://www.dell.com/community/Inspiron-Desktops/Inspiron-3670-dual-monitors/td-p/6113736 you can connect two monitors directly : one via HDMI connector and one via VGA connector.

Oilpainter · Answer

As I mentioned, I am an artist, oil painter. I have a large 40" second moniter I just got. It is mounteed on a stand next to my easel. I want to display photos I have taken and edited in Photoshop for reference of what I am painting. It would only be one image at a time on that moniter, But I also need at time to use my desk top at the same time to enlarge and area of the photo being displayed.

So far I have an HDMI cable running from the computer tower to the second moniter. I go to settings where it shows two moniters I can choose from. When I choose the easel (second) the main one goes black and I cannot use it to open a file to choose the picture. I need both moniters to work at the same time.

I'm one of those old codgers (80) that does not understand all the terminolgy and almost feel like this stuff is magic, but if I can get it working it will help me tremendously! Other artist do this, from what I have sen, but I have no clue how they hooked things up. The hook up I described is all Dell support told me to do. Another member here helped me ge the files to show. I still need both moniters workingat the same time though. Thanks for any help you can suggest.

Oilpainter · Answer

Okay, Thank you I will try that and let you know.

ieee488 · Answer

I can't see what you have set up. And I can't see what you are doing. Perhaps ask someone from your retirement community to help you.

RoHe · Answer

@Oilpainter Let's back up a second...

Do you have an add-in NVidia video card or only have onboard Intel UHD Graphics? An add-in video card would be in the area marked 3 and the onboard Intel HDMI and VGA video ports are in the area marked 1.

If you have an add-in video card, connect both monitors to the card. Depending on exactly what video ports are on the add-card and on each monitor, you might need an adapter cable to convert a port on the card to one that works with the 2nd monitor.

Otherwise, connect one monitor's HDMI port to the HDMI port on the add-in video card and connect the other monitor's HDMI port to the onboard Intel UHD HDMI port, so you won't need any adapter cables...

Oilpainter · Answer

Hi Chino de Oro, That WORKED!! Thank you so much. This is a huge help for me! I want to thank all who suggested what I needed to do. This seems to be working perfectly now!

Inspiron Desktops

Adding second moniter

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