Second monitor option isn't shown

[Steve G.]

hey guys, I have yet another question/problem... Dell precision 450 w/ nvidia FX500/600 Quadro GPU works with a second monitor when I use a princton (19" - I think) monitor; it works great.
When I plug in a dell screen or our video system (scan do select> Edirol V-4 {via s-video}> Deuce SDQ> DA> Projector)... in the "display properties" a second monitor option or "extend my desktop" option is not even shown! I have gone through all the properties, all the drivers are installed, nothing seems to be out of whack except for that!
Are there any extra drivers that I can download for this or do I need a second GPU?

Thanks,

Steve

[prochlea]

i had this problem once, and i needed to update my graphics card drivers... have you done that?

[Steve G.]

Originally Posted by prochlea

i had this problem once, and i needed to update my graphics card drivers... have you done that?

Nope, I'll try that.

[[Admin] osborn4]

It's probably not recognizing that a second "monitor" is hooked up. I've had that problem when I was trying to hook to a projector on the other side of a VGA switch. The nVidia card would not recognize that the projector was connected. I had to connect the projector cable to my nVidia card, start up the projector, then start up my computer and then it would see it.

After the computer was booted, I could hook the switch and VGA amplified splitter back into the chain. But all week at the conference, I had to do that Watusi before booting up the projection PC.

I'm not sure how an S-Video and a real switcher might change that scenario.

[Steve G.]

Originally Posted by prochlea

i had this problem once, and i needed to update my graphics card drivers... have you done that?

We do have the latest drivers installed.

[kbob]

I've had that problem frequently with other people's laptops, and generally "doing the watusi" as described above will work. Essentially, rebooting with the projector in place at boot up almost always would do the trick.

Some video card drivers I've enountered also have an option for manually enabling a second monitor, but of course that depends on the make/model of the card and/or the laptop or desktop in question...

[Steve G.]

Anybody have a suggestion for a good inexpensive GPU? It will only be used to drive the second screen, we're not going to be doing any video editing or photoshop on it. Thanks

[Steve G.]

Got a matrox GF450, problem solved.