VPC-SA2 dual external monitor?

[stefflod]

Sony told me the VPCSA could drive 2 external drives, but now it has arrived Support says it can't. Rather than return the machine I'm considering buying some external means of hooking up two displays. The graphices card should handle it easily - Radeon HD 6630 1GB. What is the best option. I've seen something from Matrox that takes the GPU output via VGA and uses it to drive two independent external monitors. Will that work ok or is there a better solution? A colleague suggests that despite Sony's advice the laptop may actually drive two dsplays anyway - has anyone tried.

This was a big thing for me, if I cant resolve it I will have to return the machine and buy a Dell or Thinkpad.

[Blencogo · Accepted solution]

I think the SA-Series is the same as all other Vaio laptops and can only support one external monitor.  Although the graphics chip supports DualView, one of those views is always the laptop screen which cannot be disconected.

I think the DualHead2Go solution by Matrox is the usual solution.

Interestingly, the new Z-Series Vaio was announced this week and the following was included in the press release: -

With Power Media Dock added, VAIO Z can manage up to four displays  (including the notebook screen) via HDMI™ and/or VGA output ports. In  this configuration, VAIO Z makes a compelling choice for design, finance  and science professionals who need to work across several screens  simultaneously. New-generation AMD Radeon HD graphics with 1GB VRAM  effortlessly handle demanding graphics tasks, from 3D CAD to gaming.

This requires the Power Media Dock which has its own graphics card.

[stephanius]

Blencogo, have you used one of these Matrox gizmos or heard reports of them being used successfully on a VAIO? The reason I doubt it, is that these gizmos combine the displays you connect to them and then report to the graphics card that they are one display with the total resolution of the external displays. And that may be a problem if only typical resolutions and aspect ratios are supported by the display driver.

If the intended use of the external displays doesn't require graphics power (no fancy 3D/video acceleration stuff), the easiest way to expand your desktop to additional monitors is to use a USB graphics card.

http://www.displaylink.com/

[Blencogo]

@stephanius

I have not  tried a Vaio but I have just downloaded and run the Matrox Compatibility  Tool which, in Stamina Mode (Mobile Intel(R) HD Graphics), confirms  compatibility at 2560 X 1024 (2 X 1280 X 1024).  However this would need testing.

[stephanius]

Thank you Blencogo!