Wire connecting the monitor to the system unit. How to connect the system unit

Useful tips

Today you won’t surprise anyone with a multi-monitor PC configuration. And soon, we can expect that having a single display on a desk will become the exception, not the rule. This is what people say who have had the opportunity to compare the convenience of working at a computer with one and multiple monitors. And the second option, if you believe their words, is much more convenient than the first.

Statisticians share the same opinion. According to their research, if you connect 2 monitors instead of one, the productivity of personnel involved in processing large amounts of information increases by 15-60%. What can we say about gamers, for whom multi-monitor systems are the only opportunity to plunge headlong into the virtual world?

How many monitors can be connected to one computer? Connection conditions

It is unlikely that anyone is able to name the exact number of possible monitor connections to one PC, but 50 or more is definitely possible. It all depends on the budget you are willing to allocate for it. To create video walls from dozens of modules, such as in the photo below, special controllers are used. Their task is not just to display the image on many screens, but also to provide each picture with decent quality.

However, video wall controllers are an extremely expensive solution that not every enterprise can afford. A more affordable option is a video server with several multi-channel video cards. But it can cost the owner several hundred thousand rubles.

The average user, like most of us, does not need such excesses. Home gaming systems usually consist of no more than six monitors, and they can be connected not just to one computer, but to one video card. But in order to achieve the highest possible image quality, it is better to distribute the monitors so that there are no more than two or three per video camera.

Connecting two monitors is supported by almost any modern video card, even one built into the processor (chipset). Three or more - all AMD models, starting with series 5, as well as NVIDIA GTX 600 and newer.

In addition to multi-channel support, the following are important for creating multi-monitor configurations:

Availability of outputs on video cards that coincide with monitor inputs (the use of adapters is allowed in extreme cases when there is no other way to connect). Moreover, AMD requires a mandatory DisplayPort interface on at least one of the displays (with the exception of certain branded video cards with a built-in DisplayPort-DVI adapter). NVIDIA does not impose such conditions.
Video driver support for all monitor resolutions.
Sufficient amount of video memory. 2048 Mb is the conditional minimum for a two- or three-monitor configuration in a non-gaming system. For four or more monitors, especially if you plan to use the computer for games, there should be at least 2 times more memory.
High data bus bandwidth (from 128 bits) and good memory speed (the more, the better). The narrower the tire, the higher the speed should be.

To connect monitors to different video cards, the latter do not need to be combined into SLI or Crossfire. In some cases, in addition to a discrete card (inserted into the connector), you can use the built-in video if the motherboard BIOS supports it (there is an “Always Enable” option for the built-in video card output). But in such configurations, each pair of displays served by one video chip operates independently of the other. This means that you won't be able to create a common visual space across all screens.

If your computer is equipped with a single video card, you can connect monitors to several of its ports or to one. To connect 2 or more screens to one video card with 1 input, you will need a signal divider - a splitter. For example, as in the photo below. This modification can distribute a signal to 4 monitors, but the picture quality usually decreases (it depends not so much on the splitter as on the video capabilities). If the flow is barely enough for a single screen, dividing it into “rivulets” will reduce the resolution, clarity and scan frequency. And the more connections, the lower the quality.

When you connect the splitter to displays with different resolutions, the picture quality on them will be different: on some it is better, on others it is worse. And you won’t be able to correct it individually, except perhaps through the settings of the monitors themselves.

AMD cards that feature Eyefinity technology (based on the ATI Radeon R800 line of GPUs) allow you to attach up to 6 displays to them and combine them into a single visual space. But here everything is tied to the DisplayPort interface, which, unfortunately, not all devices are equipped with.

The following are acceptable combinations of connection interfaces when building multi-monitor systems using AMD Eyefinity technology:

To combine 3 monitors into one system, one of them must be connected via DisplayPort or miniDisplayPort (miniDP), the second via DVI, and the third via VGA, HDMI or the same DVI.
If there are 4 monitors, two devices must be connected to DisplayPort, the third to DVI, and the fourth to VGA or HDMI.
In a five-monitor system, all 5 or 3 monitors are connected to DisplayPort (miniDisplayPort), one or two to DVI, and one, if any, to HDMI.
The six-monitor configuration provides a connection via miniDisplayPort only.

NVIDIA Surround/3D Vision multi-monitor support technology allows you to create a shared gaming space from three monitors. However, for this you will need either a dual-processor video card, or combining two or three cards in SLI. You can connect several more displays to the remaining video outputs; they will work independently of the others.

If you do not have the task of building a video wall to display one picture on several screens, it is not necessary to adhere to the rules described above. Monitors can be connected in any configuration through any interfaces, based on 2 devices per 1 video processor. In this case, each of them will display its own desktop, and you can switch between them, drag windows from one desktop to another, etc.

How to connect and configure additional monitors in Windows

Physical connection of devices

The process of physically connecting a second, third, etc. monitor to the video card ports is not difficult. Simply insert the connectors of the connecting cables into the sockets of both devices, remembering to first unplug them from the outlet.

When creating a dual-monitor setup, use the same interfaces whenever possible, for example, DisplayPort only or HDMI only, so that the image quality on the two screens does not differ much. If there are no identical ports on your video card, connect via different ones, for example, DVI and HDMI or HDMI and VGA. It is permissible to use adapters from one interface to another only in extreme cases, since signal conversion is always accompanied by losses, sometimes significant. The same goes for splitters. If you can do without them, try to do without them.

After making the connection, turn on the power to the system unit and monitors. Recognition of the latter, as a rule, occurs automatically. All you have to do is customize them to suit your needs.

Connecting a second monitor to laptops is done in the same way as to desktop PCs. The only difference is that the video card that will serve the additional screen is determined by the system, not the user.

Multi-display adapters

If the picture quality on the main and additional displays varies greatly, and also if you need to connect not one, but 2 additional monitors to your laptop, a specialized device - a multi-display adapter - will help out. This is a small box with a processor inside, reminiscent of a multiport splitter, and several cables included. One cable connects the box to the output of the video card, the rest are connected to the monitor inputs. It receives power from a USB port or an external adapter.

An example of such a device is Matrox DualHead2Go Digital SE.

Setting up additional screens in Windows 10 and 8.1 and 7

After the first turn on, the image on the additional monitor, as a rule, duplicates the main one. Sometimes the desktop stretches across 2 screens at once. To select the desired mode, press the Windows + P (Latin) key combination - this will open the projection panel.

In Windows 10 and 8.1 it looks like this:

In Windows 7 - like this:

The Duplicate option (Repeating) plays the same picture on all displays. “Extend” - makes the second screen a continuation of the first.

If the system was unable to automatically recognize the second display, open “Display Settings” through the desktop context menu.

Click the “Discover” button (In Windows 7, “Find”).

If the device is physically functional and connected correctly, the system will most likely recognize it immediately. If not, open the Multiple Displays list and select "Try anyway to connect..." to a monitor that is not detected.

If this does not help, you should check the contacts and, if possible, connect the device with another known-good cable to another video output or another video card.

The “Define” button in the same section allows you to select which of the two displays will be the main (first) and which will be the additional (second, third, etc.).

To change the settings of one of the displays of a multi-monitor system - the size of the displayed elements, brightness level, orientation, resolution, color rendering, etc., click on the rectangle with its serial number in the gray field under the “Customize your screen” heading.

The changes will take effect after saving. You do not need to restart your computer for this.

Additional multi-display configuration settings are available in the NVIDIA and AMD Catalyst Control Panel menus.

Setting up additional screens in Windows XP

To access display settings in Windows XP, also open the desktop context menu and click “Properties”. Next, go to the “Options” tab.

If the second monitor is correctly recognized, 2 display icons with sequential numbers will appear in the gray field. There is no “Find” option, as in modern versions of Windows.

By default, both screens display the same desktop image. If you want to expand it, click on the second display icon and check the “Extend desktop onto this monitor” checkbox.

Setting up each screen individually is done in the same way as in Windows 10: click on the monitor icon on the gray field and set the desired parameters. The “Screen Resolution” and “Color Quality” options are located here, and the rest - scale, adapter properties, etc., is hidden behind the “Advanced” button.

Most of the settings take effect immediately, but some only after you restart the computer.

Today we will connect an external monitor to a laptop, netbook, or ultrabook and configure the whole thing in Windows 10 and Windows 7. If you have Windows 8, everything will work out. I just don’t have this system installed on my laptop, so I won’t be able to show everything and take screenshots. In general, in the process of connecting a laptop to a monitor, it doesn’t make much difference what version of Windows you have installed. In most cases, it is enough to simply connect the monitor to the laptop via an HDMI cable, or VGA, DVI, USB Type-C. We will also talk about which connection interface is best to use and what cable (possibly an adapter) we need.

My laptop is almost always connected to the monitor. Plus a wireless keyboard and mouse. That is, I have a laptop as a system unit. It is very comfortable. I can turn off my laptop at any time and take it with me. It is almost silent compared to a PC. And thanks to the monitor I connect to at home, I can comfortably work on the big screen, watch movies, play games, etc.

In addition, the screen quality on laptops is very poor. I will introduce models from the budget and mid-price segments. Or old laptops.

Everyone has different tasks. And there can be a lot of cases when we may need to connect a monitor. Someone will connect to a large screen to watch movies, take their laptop to work and connect to a monitor there for more comfortable work, or, like me, use it as a desktop computer. In any case, we need to somehow connect and configure these two devices. By the way, you can use a TV instead of a monitor.

To begin with, we will find out what connection interface (output) is on our laptop, we will also check whether there is the same port (input) on the monitor and we will already decide which one to use. And of course we will need a certain cable. In some cases, an adapter may also be needed.

Which interface and cable should I use to connect my laptop to the monitor?

At this stage it is very difficult to give any specific and universal recommendations. For the reason that everyone has different laptops and monitors. Therefore, we will consider the most popular connection options. One of them should suit you.

The most optimal and common interface for connecting a monitor to a laptop is HDMI. It is available on almost every laptop and monitor. Even if your devices are not the newest. If you find an HDMI output on your laptop and an input on your monitor, then use that.

First, look at your laptop. I’ll show you everything using the example of two of my laptops. The new but budget Lenovo only has an HDMI output. As I already wrote, this is the optimal solution.

The second, older ASUS laptop has the same HDMI digital output and the now outdated VGA.

What other options might there be?

Older laptops may only have a VGA output.
It's rare, but sometimes laptops have a DVI output.
On modern gaming laptops, in addition to HDMI, there may also be a mini Display Port.
On new ultrabooks (mostly expensive models) there is no separate output for connecting an external monitor. There, a new USB Type-C port is used for these tasks. And since there are now very few monitors with a USB Type-C input, you will most likely need an adapter. For example, USB-C - HDMI.

We sorted out the laptop. Now look at your monitor. What connection interfaces are there? My monitor has two HDMI inputs and one VGA (D-Sub).

Since my laptop has an HDMI output, and my monitor has an HDMI input, of course I will use this interface to connect.

But, as you understand, this does not always happen. Let's consider these options:

The monitor does not have an HDMI input. And there are, for example, only DVI and VGA. In this case, you can connect via VGA (if there is such an output on the laptop). But, if your laptop has HDMI, then it is best to use an HDMI to DVI adapter.
The laptop only has HDMI, but the monitor has VGA. You can also use an adapter. There are enough of them on the market. But, since VGA is not a digital output, the picture quality may not be very good.

Simply put, when both devices do not have the same interfaces, then you need to look towards adapters. And it’s better not to use outdated VGA for connection. If there is such a possibility.

I think we've sorted out the connection interface. Depending on the selected interface, we will need a cable or adapter. I have a regular HDMI cable.

Very common. You can buy it at almost any digital store. Comes in different lengths. Just say that you need a cable to connect your computer to your monitor. I've been using the same cable for several years now.

Connect the monitor to the laptop via HDMI cable

Connect the cable to the monitor.

We connect the second end of the cable to the laptop.

Once connected (and turned on), the image will most likely be duplicated on both screens (as in the photo below).

Update: There are many monitors with built-in speakers. An HDMI cable can transmit not only images, but also sound. If immediately after connecting the sound does not come to the monitor, then see this article:. You may need to change your Windows audio settings.

Duplicate, or Repetitive. This is when the laptop and monitor displays same image.

In this mode, there is one caveat with screen resolution. It is determined by the lowest resolution and is installed on both screens. Laptops usually have a resolution of 1366x768, while monitors have a resolution of 1920x1080. In this mode, the monitor will also be forced to set the resolution to 1366x768. And the picture will not be of very good quality. In my case, the laptop is also 1920x1080.
Expand. When the second screen becomes as if continuation of the main.

You can put some shortcuts, windows, etc. on it. You can, for example, work in a browser on the laptop screen, and put a player on the monitor and watch a movie. Or open the same YouTube in another browser window.
Computer screen only (turn off provost). It is when The image is displayed only on the laptop screen. The monitor is turned off.

You can turn off the monitor without disconnecting the HDMI cable.
Well, the last mode is Second screen only (projector only). Here everything is the other way around. The laptop screen is turned off and The image is displayed only on the monitor.

I always work in this mode.

I will show you later in the article how to change these modes and, if necessary, change the resolution in the Windows screen settings. Separately for Windows 10 and Windows 7.

Setting up a monitor (second screen) on a laptop with Windows 10

To quickly change the image display method, just press the Win + P key combination on your laptop keyboard. Or use a special function key. Most often paired with the Fn key.

A menu should appear on the screen in which you can select the desired mode.

If these settings are not enough for you, you can open "Display Options". Right-click on an empty area of the desktop.

There should be two displays there.

You can select them and change parameters for each separately. Including possible. There you can choose one of four options for working with two displays.

Everything seems simple and clear there. I think there is no need to describe every setting item.

Changing multiple screen settings in Windows 7

In Windows 7, you can call up the menu in the same way by pressing the key combination Win Win + P. It looks like this:

We will see that two screens are displayed. Monitor and laptop screen itself. They can be identified by clicking on the corresponding button. You can also change its resolution and orientation by selecting a specific screen. Or change the operating mode of two screens.

This information is enough for you to connect your monitor to your laptop and enjoy the image on the big screen. It is much more convenient to work, play games, or watch movies behind a monitor. And having disconnected the laptop from the monitor, you can move to the sofa, or go to the nearest cafe and continue working over a cup of tea. Absolute freedom!

If you can’t decide on the connection interface, or you have other questions, leave them in the comments. Just be sure to write the model of the laptop and monitor.

Left - VGA, middle - DVI, right - HDMI.

It often happens that both the monitor and the video card support all three interfaces. In this case, we recommend using DVI or HDMI interface, at your discretion.

Well, you say, they began to express themselves in all sorts of incomprehensible terms. But don’t be afraid ahead of time. Computer language is full of terms that you will need to gradually learn. There is no way without this.

An interface is, simply put, interaction, pairing.

Let's move on... The video card can be built into the motherboard ( integrated), and external (discrete), that is, being a separate device connected to the corresponding connector on the computer motherboard.

In the picture in the rectangle numbered 1 video card connector is closed, built into the motherboard. In this example, this connector is VGA. Rectangle number 2 shows external video card connectors. And here, as we see, are all three video interfaces described above.

If on your computer both video cards are present, then it would be better and more correct to use an external one. Why? An integrated video card does not have its own RAM, so it will use system memory, which cannot be said about an external video card. An external video camera has not only its own RAM, but also its own processor. But now let’s not go deeper into the jungle, we have a different task...

So let's see what interfaces supports your video card and monitor, take the appropriate cable (as a rule, they come with the monitor) and connect them to each other.

Connecting the power cable to the monitor

We insert the network cable into monitor connector, other end to the surge protector. A surge protector is an extension cord to connect several(usually at least five) devices and a power button. There is also a fuse there, so if there is a strong voltage drop in the electrical network, then the fuse will trip, and your PC will not be harmed.

Connecting the network cable to the power supply

Connecting a keyboard and mouse to a computer

Keyboard and mouse connect to the system unit via a PS/2 connector or via regular USB. Green for mouse, green for keyboard lilac.

Do not confuse with USB 3.0. These connectors differ in color; USB 3.0 connectors are blue.

Connecting speakers

Connecting audio speakers. Almost all motherboards have a built-in sound card. On the back panel of the system unit you can see from three to six multi-colored inputs.

The green input is for speakers, the pink one is for a microphone. All the others are not needed if you have regular speakers.

Checking connections and turning on the computer

All! Your computer is ready to turn on. Let's check all connections again. We connect the surge protector to the power supply and press the red button on it. Also check the position of the switch on the power supply. Naturally, it must be turned on. Keep in mind that not all power supplies have such a switch.

Workplace organization

Well, in conclusion, a few words about choosing the location of your PC and organizing your workplace. When choosing a location for your computer, be sure to so that the system unit is not located near heating devices. Otherwise, the system may overheat and cause an emergency shutdown if the overheating protection system is triggered. But it's better not to experiment.

Recommended distance from monitor to eyes should not be less than 70 cm. More is possible, less is not. It is advisable that the center of the monitor is at eye level. What is it for? For ease of perception of information from the monitor screen.

Make sure you have good lighting your workplace. It should not be too bright, but not dull either. If your computer is installed in a poorly lit area, install an additional light.

Hello, friends! In this article we will figure out how to connect a monitor to a computer. By computer we will mean . With and ultrabooks everything is the same.

The first thing it is advisable to do is examine the connectors on the computer. Usually everything is located on the back panel. I have built-in video so the video outputs are on .

In the pictures above you can see all the most common connection connectors.

Now we’ll examine the latter for video inputs. For example, LED monitor Samsung S27C570H

There are not many connectors - digital HDMI and analog VGA, which is better not to use.

It is advisable to connect the monitor to the computer without adapters and that the ends of the cable have the same connectors. For example

It is advisable to give preference to a digital connector: DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI. They are arranged in descending order of capacity. But this does not mean that the DVI connector cannot provide resolutions higher than 1920 x 1080 - without problems, but with one condition. If you are going to use a monitor with a resolution higher than Full HD (1920 x 1080), then it is advisable to use a Dual Link cable. The latter is distinguished by the presence of a large number of contacts.

The picture above shows the different versions of DVI connectors:

DVI-I - can transmit both digital and analog signals
DVI-D - transmits digital signal only
DVI-A - analog signal only

I haven't seen any DVI-A cables, but they say there are some.

We find the same digital connectors on the monitor and. If it is not included, we buy the corresponding cable. If your computer and monitor do not have matching connectors, then it is advisable to buy special adapter cables. For example

Connection

The connection process is as follows:

Connect one end of the cable to the monitor connector
The other is to the video output on the computer. If you have video outputs on the motherboard and on the video card, then connect to.
Turn on the computer

Usually nothing more is required. Windows will install the necessary

Instructions

Take the main cable intended for the system unit from the network. There will be a plug on one side and a trapezoidal connector on the other. It is necessary to turn the system unit towards you with the back (rear) side, many connectors of the “female” and “male” type. We take the power cord, on the side of which there is a “female” connector, and connect it to the “male” connector located at the top of the system unit. You should not connect it directly to the network.

Place it next to the system unit to connect the monitor to the system unit. To do this, we need the same power cable from the network. The principle is the same, only now we connect the cable to the monitor. We also do not connect it to the network.

We take the following cable - to connect the monitor and the system unit (VGA cable). We connect one side to the monitor, the other to the system unit, first you need to find the VGA connector on. After connecting this cable, tighten the plastic bolts with your fingers or a small screwdriver. This is necessary for a constant and stable signal.

Connecting the keyboard and mouse is very similar. The only difference is the color of the plugs and sockets designed for these devices. The keyboard and mouse sockets (PS/2) are located below the power socket of the system unit. The keyboard is lilac, and the mouse is green.

Recently, devices with a USB interface have begun to be produced. In this case, everything is much simpler. You need to insert the plug of the device you need (or mouse) into the USB port.

The last stage of connection will be connecting the speakers and the system unit. There are 2 cables coming from the main speaker - a power cable and an audio cable. We need to connect the audio cable to the system unit. We find a green round socket on the system unit and connect it.

Now we need to connect all the power cables to the outlet. Here you can use a surge protector (pilot). After connecting all the devices for the system unit to work, we need to turn on the computer by pressing the computer.