jolenealaska pc confo

Jolenealaska

Sep 20, 2015 02:29

Hey guys, anyone here for a not-very-knowledgeable question? I am a non-techie, so I can't even really identify dupes.

(I hang out on the Cooking Stack)

user193661

@Jolenealaska I'll try

Jolenealaska

YAY!

Okay here's the deal. I have a five-year-old desktop computer in a box from Costco. I run Windows 7.

I also have a 42 inch HD television.

I have started writing a book using Dragon voice to text software.

I want to connect the television to the computer like a second monitor.

on the back of the computer I have VGA and DVI connectors that are connected to my monitor.

amazon.com/gp/product/…

Although I ultimately want audio, that isn't a big deal right now.

With the cable above and the DVI splitter do the trick?

I would much rather have two different displays on the monitor and television (as if the TV is a different tab in Firefox)

But identical displays would be okay for now.

I have two HDMI connectors on the back of the TV.

user193661

Sep 20, 2015 02:46

What's the DVI splitter for?

Jolenealaska

I use a Bluetooth headset along with Dragon, so I want to be able to see what I've written from across the room. I also want to be able to go to the chat room in Seasoned Advice and use the VtT software there too (as I do know with my regular monitor)

Because I only have one DVI "out", yet I need to connect to both the TV and the monitor.

I also have a VGA connection between the computer and the monitor.

user193661

Is the DVI currently going to the monitor?

Jolenealaska

yes

user193661

I don't understand why you have VGA and DVI going to one monitor.

Jolenealaska

<shrug>

It's a five-year-old HP.

I wonder that every time I put it back together and I forget where the cables go. By process of elimination I always get it right.

user193661

Sep 20, 2015 02:53

What happens when the monitor only gets VGA?

Jolenealaska

It goes blank.

user193661

And only DVI?

Jolenealaska

I don't know what happens if I disconnect the VGA.

hold on...

without the VGA connection, I can see no difference.

user193661

You could try testing the VGA connection at its three points.

But a DVI splitter will work for mirroring your display

Jolenealaska

???

user193661

Sep 20, 2015 02:57

The VGA connector at your computer, the cable, and the monitor's connector.

Jolenealaska

Well it doesn't seem to make a difference if the VGA is totally disconnected, perhaps it's just a definition issue?

That would make a difference for my application.

user193661

Something is broken with your VGA. I think the cable is most likely.

Jolenealaska

Ah.

Well, if I don't notice it, I guess I don't care.

user193661

If you fixed the VGA problem you could do this. Connect VGA to monitor then connect DVI to TV

Then you could have dual display

Jolenealaska

Ah

user193661

Sep 20, 2015 03:02

But for getting just a mirror display, where both monitors display the same image, you can use the DVI splitter with the converter cable

Jolenealaska

amazon.com/…

hmmm

no conversion

user193661

Actually

What is the monitor size?

Jolenealaska

hmm

20"

(tape measure was handy)

maybe 21"

yeah, 21

user193661

Both monitors will receive the same image resolution so the splitter may be a problem

Jolenealaska

well if VGA and DVI is an either/or thing, it may be moot.

user193661

Sep 20, 2015 03:11

Do you have anything else to test the cable with?

Jolenealaska

no, not that I can think of.

But I can buy both cables.

The dude at Best Buy is encouraging me to upgrade a USB port to 3.0, and then do it wirelessly.

Which is not outside the realm, it just costs more money.

All of my USB ports are 2.0.

I just upgraded from 4 to 12 RAM. With a five-year-old computer, it starts to feel like good money after bad.

Journeyman Geek

Sep 20, 2015 03:42

"do it wirelessly"

!!no

ChatBot John Cavil

Jolenealaska

:)

user193661

Funny

Jolenealaska

I love Grumpy Cat.

user193661

Wait. At first it looked like a loading symbol

Journeyman Geek

Sep 20, 2015 03:43

If you're going to do something like that, it makes more sense to get one of those rediculously cheap windows 8.1 mini pcs from a dodgy chinese company and remote in

@Jolenealaska: what's your HP got, video output wise?

and how far does it need to go?

oh and what OS?

ahh

Ok. Another option here might be to add another (cheap) video card

Jolenealaska

HP has VGA and DVI out. It is probably 20' with tidy cable.

Journeyman Geek

ahh. DVI -> HDMI is plausible. VGA to current monitor

Jolenealaska

Gotcha

Journeyman Geek

if you're going wireless, you wouldn't need a USB 3,0 upgrade

Jolenealaska

In my other chattroom, it has been recommended that I try it without DVI. I feel more comfortable trying it "cold", so brb.

Journeyman Geek

Sep 20, 2015 03:47

You'd be using miracast (so something like a chromecast stick I guess) or widi

Jolenealaska

I was told that was a no go, but I don't expect expert advice from Sam's Club.

brb

Journeyman Geek

Right now, my current setup is I think HDMI off my onboard video card (and I think most intel adaptors should do 2 displays handily) for my 3rd screen. dp and DVI from my video card.

secondary PC is connected to my secondary screen as well over HDMI

user193661

If you have a multimeter, you can try testing the VGA cable.

Journeyman Geek

why do we think there's something wrong with the VGA cable?

also... waiiit

@Jolenealaska: you have both VGA and DVI from the same PC to the same monitor?

Jolenealaska

Sep 20, 2015 04:45

@JourneymanGeek Yep, I did. I disconnected the VGA and tried to restart. I been this long ( over an hour?) trying to convince the computer that it wasn't going to blow up. Now I am sans VGA, without being able to see a difference.

user193661

Oh good you have VGA?

Jolenealaska

So, the VGA connection is apparently unnecessary and/or redundant.

I did, but I have disconnected the cable.

So now I am running without VGA connected.

user193661

Ok. Then you can just buy the converter cable and use it with the TV

Jolenealaska

so VGA to HDMI from the computer to the TV?

user193661

I'd use DVI for the TV

Jolenealaska

Sep 20, 2015 04:48

without the DVI, the VGA alone did not work. it's more than just a broken cable, since it does befuddled Windows for a while to have the VGA disconnected.

This is not my first video issue, so I wonder if a video card upgrade would be in order?

user193661

Yes, I was thinking that. Is that where your current ports are coming from?

Jolenealaska

This seems stupid, but no. It looks like the DVI and VGA ports are to the motherboard itself.

user193661

A GPU may be a cheap solution.

~$35?

Jolenealaska

On Amazon I'm looking at more like $200.

here's one:

amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-PCI-E-Graphics-01G-P3-1302-LR/dp/…

but I don't know where to start re: compatibility.

user193661

You post your PC specifications

Jolenealaska

Sep 20, 2015 04:59

:)

brb

user193661

What does befuddled Windows mean?

Jolenealaska

It didn't want to boot.

It was hung up for the better part of an hour trying to "fix" it. I just threw things at it until something stuck.

When personal computers were new (1978-1991), I was a guru. Lo and behold, I got busy doing other things and the technology grew without me staying in the loop.

Now I feel really dumb, but I'm pretty quick on the uptake.

I can usually beat them into submission.

I treat them like husbands.

user193661

Well

I'm not convinced the VGA on motherboard is problem. But anyway, getting a GPU with DVI and HDMI should be ok.

Jolenealaska

What parameter do I look at gauge compatibility?

I don't game nor do I care about pretty video. I only care that I can read Word and SE chat from across the room.

(on my 42" HD TV)

user193661

Sep 20, 2015 05:17

You can try this in command line: wmic baseboard get product,Manufacturer,version,serialnumber

Jolenealaska

OK

Journeyman Geek

@Jolenealaska AVOID the 8000 series nvidias

like the plague

Jolenealaska

game-debate.com/motherboard/…

that looks right

Journeyman Geek

well, at that price maaaybe

(the 8000 series will very likely fail in 3-5 years)

amazon.com/EN210-SILENT-DI-1GD3-V2/dp/B004I5UDO6/…

user193661

I saw HP Compaq dc5750 Video Card

$40

Journeyman Geek

Sep 20, 2015 05:25

this looks like what I'd have gone for

Passively cooled (which can be good or bad) has HDMI (which I don't really care for anymore but you need), VGA (ditto) and DVI (old hat) ;p

I went with a 450 when I got a card but I wanted something that could game at a pinch

Jolenealaska

You're starting to lose me.

Journeyman Geek

hm

just a moment

superuser.com/questions/333617/… and superuser.com/questions/377179/can-a-video-card-silently-fail is why getting an nvidia 8000 series of any sort is a bad idea

If you're fine with trying to put your card in the oven at low in 3 years.... ;p

the card I linked is in the same price range

Jolenealaska

Probably not. I'm a good cook, but....

Journeyman Geek

1) passive cooling means its probably a slower card but you won't be driving it very hard. It relies on case cooling

2) Has the same ports as your video card

with a system of that vintage you're likely to have to trade off between onboard video and a discrete card I suspect so that's useful to know

hm.

AMD, maybe not

I've not ever owned an AMD processor

Jolenealaska

Fair enough. I find it very telling that a five-year-old computer of mine has used 545 of 685GB of hard drive space.

I'm sorry

I have 545 free.

Journeyman Geek

Sep 20, 2015 05:34

Oh, that's fairly typical for my system drives

(oh and stop me if I get confused. I'm a hardware nut so.... I get carried away)

Jolenealaska

It's kind of laughable that I am seeking advice on a stack called "SuperUser".

if I still had a "floppy" drive, I could back up all of my important data to one disk.

I backup my book to a thumb drive. That's it.

Journeyman Geek

I have triple redundant system backups ;p

Jolenealaska

Other than having to replace my computer, I could lose everything but my book and not shed a tear.

Journeyman Geek

you can get something of similar power with not very ~~little~~ much money ;p

Jolenealaska

There are laptops at the local pawnshop that would suit my needs.

Journeyman Geek

Sep 20, 2015 05:42

I have a definare bias towards newer hardware personally

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