How to support dual external monitors with D830 notebook

Question

Does the D830 Notebook with internal NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140 video card and Vista Business Operating system support dual EXTERNAL monitors? If so how?   The NVIDIA site says yes and that only a special cable is needed. See http://nvidia.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nvidia.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=63&p_created=1097106762&p_sid=iAObx7Ji&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9ODAmcF9wcm9kcz0yJnBfY2F0cz0wJnBfcHY9MS4yJnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfZm5sJnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9ZHVhbCBzY3JlZW4gTlZTIDE0MA**&p_li=&p_topview=1 But, NVIDIA also refers to Dell on questions related to OEM cards.   I got three diff answers when calling Dell: A. Only special cable is needed (similar to NVIDIA answer) B. Need Port Replicator and even then you can connect one DVI and one VGA monitos C. Need Docking station with an add'l PCI low profile video card   Thanks.   Value91

ejn63 · Answer

Option 3 is correct - you need a docking station with its own video card to use two external displays.

Value91 · Answer

ejn63, Thank you!   Why wouldn't the other options work (they are certainly less expensive)? The NVDIA link I provided in my original posting suggested they would (and so at least some of the Del reps I talked with). The link says that the NVS card has a DMS connector that can do that (although it also says that if the product is part of an OEM product, it may have been modified)...   Also, one Dell support rep was against option 3. He said it would result in two high-level video card seating on the same PCI bus (the internal NVS 140M and the external one in the docking station) and drawing processing power. He thought that if I would connect the external monitors without first disabling the internal monitor, the notebook processor may freeze...   Are you working with the option 3 config?   Best,   Value91

ejn63 · Answer

You don't have an nVidia card - you have an nVidia chip on a proprietary Dell video card.

The video card can handle only one internal and one external display. Assuming you want two independent displays, you need two video cards - the internal one and a PCI in a docking station.

Value91 · Answer

Thanks again and I am sorry for taking so much of your time.   1. Are you saying you are able to work w/ dual external monitors using option 3 configuration and D830 notebook despite the Dell tech concern stated in my prior posting?   2. You mean when they specify 256MB NVIDIA® Quadro NVS 140M™ they mean only a cheap? I thought the NVS series from NVIDIA are specifically video cards for notebooks... Could you direct me to the Dell webpage that discusses spec of this NVS 140M?   Value91

ejn63 · Answer

1. Yes. The two cards operate independently.

2. nVidia doesn't make cards - they design the chipsets, which are produced by TSMC, for integration onto cards. The card in your system is proprietary to the notebook.

Value91 · Answer

I learned something new - Thank you!   Too bad Dell is not using the full cabapilities of the NVIDIA NVS design and add a DMS connector to support external dual monitors...

joesolano · Answer

I have a D830 configured as option B using a D/Dock.  One 24in monitor is connected to the VGA and the other to the DVI output of the the D/Dock.   The internal laptop LCD will NOT display in this configuration since it is dirivng the external monitor.

Value91 · Answer

I just purchased a port replicator and tried option B. It works using two external monitors (one connected to the DVI connector of the replicator and the other monitor connected to the VGA connector of the replicator). I had to also toggle to these screens to activate them using the Fn key and the CRT/LCD (F8) key. While using this mode, the laptop internal monitor is blank.

mikera · Answer

Are you able to rotate one or both screens to portrait mode using that setup?  Does the Quadro line support portrait mode?  I really want to have dual-monitors both in portrait mode and am looking at getting a new Latitude soon with the port replicator.   Mike

Value91 · Answer

I just tested it and you can rotate both or each monitor separately. (I have D830 Notebook with internal NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140 video card and Vista Business Operating system and a Dell replicator). The rotation options are within the NVDIA Control Panel software. You can reach it from the Display Setting of Vista and then clicking the NVIDA tab.

Urhixidur · Answer

I just tested it and you can rotate both or each monitor separately. (I have D830 Notebook with internal NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140 video card and Vista Business Operating system and a Dell replicator). The rotation options are within the NVDIA Control Panel software. You can reach it from the Display Setting of Vista and then clicking the NVIDIA tab.

My setup is essentially the same (D830 Notebook with internal NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140 video card, Windows XP Pro, connecting through the replicator - one DVI, one VGA), but my problem is that the Rotation option of the NVidia control panel does not come up. How can I force it to appear?

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How to support dual external monitors with D830 notebook

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