2 monitors

I have a laptop and I want to have 2 monitors
is that possible? if so, how do I get that done?

 

Extending the desktop or mirroring??
2 Monitors? or use the laptop and extend the desktop to an external monitor?
2 external monitors? buy a "dock" from your manufacturer if it supports 2 monitors, some Dells do this.
Buy a USB to VGA adapter for a second screen (using the VGA on the laptop for the 1st monitor)

 

Hi Watchntv,

You can also use the Laptop's monitor as one of the two. Most are setup to make it easy.

Good Luck, Jim

 

That's what Im trying to do
I want to have powerpoint slides shown in one screen and MS Word in the other screen
I have a laptop and I have no idea what I need to do this
can you tell me how to do this? what to buy and where to connect it?
thanks

 

Does your laptop have a 15 pin VGA port? It will have 3 rows of pins & it may be blue in color. You need the plug the external monitor in there. Then you might have a "fn" or function key, maybe blue writing or some other color to stand out from the regular keys, you'll need to hole that and hit a key that may have a symbol like "o|o" to activate the external monitor. Then go into Windows display settings and click "extend my desktop to this monitor".
Then you can drag one app over to that screen.

If you can't figure that out please post laptop model and OS.

 

Telling us the model of your laptop would certainly help if you don't know specs.

 

ASUS UL30A-X5
http://www.amazon.com/UL30A-X5-Light-13-3-Inch-Laptop-Battery/dp/B002P3KMVC

 

http://uk.asus.com/Notebooks/Superior_Mobility/UL30A/

You have both HDMI and VGA.

HDMI so you'll need a hdmi lead.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=...pw.r_qf.&fp=f7178193be9733fc&biw=1252&bih=556

VGA you'll need a regular monitor with a VGA cable.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=...pw.r_qf.&fp=f7178193be9733fc&biw=1252&bih=556

Then follow foogoo's advice,

If your monitor has a DVI output which looks likes this-

http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=...pw.r_qf.&fp=f7178193be9733fc&biw=1252&bih=556

Then you'll need a HDMI to DVI adapter which look like this.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=...pw.r_qf.&fp=f7178193be9733fc&biw=1252&bih=556

 

Going off of that you have both an HDMI port (most HDTV's have this input port) and a VGA port. Most computer monitors these days have a VGA port. You'd simply plug one end to VGA port on the left hand side of your laptop and plug the other end into your monitor.

If you want the monitors to be mirrored or cloned (the exact same thing on both monitors) then you'll need to find a monitor with a aspect ratio of 16:9 (this is the standard aspect ratio for High Def TV as well). If you don't care about that and just want another monitor to use as a true second monitor then you can get whatever aspect ratio you want. The VGA port supports up to "2048x1536 @ 75 Hz refresh rate" according to http://software.intel.com/en-us/forums/topic/295341 which is actually pretty good.

You could also just plug your HDMI cable into the HDMI port on the computer, and the other end to your HDMI capable TV (most HDTVs) and use that. Audio also goes through the same cable so if you have content on your laptop that you want displayed on the TV it's relatively easy.

After you have an external monitor connected and the laptop detects it the setup may be good to go. If not, right click on your empty desktop and click Screen Resolution if you need to change the resolution to make it look right. Be sure to keep your laptop's main screen at the same resolution, you may even write the number down in case you inadvertently change it and want to go back.