Here's the deal...I want to set up dual monitors at work, running them from my laptop (Dell Latitude E6410). It's brand new and runs Windows 7.

This is so I can shove my laptop in my desk drawer and still have dual monitors (so, I mean two actual monitors) running. I ordered a VGA splitter already.

My thought is that I just plug them in and it should work, but I don't know how to change the settings so it recognizes two external monitors. Can anyone tell me what settings to change?

I did a google search a week or so ago and didn't see what I was looking for.

As long as your video card supports it, you shouldn't have to change anything. Just plug in the splitter, and your monitors, and that's it. Once they're all connected, the vid card should see them, and you'll have both show up in display prefs.

Could get quirky depending on the splitter and/or monitors, but with most current stuff you should be fine.

(And I'd advise against running your laptop in a desk drawer like that unless you're ventilating it. You're asking for an early heat death.)

EDIT: This assumes you bought the correct splitter. Some simply duplicate the original signal, some are designed for dual monitor input.

Well the last part I missed. Hopefully the splitter I got on Amazon works.

the drawer is pretty ventilated. It sits up a few inches from the bottom and isn't closed all the way. i will check it though.

Windows 7 is a breeze to connect dual monitors. I'm fairly impressed at the interface and easiness of the procedure. Almost any video card that was made in the last 3-4 years and beyond shouldn't have a problem supporting this.

Homework + facebook/movie ftw.

lol silly kids and your multitasking.

writing reports/analyzing data + google earth/gis/autocad ftw

And I forgot about the separate iTunes playlist screen.

So yes, you're absolutely right.

How much was the splitter you bought? Have any info on it? Make/model?

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I doubt that will let you accomplish what you want to do - dual display with different images on each monitor.

VGA only carries one channel of analog video (red, green, and blue plus horizontal and vertical sync). A y-adapter is only going to split those channels (and likely might not even do that well, as impedance mismatches can severly degrade the image). But there is no capability to output discrete video signals to each monitor.

DVI, on the other hand, does have this capability.

then why, if i plug an external monitor into my laptop, can that display two different images?

and what is DVI?

I don't get what you are asking? Are you saying that your single external monitor is displaying the output to two separate monitors at the same time? I have never heard of this before, so I sont think I am interpreting what you are saying correctly.

DVI is another port commonly used for displays, especially on desktops.

i think hes describing an extended desktop, but im not sure

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that sounds right...extended desktop

Right. But you can't do extended desktop with a single monitor.

You can do extended desktop with the laptop's built in display and a single external monitor, which is probably what you are doing now. But over a single VGA port, you can't send discrete signals to two separate external monitors.

All right, I think re-reading your post I get what you were asking/trying to say.

Your graphics "card" (probably not a separate card being a laptop) has the ability to display on multiple monitors. However, a VGA port can only carry signals to one monitor. Which is why you can have two displays by using the laptop's screen and an external monitor - the VGA port is only carrying the signal to one monitor, the other is connected directly to the graphics chipset.

Now, looking at your model computer, you have a DisplayPort. This also carries video signal, and can carry it for multiple monitors. Some computers let you hook up one monitor to VGA and one to DisplayPort - unfortunately, from what I can find about your model, it doesn't have this capability. So if you want multiple monitors from the DisplayPort, you need to get a box that takes a DisplayPort and has 2 or more DVI outputs. Dell has one of these for $129, there are probably other manufacturers that have these as well.

Your other option is to get a docking station. Most of the Dell Latitude docking stations have two DVI outputs on them - so you can connect two separate monitors (a cheap adapter will take DVI to VGA if you don't have a DVI port on your monitor - although most flatscreens nowadays do). The Dell E-Port Plus has two DVI Ports, and runs in the same price range (~$120, it seems).

That's what I used my duals for at work.

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