Multi-monitor setup on x200

8 Antworten [Letzter Beitrag]
Beko
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Beigetreten: 08/31/2019

I have an HP monitor that I have been using with my x200. I have the 'powerdock' or whatever it is called where there is a displayport output, but since my monitor doesn't have a displayport I have a male DP to male HDMI cable that has been working pretty well. I was wondering if I were to buy 1 or 2 more of the same monitor, a splitter and use them together would it work?

My concerns are:

Would I need an HDMI splitter or a DisplayPort splitter?

Are there any freedom-issues to take into consideration with a splitter? (I assume not but idk)

Does Trisquel elegantly handle a multi-monitor setup? Would I have to install any packages to get things working?

Thanks!

nadebula.1984
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Beigetreten: 05/01/2018

This depends on how many displays does GM45 integrated graphics support, and how much bandwidth does its DP port have.

You'll probably only be able to use the split displays as mirrors.

No additional packages are required.

MistahDarcy
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Beigetreten: 03/18/2016

Don't know if this is of any help, but I use one monitor DP > HDMI and another (projector) through VGA at the same time through the dock.

Beko
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Beigetreten: 08/31/2019

I did some research but was unable to find the bandwidth of the GM45 integrated graphics, here are some links I found:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_GMA

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Graphics-Media-Accelerator-GMA-4500M.20379.0.html

I also saw somewhere that DisplayPort can support up to 4K resolutions. I failed to mention in the first post that my screen is only 1080p. Maybe since I'm using below the theoretical threshold of the DisplayPort I might get it working.

I also do not use my laptop screen while connected to the 1 monitor I currently have, so the laptop screen is set to 'blank' in MATE settings. Would this mean that my laptop screen is not one of my displays and therefore doesn't use the GM45's resources?

If possible I was trying to avoid VGA as it's maximum resolution is quite low, but it may be the only choice.

Thanks for the replies! I might just buy a splitter first, try using monitor + tvscreen, and only buy another monitor if those work together.

Beko
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Beigetreten: 08/31/2019

Further research leads me to believe that VGA quality is not as bad as some websites would have me believe.

https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/migr-70299
"VGA analog port supporting 2048 x 1536 maximum resoution."

This may indeed be the best solution

nadebula.1984
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Beigetreten: 05/01/2018

Because it's impossible to impose DRM on VGA (analog) output, hardware manufacturers have been forcing users to switch to digital output. Haven't you seen that new graphics cards no longer provided DVI-I ports? (The difference between DVI-I and DVI-D is that the latter cannot be converted to analog output.)

Actually, there was an old ThinkPad model with such high resolution (2048*1536) screen: R50p. However, I didn't find any on the dark market. I still keep a pair of 1-GiB DDR for it (if I could get one).

Beko
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Beigetreten: 08/31/2019

>Because it's impossible to impose DRM on VGA (analog) output

I didn't know this, but ultimately as someone running Trisquel, wouldn't DRM already be blocked. I know because DRM-y things like Netflix do not run on my machine (Not that I care really).

>hardware manufacturers have been forcing users to switch to digital output.

How is DRM enforced through digital outputs? Is there a mechanism within the way that the port works? Does it scan the output leaving the computer and determine whether DRM applies?

>I still keep a pair of 1-GiB DDR for it (if I could get one).

Best of luck finding your elusive ThinkPads!

nadebula.1984
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Beigetreten: 05/01/2018

For one example: HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection). Haven't you seen that some Rotten Apple systems only accept "authorized" displays and cables? It's DRM.

koszkonutek
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Beigetreten: 03/19/2020

> Further research leads me to believe that VGA quality is not as bad as some websites would have me believe.

Yep. What confused You before is that "VGA" actually has multiple meanings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphics_display_resolution#\36%2040_%C3%97_480_\(VGA\)
"Through its widespread adoption, VGA has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector, or the 640 × 480 resolution itself."