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

Jeff Golas · June 04, 2013, 01:57:52 PM

Anyone know if I can use the displayport (that appears to be built-in) in addition to an addon video card?

Jeff Zylstra · June 04, 2013, 03:09:27 PM

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.

Mark · June 05, 2013, 08:39:04 AM

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.

Jeff Golas · 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.

Mark · June 05, 2013, 01:34:37 PM

Lame, but at least you have an option!

Bob · June 05, 2013, 01:54:10 PM

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 · June 05, 2013, 02:04:42 PM

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.

Billy Welsh · June 05, 2013, 02:30:55 PM

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.

Jeff Zylstra · June 05, 2013, 04:46:35 PM

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.

Jeff Golas · June 05, 2013, 04:58:36 PM

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.