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Question

Dual Monitor for Dell XPS 8300 HELP!!

Apr 27, 2012 2:03AM PDT

I am trying to setup my dual monitors on the new Dell 8300. Video card is ADM Radeon HD 1GB DDR3. It has DVI, HDMI and VGA ports. My two older Dell monitors only have VGA connections on them. First monitor hooks up fine directly into the VGA slot. Serious issues with the second monitor:

First I tried a DVI-D to VGA connector and the machine would not even see the second monitor.

Next I tried a DVI-D to HDMI to VGA connector, the machine now sees the second monitor but I am not getting anything on the monitor...it seems like it wants to receive the image but it is not.

I have confirmed that the second monitor works just fine. I was running these same two monitors on my older XPS just fine.

I spent 5 hours on the phone/chat with Dell last night with no real solution. They suggested I get an HDMI to VGA cable. But when I call around to local computer stores they say this will not work.

Does anyone have a solution. These two monitors are in great shape and I do not want to replace them. The reason I made this purchase is the video card said it did support dual monitors and VGA and DVI.

HELP!!!!

Thanks so much!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
So far it looks like a dead end (adapter wise.)
Apr 27, 2012 2:35PM PDT

I don't have the exact video card so I can't check to see if this should work. DVI can be digital only and no adapter less than the cost of a new display can be had.

Tell more so I can check out the video card.
Bob

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Dual monitor
Apr 27, 2012 11:40PM PDT

Bob, would he not need to do a dual DVI card to run 2 monitors in tandem? I can't recall ever running 2 set ups that were not matched hook ups.

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That's not the question or problem here.
Apr 28, 2012 3:23AM PDT

As we read the problem statement we have 2 VGA (analog) monitors and can't see the make/model of the video card so we can't check to see if the card supports VGA on the DVI connection.

No reason to write much more until the make+model of the card is known.
Bob

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I'm running one of each.
Apr 28, 2012 3:40AM PDT

My system has dual DVI ports on the video card but I am running one DVI monitor and one VGA monitor off it. I'm using a DVI to VGA adapter on that. It all works well.

I purchased 3 DVI to VGA adapters, 2 to keep as spare, but interestingly the first one I tried failed immediately and I had to use one of the spares.

But I leave the technical questions to Bob.

Mark

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Adapter
Apr 29, 2012 11:39PM PDT

I'm beginning to wonder if I have a bad DVI to VGA adapter? For troubleshooting purposes, I grabbed a spare monitor from the office with a DVI port on the back...so the borrowed second monitor is now directly hooked up to the DVI port on the video card and it works. My goal was to not have to buy a new monitor at this time...still want to use the old one with the VGA connection only.

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Crossover
Apr 29, 2012 11:40PM PDT

Oh that's right Mark I forgot all about using adapter...DVI to VGA I am just used to using dual DVI. Should have just waited for Bob and yourself to respond, jumped the gun **LOL**

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Video Card
Apr 29, 2012 11:34PM PDT

Here are video card specs:

ADM Radeon HD 1GB DDR3. It has DVI, HDMI and VGA ports

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Video Card
Apr 29, 2012 11:57PM PDT

Sorry, it's the ADM Radeon HD 6450

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There are too many varients of that model.
Apr 30, 2012 4:12AM PDT

For me to see if the DVI has the right signals I need a link to the exact card.

OK you may be asking why so let's get into DVI. There are no less than FIVE DVI standards where some have digital (only), analog (only) or both. Another may have HDCP but we don't care about that here.

Here's the Wikipedia (you can get more details if you want?) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visual_Interface

Sorry it could be the adapter but it would be nice to find out which DVI this card has.

Many of the low cost cards only have one VGA RAMDAC so you can only connect one VGA display.
Bob

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Card ADM Radeon HD 6450
Apr 30, 2012 4:20AM PDT

ADM Radeon HD 6450

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Too many hits on google.
Apr 30, 2012 4:28AM PDT

I see 5 makes and models. As we don't know which make and model number I can't see if this should work or not.
Bob

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Vid card
Apr 30, 2012 6:39AM PDT

This is what the port on the computer looks like (Figure 3):

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It does not matter yet.
Apr 30, 2012 6:42AM PDT

I can have a DVI port that looks OK but unless the video card has DUAL VGA RAMDACs then it does not matter.

If you don't know what video card you have, then I'm going with it has the usual single RAMDAC.
Bob

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Video Card
May 1, 2012 3:53AM PDT

Ok, let me see if I can find more specs on the card. Thanks.

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Answer
Resolution for Dual Monitor Setup
Jun 19, 2012 12:58AM PDT

Hi Cindy,

I would be glad to assist you on the query posted here.

Regarding the Dual Video Configuration, the best way to configure multiple displays is using the AMD Catalyst Monitor Software available for your graphics card.

You can obtain the same at http://www.amd.com > Support & Drivers, by choosing your current operating system.

Alternatively, you can try downloading the catalyst software suite from http://support.dell.com by choosing your region/service tag/system type.

If you need further assistance, kindly reply here.

Kindest Regards,
Shomprakash Sinha Ray
Social Media & Communities Professional, Dell
#iwork4dell

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Answer
dual monitors on xps8300 with radeon 6450 card
Nov 8, 2015 12:25PM PST

If you have the radeon 6450 graphics card: I don"t think it supports dual monitors. I tried it with mine and it wouldn't work. I removed the card and used the on board graphics and it did work.
I am running two VGA monitors. One I attached to the VGA port on the Xps8300 and the other I used a HDMI adapter on the VGA monitor and attached to the HDMI port on the Xps8300. So far it is working fine.
DanielP