problem connecting second monitor to graphics card

[guest22]

hi!

I may or may not have a problem so my question is basically - do I have a problem? I tried chat but I think I wasn't clear enough.

specs: Gigabyte z78-ds3h
            Intel 4770k
            2x4 1600mhz gskill ram
            Gigabyte g1 gtx 980
            Acer 120hz monitor dvi
            Benq 60hz monitor vga
            Corsair 750w psu

Nothing is overclocked and everything is updated. I have one dvi monitor and one vga monitor. I can plug in either of those on my gpu but not both on the same time. One of the monitors just goes stand by mode. So i have plugged my second monitor to motherboard. It works but on chat they said it would never work. I see no problem so far except I cant use nVidia control panel to control second monitor and if I right mouse click the second desktop it brings up the Intel control panel which works.

So basically I just want to know what kind of problems there could be with this kind of setup? Could it pull too much power through motherboard by having second monitor be connected by that way or why this is a bad idea? I have stuff like Winamp and Chrome and Steam chat open on my second while playing on my main. So far I havent seen any other problems except that nVidia control panel thingy..

hmm.. Actually I have 2 questions
I have my old gtx580 which works just fine.  Could I put that on my pc and use second monitor through that? It mean I would have to buy new MB but I guess new motherboard is cheaper than new monitor.

thx

[DaveLembke]

Best results would be a dual video out video card.

This setup you have will not damage anything, but the display that is driven off of the integrated video will not perform as well as the one that is connected to the single video out video card.

The old GTX 580 if it has dual DVI or 1 DVI and 1 VGA you can use that for driving both monitors. For using a VGA monitor on a dual DVI card you can get a DVI to VGA adapter.

[guest22]

Hi DaveLembke.

Sounds good. I was going to buy new motherboard anyway because this one has only one pci-e slot. Would it be a problem if gtx580 has only 1,5g vram when gtx980 has 4g? I have ran out of vram in some games with 1.5g. I'm not worried about the heat because my case has good airflow. Both cards are Gigabyte windforce models.

[Computer_Commando]

Where is the VGA output?

[guest22]

Hi Computer_Commando.

its the lower dvi port with vga-to-dvi adapter.

[Computer_Commando]

If the adapter fits the upper one, try that.  Lower ones are usually primary, upper ones secondary.

VGA adapters are supposed to need the upper 2 or the bottom 1.
Are you using the adapter that came with the card?
You can't use the VGA on the mobo if you have this card.

[guest22]

This has been basically solved already. All i need to know now is does connecting both monitors on gtx580 limit vram to 1.5g. As I already told I can use either monitor alone just fine with gtx980. But if I connect both monitors to gtx980 my main monitor goes stand by mode. Adapter looks like the top one. Port on gtx980, as you know, doesnt have that gap. But it works just fine if I connect it alone without main monitor.

You can't use the VGA on the mobo if you have this card.

This has already been answered. I'm using it atm and have no problems besides I can't use nVidia control panel for settings. I'm playing CS:GO with my main and Chrome is open on second monitor.

On chat people got frustrated by my noobiness and I thought it was because I just wasn't clear enough. I honestly don't know how to say this any clearer.

DaveLembke already told me this setup doesn't damage anything and advised me to plug both monitors to my old gtx580.

Btw gtx980 didn't come with adapter. It came with gtx580 or radeon 5870. I don't remember.

[patio]

You don't listen...and you have been given excellent advice...
If it does not work it's on your end.

[BC_Programmer]

You don't listen...and you have been given excellent advice...
If it does not work it's on your end.

He has made it quite clear, or so I would have thought, that it is working perfectly fine. He wants to know of the equipment he has might provide him with a better option.



With regards to the adapters: the Video Card needs to be outputting an analog signal in order for the adapter to work. Looking into it in this case one of the ports does in fact carry a Analog signal. I cannot find any reference that shows which of the two connectors does so, but what I was able to find certainly indicates that only one of them does. I did however find numerous parts lists for the card packaging that state it comes with a VGA adapter.

This has been basically solved already. All i need to know now is does connecting both monitors on gtx580 limit vram to 1.5g.

If you connect both monitors to one card, you are only using that card, so yes. if in this case you had the 980 installed as well it would be doing nothing, unfortunately.

This has already been answered. I'm using it atm and have no problems besides I can't use nVidia control panel for settings. I'm playing CS:GO with my main and Chrome is open on second monitor.

Not really a problem, IMO. Only one monitor is being driven by a Nvidia card. The other is using your on-board Intel GPU, so each one has the options for the actual card behind it. What you mentioned about pulling too much power is untrue. (Monitors don't pull power through their display connectors- they pull it from a wall outlet).

I think you ought to explain further what happens when you try to use both. You mention repeatedly "first monitor", "second monitor" "primary" "secondary" etc. and how the main monitor goes into standby but I don't think you mention which inputs each one uses. It does work as is as you've shown but presumably your goal is to have both monitors driven by the 980.

-If you plug the DVI monitor (the Acer) into the top connector by itself, does that work?
-If you plug the VGA connector into the bottom connector and reboot, does that work? If not, what happens?
-Can you swap the connectors? If so, does that work?

[guest22]

Hi BC_Programmer.

Weird thing happened. I tried one more time and plugged both monitors in video card and Acer stayed stand by, just like all the times before. Benq turned on with 1600x1200 resolution which is weird because its 1920x1080 monitor. All the icons that were round before, like Steam or Chrome were flattened a bit, earth shape. 1920x1980 wasn't even in the list to choose for when I right-clicked desktop and selected resolution settings. There were no nVidia control panel on list when i right-clicked desktop. So I downloaded and installed nVidia driver again and rebooted. Now everything is perfect. I have no idea what happened because i have done this same thing more than 5 times before, every time when geForce Experience found a new update for nVidia cards.

You and DaveLembke were pretty much the only ones that understood my broken english or what was going on so thx both and of course everyone else that tried to help.

I will mark this as Solved for now and get back later if I somehow brake this again or if this was just a luck.

Im happy camper again, in de_dust2..