Setting up a 2nd PC Monitor

E_Reeves · 16 Oct 2017

Hi all,

I am currently looking into getting a 2nd monitor for my PC. I want 2 desktops so both monitors will show different screens, but there is a slight problem. My PC only has 1 HDMI output and getting a HDMI dual splitter will just send the same picture to both monitors. Has anybody got any suggestions to how I could solve this?

Thanks

RailUK Forums

Jonny · 17 Oct 2017

One solution is a USB-to-HDMI device. They are available at a reasonable price. Apparently, direct-USB monitors may also be available.

najaB · 17 Oct 2017

E_Reeves said:
My PC only has 1 HDMI output and getting a HDMI dual splitter will just send the same picture to both monitors. Has anybody got any suggestions to how I could solve this?

Does the PC really only have one output? Most also have a VGA or (mini) display port connection as well.

E_Reeves · 17 Oct 2017

Jonny said:
One solution is a USB-to-HDMI device. They are available at a reasonable price. Apparently, direct-USB monitors may also be available.

I've had a look, but I can only find Display Port to HDMI, which I don't have.

najaB said:
Does the PC really only have one output? Most also have a VGA or (mini) display port connection as well.

It just has a HDMI input and output, and my current monitor is VGA so I had to purchase a HDMI to VGA adaptor as well.

AM9 · 17 Oct 2017

E_Reeves said:
... It just has a HDMI input and output, and my current monitor is VGA so I had to purchase a HDMI to VGA adaptor as well.

A PC with an HDMI input? are you sure?

E_Reeves · 17 Oct 2017

AM9 said:
A PC with an HDMI input? are you sure?

Yes. It's sort of a console PC

SpacePhoenix · 17 Oct 2017

Does the PC have a separate graphics card or is it onboard (on the motherboard)?

E_Reeves · 17 Oct 2017

SpacePhoenix said:
Does the PC have a separate graphics card or is it onboard (on the motherboard)?

It can have a separate one, but there is one built in

E_Reeves · 17 Oct 2017

Here are the specs if you're interested. It's the top one that I have. http://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/desk...lienware-alpha/spd/alienware-alpha-r2-desktop

SpacePhoenix · 17 Oct 2017

What connections does the monitor that you intend to get have?

najaB · 17 Oct 2017

E_Reeves said:
Here are the specs if you're interested. It's the top one that I have. http://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/desk...lienware-alpha/spd/alienware-alpha-r2-desktop

You have USB 3.0 ports so a USB to VGA/HDMI adaptor is the best way to go.

E_Reeves · 17 Oct 2017

SpacePhoenix said:
What connections does the monitor that you intend to get have?

HDMI

najaB said:
You have USB 3.0 ports so a USB to VGA/HDMI adaptor is the best way to go.

They are rather expensive at about £70 a piece

ainsworth74 · 17 Oct 2017

Well, as the computer only has one HDMI (which is interesting as the GTX960 graphics card seems to have DVI and three DisplayPort outputs as well as HDMI when purchased as a discrete card rather than as part of this Dell system) I'm not sure what to suggest beyond buying an adaptor as suggested! I'm sure if you shop around you'll be able to find one less than £70.

CharlieSpotted · 17 Oct 2017

E_Reeves said:
They are rather expensive at about £70 a piece

I can't tell from Dell's site whether your PC has USB Type C, but if it does, the following might be of interest at £34.99:

https://www.lindy.co.uk/cables-adap...dvi-d-converter-with-usb-power-delivery-p9356

If not, there may be another suitable product on there.

Lindy are generally pretty reliable if you're looking for cables/adapters etc. to connect anything to anything...

najaB · 17 Oct 2017

ainsworth74 said:
I'm not sure what to suggest beyond buying an adaptor as suggested! I'm sure if you shop around you'll be able to find one less than £70.

Considerably less than £70. I've seen them into the low £30s as has CharlieSpotted.

tony_mac · 17 Oct 2017

E_Reeves said:
They are rather expensive at about £70 a piece

There are unbranded versions on ebay / amazon for around £10. Many of the reviews aren't so good, but they obviously work for some people.

SpacePhoenix · 17 Oct 2017

One possibility for the second monitor:

https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/dvi-to-hdmi-adapter-web-only-n24cj

The adapter's hdmi end would plug into the monitor, then a DVI cable would be run from the dvi end of the adapter to the dvi port of the graphics card. Depends on if there required space exists where the connectors are on the monitor

najaB · 17 Oct 2017

SpacePhoenix said:
One possibility for the second monitor...

From reading E_Reeves's posts and viewing the specs of the computer, I'm not convinced that will be of much use. The problem appears to be that there is no second output available to plug it into.

SpacePhoenix · 17 Oct 2017

najaB said:
From reading E_Reeves's posts and viewing the specs of the computer, I'm not convinced that will be of much use. The problem appears to be that there is no second output available to plug it into.

https://www.geforce.co.uk/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gtx-960/product-images

The image that shows the available ports of the installed graphics card shows a dvi connector available

najaB · 17 Oct 2017

SpacePhoenix said:
The image that shows the available ports of the installed graphics card shows a dvi connector available

That's a standalone GTX-960, the specs on the link that E_Reeves provided earlier appear to show no DVI port is available:

Front
2 USB 3.0

Bottom
1 USB 2.0

Rear
2 USB 3.0
1 RJ45 GbE
1 HDMI-Out 2.0
1 HDMI-In 2.0
1 optical audio out (Toslink)
1 DC in
1 Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port

AM9 · 17 Oct 2017

najaB said:
That's a standalone GTX-960, the specs on the link that E_Reeves provided earlier appear to show no DVI port is available:

The Alienware Alpha is a small form factor PC containing a GTX-960 GPU fitted to the motherboard. It's single HDMI output port can show PC graphics or be switched to show AV material from a device connected to the other HDMI port which is a loop through input. It also has four USB3 ports one of which may be OK with a converter to HDMI. The response on the second display may be delayed making video or audio shared between the two difficult to use simultaneously.

SpacePhoenix · 18 Oct 2017

@E_Reeves do you have any free USB ports on it or are they all in use?

dgl · 18 Oct 2017

there is, however, a port for the alienware graphics amplifier. This is essentially a desktop card in an enclosure and if I understand then gets used instead of the internal graphics. The card installed in the enclosure would then have the 2 outputs required for multi-display operation.

E_Reeves · 18 Oct 2017

SpacePhoenix said:
@E_Reeves do you have any free USB ports on it or are they all in use?

Yes, I have 1 available

ainsworth74 · 18 Oct 2017

dgl said:
The card installed in the enclosure would then have the 2 outputs required for multi-display operation

Funny that. Forgive me for being cynical but I can't help but suspect that this was the idea. Get those that want to monitors to just fork out extra for the enclosure!

najaB · 18 Oct 2017

ainsworth74 said:
Funny that. Forgive me for being cynical but I can't help but suspect that this was the idea. Get those that want to monitors to just fork out extra for the enclosure!

And at a mere £150 or so based on a quick search.

dgl · 18 Oct 2017

Preceisly, DELL want to make money and having special accessories is one way to do it, personally whilst they might see the idea for an HDMI in and on something like the XBOX ONE it might make some sense, but, most screens will have more than one input esp. as this product seems to e aimed at the TV gamer.

External enclosures have their uses and if this was a laptop then I would understand but this is (admittedly small form factor) a desktop PC and as such I would expect that target market might quite like 2 screens, it's not as if it's designed a either a media centre or a standard PC but a specialised product for gamers and if you can't fit 2 display output connector as well as a display input then drop the display input as it is simply not needed.

najaB · 18 Oct 2017

I think it would make more sense for them to use DisplayPort rather than HDMI since you can daisy-chain DP monitors (if they support it).

D365 · 18 Oct 2017

SpacePhoenix said:
@E_Reeves do you have any free USB ports on it or are they all in use?

The USB to HDMI dongle has already been suggested

HSTEd · 21 Oct 2017

My current rig utilises a HDMI port for one screen and a DVI-I port for the other, with the latter being connected to a VGA monitor usin the requisite adapter.
If I get a third monitor it will hve to use the DisplayPort that I have remaining, which means it will be a more expensive monitor.

Which is somewhat annoying.

Setting up a 2nd PC Monitor

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