one thing I like about my Dell XPS M1330: dual external monitors!
In my last post I talked about how to maximize screen area on widescreen systems by optimizing the placement of your Windows taskbar and your Firefox configuration. I was driven to that point in part by spending just a few days working from my home office, where I’ve got a single 20” widescreen monitor.
I don’t worry about vertical screen real estate too much when I’m working from the office because I’ve got quite a bit of it to work with. No, I don’t have a mongo 30” widescreen Cinema Display. I don’t even have a 24-incher. In fact, I think my current setup, which consists of dual 20” panels, works better than either of these.
The monitors are Dell 2007FPs. Each is running at 1600×1200, yielding a total of 3.84 million pixels, compared to 2.3 million for a 24” widescreen and 4.1 million for a 30” panel. Not bad considering the cost is roughly 75% more than the 24” and significantly less than half the cost of the 30”.
Part of what makes this work so nicely is my Dell XPS M1330’s ability to drive two independent external monitors. I’m sure it’s not the only laptop that can do so nowadays, but it’s the first I’ve owned. The Dell has both a VGA port and an HDMI port and, unlike some other machines that only let you use one at a time, you can use both on the M.
That’s not to say that the machine is perfect – for example, a docking station would be nice to help manage all those connections. Backlit keyboard would be sweet, too. Don’t get me started.
But it is nice to have the dual external monitor support. Thanks, Dell!
Ok I just bought an extra screen for the dell m1330. One monitor is running on vga and the other on HDMI(to DVI with a converter).
I have an integrated graphics card and everything is working fine. Normally the second screen should be detected automatically and your desktop should be expanded. Else check your graphics options and set it up.
Cheers
Ok..so I know it has been a few years since you all posted here – but I am running dual monitors – one vga lcd and then the native laptop screen. What I am having difficulty with is the VGA port that is screw-less…
How are you keeping your cable in because this is turning out to be a problem of my laptop and the cable out-witting me. Other than balance and trying to stick a pen underneath the cable to raise its height I cannot see how this is to work.
I haven’t had the Dell for a couple of years now, since switching to Mac. That said I don’t recall really having a problem with this. Try to adjust the tension on your cable and the angle it’s coming in at, or try using a pad of post-it notes under the end of the cable. You might want to try another cable as well; maybe the pins will be slightly bigger and create a better connection.
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hey Sam, I have the exact same setup as you do except I am running the Mobile Intel 965 Express Chipset Family on my m1330. Do I need to upgrade my graphics card to be able to run the two external monitors independently? Right now can only run one external monitor and the main laptop monitor. Any ideas? Thanks!
all set actually, figured it out!
So what was the solution ?
So are you using an HDMI to DVI cable to go from the laptop to the back of monitor?
I have the m1330 I got from Best Buy, has the NVIDIA 9400M graphics card and am using a Samsung 21' widescreen plugged into VGA. Want to get another one just like it for dual setup but want to make sure it will work with the HDMI port before I purchase another one.
i can't see your response sam
hope you can read this. If you could reply by email that be cool
Hey, I got a question. Is your M1330 always off when you have the dual monitor setup? is it possible to have all three of the monitor one?
What’s you think of the possible my XPS 13, 9400M driving 2x 1920×1080 and it’s regular screen?
thanks
It’s been a while since I used the 1330, but if I remember correctly the analog and internal monitors are run off the same port on the video card. If you have the internal screen on it would mirror whatever is on the vga port (and thus crank down the resolution on the vga port).
Thanks, Sam!
Barb,
The keyboard is the Apple Keyboard Kit
, which I highly recommend. I have two–at home and work–and they’re great.
Thanks for sharing this info – I had no idea this was possible.
I am looking for a keyboard like the one in your picture and was wondering if you would mind identifying it?
I want to use the TOSHIBA USB docking station with my DELL Studio 17 1735 laptop. Has anyone tried that yet. I dont know how to turn on the DELL Studio 17 laptop with the screen closed. The POWER ON switch is not active with the screen down (closed) on the laptop.. The USB docking station works great once you get the laptop turned on. Defeats the purpose of a docking station if you have to run the laptop screen to make the USB docking station to work
I just installed Windows 7 on my Dell XPS M1330 and now it no longer recognizes monitors connected to the VGA port – any ideas ?
Well this is something new for me but this is very much helpful, even i was looking for this suggestion,so thanks a lot for this blog.
I have theM1330 with Windows 7. This dual monitor solution works beautifully using two 32″ monitors.
Thanks alot for this information.
Anyone tried the display port before? That may give you two digital outputs.
Hey that’s a great news! I never knew we can use both HDMI and VGA simultaneously. I really need dual monitors for my computer so I can see multiple simulation windows at a time. Thank you so much for the information.
Alright looks like may not work. In short and simple way. I have apple 17″ display and I am trying to use it as extended display with xps m1330. It works on other resolution but as soon as I turn it to 1280×1024 it just switch off. Any body has any suggestions.
Thank you
Thank you Sam
Graphic Card is Intel GM965 Express Chipset Family
I am trying to set 1280×1024 on both external monitor. But I am also unable to set my apple display at 1280×1024 and laptop with native resolution.
Crash means my external display goes black out and laptop screen show some fuzzy dark gray uneven color. Then I have disconnect the external monitor and restart the laptop.
I am having a problem using the same connections with m1330. I have an analog and a dvi monitor. Both are seen fine by laptop but when I set the resolution on DVI connection to 1280×1024 all crashed and its all black out. I tried with just dual laptop and dvi monitor still it doesn’t work after I set the resolution on DVI monitor. I am sure my apple LCD works fine with that resolution on other computer and I have been using it for years.
Any suggestion please.
Thank you
AL – Which graphics chip do you have in your m1330? What resolutions if any can you successfully drive via DVI? When you say “crashed” can you recover by unplugging the monitor or plugging in a VGA monitor?
Your answers to these questions might help others provide suggestions.
HW, I had the XPS m1330 with the integrated Intel Graphics. X3100 if memory serves. The Nvidia software may not allow you to do this? Anyone else have any experience in this department?
Hi There. I just rec’d my studio XPS 13 today. I have two identical Dell 19″ monitors. I have an HDMI and VGA cable connected to each monitor, however I’m only able to display my content on one monitor at a time (toggling). I have looked at all the setting options on the NVIDIA 9400 card and there’s no option to extend to 2 external monitors. Any suggestions on how to set things up? Really want to make this work!! Thanks.
I have an XPS M1330 attached to two external monitors, one via HDMI and one via VGA. I’m trying to get the the two externals independently configured. I can’t get anything to display on both at the same time. It seems to be either one or the other.
Could you tell me what settings you use that makes this setup work?
Thank you,
Jeff
Oops .. immediately after I left the comment, I found the way. Display Options at Desktop right click menu. lol
Each output (VGA and HDMI) can only drive one unique picture. A splitter will just copy that output’s picture. As mentioned in my post, the analog performance depends a lot on the monitor.
Hi,
I have an issue connection my dual monitors (DELL) with two DVI cables. I got one DVI-D (male2male) splitter and two DVI-D cables for the monitors. But nVidia assumes that there is only one source of video signals and clones the desktops instead of multiple views.
The problem is docking station has only one DVI and one VGA port. Is there any work around to hook two digital cables to dual monitors? I would really appreciate any help or any posting.
Digital side of the monitor is very crisp and Analog side monitor is blur.
Thank you in advance
Hari.
Excellent, I hadn’t realized you could use both the HDMI and VGA ports simultaneously. I was about to buy the Matrox product at $200+, but it looks like I don’t need to
I just came across the new Dell Studio XPS 13, which has VGA, Display Port *and* HDMI ports available. I can’t imagine this thing would allow you to drive three external monitors simultaneously, but that’d be sweet.
Actually, I’d be pretty psyched to have two digital outputs, as there is (obviously) a noticeable difference in crispness between the what I see on from the HDMI and VGA outputs.
I have a M1330, which I really like, and one 2007WFP (analog)monitor.
Thinking of getting a second one like you did.
Questions;
It says in the specs for the monitor it only accepts VGA and DVI signals. Doesn’t mention HDMI which is the second port from the M1330 to run the second monitor.
Was this a problem for you?
if not, does the resolution or crispness look any different between the two monitors (VGA vs HDMI)?
Where did you get the cable?
Any regrets?
Thanks,
RJ
I used an HDMI to DVI cable. I usually order cables from monoprice.com.
As far as VGA vs DVI/HDMI quality goes, the digital connection is definitely crisper. With the older Dell monitors the analog connection was pretty bad. It was horrible on the 2001fp and passable on the 2005fpw. On the 2007fp it is pretty good. Noticeable, but barely so. I do tend to use the analog connection as a secondary monitor, though, so it doesn’t bother me at all.
I love the setup — no regrets at all.
i have dell studio 1735 laptop with vga and hdmi ports
i noticed that your laptop`s screen has closed
is this because chipest of video card`s limitation?
you can`t output triple screen at the same time ?
sorry to bother you
I have a triple-monitor setup(Lenovo T61p laptop screeen itself + two Dell 2407 at 1920×1200 resolution) via 2 DVI outputs from Lenovo Docking Station.
(My work needs high resolution so I do not use VGA.)
I wonder if I can use the Display Port and HDMI on a Dell laptop and have the same result (skipping the docking station), running 3 separate screens (not clone), with the laptop and the 2 external monitors at 1920×1200, or at least 1600×1200?
Also, the Display Port is supposed to be able to be daisy-chained. Has anyone tried to hook up 2 high resolution monitors with that single Display Port?
Hey Sam,
I can’t seem to find a cable at monoprice.com that will pass 1680 X 1050, the resolution I am running on my screen now.
Do you think this cable would work? It seems to be rated at only 1080.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10231&cs_id=1023102&p_id=2286&seq=1&format=2
If not, which cable did you get?
Thanks,
RJ
I am having a dell xps M1330. Can I put an external graphics card into my
PCI slot.. anyone is having idea regarding this.
Hi Sam,
I tried the same thing with HP 20inch 1600×1200 monitor and Acer 22in wide 1680×1050 monitor, hp connected with HDMI port (DVI2HDMI cable) and Acer connected to VGA port.
As soon as I connect Acer with VGA, M1330 only displays Acer alone.
It seems I cannot turn off M1330′s display and turn on HP’s display.
Can you give me more directions?
Thank you,
Joon.
Oops .. immediately after I left the comment, I found the way. Display Options at Desktop right click menu. lol
Thanks!
Hi,
I am trying to connect my Dell Xps M1330 to a Samsung TV(about 6 years old) which has separate audio and video ports and no Usb port. How do I go about connecting the two of them?
Thanks in Advance.
Praneeth.
You need to figure out the specific inputs on your TV and google various combinations like “HDM to Composite” etc.
You may find this useful: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=205821