GX 620 Dual display problems

Question

I've read the previous posts on this topic but haven't found a solution, so I was hoping for some help:   Like others, I've ordered a GX 620 with the DVI card for dual display. The card came with a couple of Y-adapters, neither which fits the DVI port. The single end of the adapter, the large black end, looks similar to DVI but it's all pins and definitely doesn't connect to the DVI port on the card.   Called Dell and they said that to get dual display, you need to have one monitor (VGA) plugged into the onboard video, and the second monitor (DVI) plugged into the add-in card. Ok, sure, I can live with that. Expect that it doesn't work. When you boot the system with both cables connected, you get a System Halted error that says you cannot use the onboard video when an add-in card is installed. Sigh.   Any ideas? We've been using dual monitors for years with the GX 280 with no problems, but the dual display for the 620 doesn't seem to be working. How do others with the add-in card have their dual monitors working? Did you get it to work using both the add-in card and the onboard, or have we just been getting the incorrect Y-adapters?   Thanks for any help.

Fleaman · Answer

The GX620 is the same as the GX280 in that there are 2 ways to get a dual monitor cinfiguration.

1) Add a DVI-add card and use the DVI on this for a DVI flat panel and use the on-board VGA for a flat panel or CRT. No splitter cables are required.

2) Add the X600 256MB card and choose either DVI or VGA splitter cable and attach appropriate monitors.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/video/P98391/en/setup.htm

Gumdoctor9 · Answer

1. Wrong. When you plug one cable into the onboard VGA and the other into the DVI card, the system will not boot. See my post.

2. That card isn't an option for the small form factor 620.

Thanks anyway.

Fleaman · Answer

Having a thought here... do you mean the 'ultra' small form factor rather than the small form factor?

Fleaman · Answer

Sorry, I wasn't attempting to answer your technical question as to the reason why it does not work, just outlining the options. The X600 256MB is slightly depayed I hear until the end of the month but will be available in low profile format for both the small form and desktop systems as these both have low profile PCIe slots, although a standard height PCIe/PCI riser is available for the desktop model for full height cards.

If I come across a reason why the DVI add card does not work in conjunction with the VGA connector I will post, but I have seen it working no problems.

Gumdoctor9 · Answer

The regular SFF, not Ultra. Actually, Dell just announced that they are offering a dual display card for the 620 on Monday that is similar to the 280: a proprietary connection with a Y-cable that has either 2 VGA or 2 DVI. Only downside is that it's a 256 MB card, so it adds $139 to the price. Adding dual display to the 280 was around $60 if I recall.

Thanks anyway for the help.

Gumdoctor9 · Answer

Actually, there's a new video card that you'll need now. On August 23, Dell released new options for the GX 620 that uses the correct card. In other words, the cable you received is correct; the card was not. They now offer dual VGA or dual DVI options on their web site, although the $130 premium seems steep to me.

idicaii · Answer

Hello!

I saw your post and am in much the same boat. We ordered our 1st batch of GX620's with the hopes of running dual monitors, but so far no joy. They did not send the Y cables until after we called our rep. However when he did, he sent the wrong cables. Apparantly the DVI is a proprietary Dell DVI and they sent us standard DVI cables. Upon calling back he assured us we'd get the right stuff this time, however what he sent was just four more identical DVI cards and no cables.

I'm going to contact tech support this time instead of our rep and hope for better results. But in case I get the usual runaround I wanted to post here in hopes someone would have the correct part number for the Y-cables for Dell specific DVI cards.

The item number for the cards we have is H9148 - DVI Video Adapter Card, FH, OPTI GX620. I hope once we get the correct cable we'll be able to successfully display on two monitors (VGA & DVI).

Thanks!

AdamPeters · Answer

I have the same issue! Did anyone resolve this? I don't need the BIOS 'helping me' by disabling the built in VGA. I need to use it as well as the DVI card?

(This is using two VGA monitors, one with the convertor Dell provided to plug it into the DVI card. Is this correct?)

idicaii · Answer

Hello!

Yes, we found a fix for this but it's been a while and things may have changed with Dell.

On our initial batch of 620s we went round and round with Dell and never did get working cables for dual monitors. Then we gave up and just purchased an additional video card for the PC. This worked fine and we have several workstations running dual monitors (one with three!)

When I ordered my home Dell computer (XPS) I ordered it with the dual monitor option. When ordered that way they sent the right cable and the dual card worked perfectly.

So my guess is if you order the system already built for dual monitors then you'll be ok, but heaven forbid trying to work with Dell to change and existing system to dual!

- Rodney

speedstep · Answer

@Anonymous wrote:

You note that you have one system running with three. Are you using the X600 and the built in video?

I have the 620 running dual with the ATI X600 but I want to run a third monitor. Is that possible without adding another video card?

thanks

No.

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GX 620 Dual display problems

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