Dell Optiplex 780 - use Displayport in addition to external video card?

Started by Jeff Golas, June 04, 2013, 01:57:52 PM

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Jeff Golas

Anyone know if I can use the displayport (that appears to be built-in) in addition to an addon video card?
Jeff Golas
Johnson, Kendall & Johnson, Inc. :: Newtown, PA
Epic Online w/CSR24
http://www.jkj.com

Jeff Zylstra

The new Dell machines that I bought have 2 Displayport ports and an on-board VGA port.  Don't know if you can add on top of what's already there, but I would think so.  Just don't forget to order the Displayport to VGA or DVI adapters since these are not readily available on a local basis. 
"We hang the petty thieves, and appoint the great ones to public office"  -  Aesop

Mark

Don't know.  only comment I can give is what you've probably already experienced in the past.  If you have an add-on graphics card, it usually disables the on-board graphics card.  Might find clues in the BIOS.

Couldn't tell ya if display ports were any different.
Mark Piontek, MBA
Director of Information Systems
BS in Information Systems Security

Jeff Golas

Yeuup - decided to try it out yesterday and if you have an add-in card, it disables both the (hidden) displayport and VGA ports. NEWER machines, such as the 7010, may be different.

Blah. I may need to add a third monitor to the mix on these and I guess I'll need to grab a usb to dvi adapter.
Jeff Golas
Johnson, Kendall & Johnson, Inc. :: Newtown, PA
Epic Online w/CSR24
http://www.jkj.com

Mark

Mark Piontek, MBA
Director of Information Systems
BS in Information Systems Security

Bob

I was able to use dual video on ATI card and enable the onboard VGA using 3 displays.  That was few years ago so perhaps some truth that not possible in newer mobo's.   As I recall wasn't easy adjust Bios, VGA and ATI Card to play together, but could be done.   Now were using wide screens large ones at that, I only use two displays as it takes up a lot of space and don't have a mount to stack them.

Mark

I think it's still possible in SOME configurations, but to find out you'd have to look closely at the BIOS to enable/disable these settings.
Mark Piontek, MBA
Director of Information Systems
BS in Information Systems Security

Billy Welsh

Quote from: Mark on June 05, 2013, 01:34:37 PM
Lame, but at least you have an option!

For day to day office work on a typical size monitor, the USB video cards work just fine.  We have several in use - cheaper, easier, and quicker than installing another video card.  I have found the HP's support the highest resolution, at lease last time I was shopping for one.
Billy Welsh
VP of Accounting
CableSouth Media, LLC dba SwyftConnect

Jeff Zylstra

Quote from: Jeff Golas on June 05, 2013, 12:06:46 PM
Yeuup - decided to try it out yesterday and if you have an add-in card, it disables both the (hidden) displayport and VGA ports. NEWER machines, such as the 7010, may be different.

Blah. I may need to add a third monitor to the mix on these and I guess I'll need to grab a usb to dvi adapter.

The 3 machines I just installed were 7010s with 2 Displayports and 1 VGA.  The Dell guy told me I could do a Displayport along with a VGA to get dual monitors.  If it works with 1 Displayport, I don't know why it wouldn't support 2 Displayports and an onboard VGA.  I don't have an extra monitor, or I'd try it out for you just to see.
"We hang the petty thieves, and appoint the great ones to public office"  -  Aesop

Jeff Golas

Actually I'm curious to see if the 7010's can do 2 monitors off each displayport (which means they would be displayport++). I kinda doubt it though.

Ironically I just had an issue with this as I was ordering them with addon cards, and the recent 7010 I got in had no addon cards, and no displayport dongles included. THe monitors I got support displayport, but dont' include any cables! On top of that, my dell rep tells me they just don't have them! WTH!

Either way I worked around it by using a spare VGA dongle and the onboard VGA port (so I know at least one displayport can be used with the VGA on the 7010's), but he should be sending me two displayport to DVI adapters so I can at least have a digital signal on this workstation. Its nit-picking to the extreme, but come ON, its 2013 and if you're going to put displayports on everything, then know what you're carrying and include the cables to connect em.
Jeff Golas
Johnson, Kendall & Johnson, Inc. :: Newtown, PA
Epic Online w/CSR24
http://www.jkj.com