Connect second monitor to Acer Aspire E5-575G laptop

mwr
mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
edited September 2023 in 2019 Archives
Acer Aspire E5-575G laptop. I've been using it connected to an HP LP2065 monitor via the VGA port, no problem  I keep the laptop closed and don't use the built-in screen. Now I want to add a second HP LP2065 monitor so both operate as one very wide monitor. So I connected the second HP LP2065 monitor to the HDMI port (the only option I could see). But all I get on the second monitor is a blank screen with random flashes of light once in a while.

Ideas please...
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Answers

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    Open Control Panel. Search 'multiple monitors'. Click 'setup computer to use multiple monitors'. With both monitors plugged in what do you see after clicking detect button? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Open Control Panel. Search 'multiple monitors'. That didn't find 'multiple monitors'.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    What do you mean? The Control Panel search function in the upper right hand corner didn't  find 'setup computer to use multiple monitors' in the left pane? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    I entered - multiple monitors - into the Control Panel search function in the upper right hand corner. I got "No items match your search".
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    Then search 'monitor'. Look in the left pane, probably under display. 'set up computer to use multiple monitors'. Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    No luck. I do see both monitors under Devices. Also looked at Device Manager and didn't see anything relevant.
  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    I pressed the Windows Key + P, and then selected Extend. On the desktop, Right-Click, Display Settings. Both monitors are displayed as a graphic, side by side, but the second (on the right, #2) is displayed incorrectly (wider and not as high) as #1, when both are the same type of monitor. For Resolution Settings, #1 monitor correctly is 1600x1200, but for #2, that resolution is not available, only the more-elongated ones like 1920x1080 (the monitor is actually like #1, 1600x1200). Multiple Displays is set to "Extend these displays". #2 monitor is still blank with occasional flashes.

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    Something's wrong with your Control Panel. If you search 'monitor' in Control Panel and you're not seeing 'setup computer to use multiple monitors' in the left pane as shown in the image below, then I suspect an issue with Control Panel which is a pretty fundamental Windows app. Please re-check this again. Jack E/NJ


    Jack E/NJ

  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    edited March 2019
    Here's what I see. Windows 10.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    How about searching for 'display' ? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    If you can't find it in Control Panel, how about Settings by clicking on the Windows start icon? Jack E/NJ


    Jack E/NJ

  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Look above at my longer post. I did get to Display Settings but to no avail.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    Does the HDMI monitor work OK without the VGA monitor plugged? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Good question. I'll try that after I finish some work.
  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    edited March 2019
    I disconnected monitor #1 and the result was the same, although by looking closely I could see that the occasional short "flashes" were trying to display what should be displayed.
    I then connected the same monitor #2 via the VGA port and that works fine. So it seems that this monitor just doesn't "like" the signal sent from the HDMI port. Any ideas how to connect monitor #2 so it would work along with monitor #1?
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    What refresh rate are you trying to drive the HDMI port? And the monitor? Can adjust to 60Hz to see what happens? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    It was 60hz, as is monitor #1.
  • JackE
    JackE ACE Posts: 44,328 Trailblazer
    How about dropping resolution? Jack E/NJ

    Jack E/NJ

  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    edited March 2019
    I see no way to check or set the display resolution on monitor #2 when it's connected via HDMI.
  • mwr
    mwr Member Posts: 25 Enthusiast WiFi Icon
    Looks like we've reached the end of the line here. Any other ideas?