Laptop troubleshooting: Using a laptop as a second monitor for my PC

by BrandonR - 8/2/09 5:33 PM

Total posts: 5

Back to Laptop troubleshooting forum

Track this thread

Post 1 of 5

Using a laptop as a second monitor for my PC

by BrandonR - 8/2/09 5:33 PM

After trying for a considerable amount of time to try to get my laptop (Toshiba Portege m400) to act as a secondary, external monitor for my desktop, I'm on the verge of giving up. Nothing seems to work. I've searched many sites and forum posts for such a seemingly straightforward task but I'm not having any luck.

Is it possible that the VGA port on the back of my laptop is an output only? That is, should I have two VGA ports (one for input, one for output) on my laptop to make such a thing work? Or can the VGA port provide input and output? I'll be forever indebted to anyone who can help.

Permalink

Report offensive post

Post 2 of 5

Add-on Info

by BrandonR - 8/2/09 5:34 PM In reply to: Using a laptop as a second monitor for my PC by BrandonR

I probably should have mentioned that both the laptop and desktop are running Vista.

Permalink

Report offensive post

Post 3 of 5

You're right.

by R. Proffitt

- 8/2/09 5:37 PM In reply to: Using a laptop as a second monitor for my PC by BrandonR

To finish your research, first look up MAXVISTA (google, bing, yahoo.)

After that look at any of the VNC variants and finally SYNERGY.
Bob

Permalink

Report offensive post

Post 4 of 5

Oh nos!

by BrandonR - 8/2/09 5:44 PM In reply to: You're right. by R. Proffitt

So I'm right in assuming my laptop's VGA port is only for outputting to an external projector/monitor?

Regarding MAXIVISTA, does it result in a performance hit? The whole reason I want to use a second monitor is for MS Flight Simulator X and I'm hoping the program will work without taking my FPS down any lower (god knows I need all the frames I can get with that graphics-intensive game). Thanks!

Permalink

Report offensive post

Post 5 of 5