Cheapest way to extend display to two monitors?

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board' started by SuperTyke, Mar 28, 2025 at 9:45 PM.

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  1. SuperTyke

    SuperTyke Well-Known Member

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    Currently only have a vga port on the work computer but need two monitors, any suggestions?
     
    SuperTyke, Mar 28, 2025 at 9:45 PM
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  2. Che

    Chef Tyke Well-Known Member

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    I have no real idea mate but I plug my second monitor into laptop via hdmi then just change settings on pc ?
     
    Chef Tyke, Mar 28, 2025 at 9:50 PM
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  3. Durkar Red

    Durkar Red Well-Known Member

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    upload_2025-3-28_22-17-25.jpeg
     
    Durkar Red, Mar 28, 2025 at 10:17 PM
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  4. Andy Mac

    Andy Mac Well-Known Member

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    Andy Mac, Mar 28, 2025 at 10:43 PM
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  5. JamDrop

    JamDrop Well-Known Member

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    Just get a basic VGA to whatever you have cable.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2025 at 8:33 AM
    JamDrop, Mar 28, 2025 at 11:19 PM
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  6. Farnham_Red

    Farnham_Red Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    How old is your computer. VGA went obsolete years ago. Do you know if the graphics card can support 2 monitors.
    Amazon have splitters for about £6 but I don’t know how well they work
    https://amzn.eu/d/9sTcB9C
     
    Farnham_Red, Mar 28, 2025 at 11:50 PM
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  7. Acido Tyke

    Acido Tyke Well-Known Member

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    I've also been looking into this recently.
    Ive been trying to set up my older scart and newer hdmi video games consoles, to an older vga computer monitor.
     
    Acido Tyke, Mar 29, 2025 at 12:28 AM
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  8. Mr BFC88

    Mr BFC88 Well-Known Member

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    A mirror?
     
    Mr BFC88, Mar 29, 2025 at 1:10 AM
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  9. Ses

    Sestren Well-Known Member

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    VGA? I think if that's what you're using then you just need two ports. I remember feeling really fancy back in 2005 with my dual monitors, and I think that's what it came down to.

    Get work to buy you a new computer? I'm not sure you can even get hold of new VGA monitors any more.
     
    Sestren, Mar 29, 2025 at 1:10 AM
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  10. Acido Tyke

    Acido Tyke Well-Known Member

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    You can get them 'used' on eBay still, and for a decent price.
    But it all depends though on what your looking for, and how much your wanting to spend.
     
    Acido Tyke, Mar 29, 2025 at 1:19 AM
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  11. non

    nontechnical Active Member

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    I used to used to use the USB port on my laptop.
     
    nontechnical, Mar 29, 2025 at 5:50 AM
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  12. Hooky feller

    Hooky feller Well-Known Member

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    Chuffin ell. A thread like this, may as well be written in a foreign language for me. Oh to be young again lol. I'd go with the mirror suggestion. Love it. Lol.
     
    Hooky feller, Mar 29, 2025 at 7:48 AM
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  13. x11barnsley

    x11barnsley Well-Known Member

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    Slightly off subject … can you still buy new watches that need to be manually wound up ?
     
    x11barnsley, Mar 29, 2025 at 8:01 AM
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  14. Wat

    Watcher_Of_The_Skies Well-Known Member

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    Cheap and easy solution, a USB to HDMI/VGA adapter.

    If you only need to mirror the display (which I'm guessing you don't) a VGA splitter is the cheapest.
     
    Watcher_Of_The_Skies, Mar 29, 2025 at 8:06 AM
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  15. tob

    tobytykespuppy Well-Known Member

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    tobytykespuppy, Mar 29, 2025 at 10:32 AM
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  16. stairfoot.red

    stairfoot.red Well-Known Member

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    If no DP or HDMI or USB C ports available and only one VGA the very least you'll need is a new Graphics card but if your PC only as VGA I think you probably need your employer to update the PC before Noah wants it back for the Ark.
     
    stairfoot.red, Mar 29, 2025 at 12:25 PM
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  17. Gally

    Gally Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Thats what I was thinking
     
    Gally, Mar 29, 2025 at 1:20 PM
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  18. SuperTyke

    SuperTyke Well-Known Member

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    Slight update. Called in and had a proper look this morning. On the back there are a serial port, VGA and a "Dual-mode DisplayPort" or display port++ along with the usual usb ports and weird things for old fashioned mice etc.

    Does that help at all? Monitor is currently plugged in via the VGA.

    Apparently it's this spec

    HP Compaq Elite 8300 Base Model Small Form Factor PC

    Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-3470 CPU @ 3.20GHz 3.20 GHz

    Installed RAM 8.00 GB (7.88 GB usable)

    Operating system: Windows 11 Pro
     
    SuperTyke, Mar 29, 2025 at 1:25 PM
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  19. Pon

    Pontered Well-Known Member

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    Pontered, Mar 29, 2025 at 1:27 PM
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  20. Pon

    Pontered Well-Known Member

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    Lots of USB A ports
     
    Pontered, Mar 29, 2025 at 1:32 PM
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