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I have a Dell Optiplex 780 with an Intel GMA 4500 onboard GPU

It has one DiplayPort and one VGA connection. I can drive two monitors using the DP for one and the VGA for the other but the VGA output looks horrendous.

Both monitors have DVI/HDMI/VGA and one has DP input

Is it possible to split the output from the DP and drive both monitors so as to get a decent image on Display2?

(I am running Windows-7 x64)

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  • I do this all the time on my 780 with Windows 7 and use a Dport-to-HDMI cable for the larger monitor then VGA for the second. A simple $10 adapter can convery HDMI to DVI. Both my monitors are rock-solid. So this comment is NaA - Just a suggestion that if you are running Windows, make sure you have the latest Intel Q45 drivers.
    – SDsolar
    Dec 7, 2017 at 18:13

2 Answers 2

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Converting a DisplayPort signal to a DVI signal requires an expensive converter box to begin with, and can sometimes give degraded signal quality. I have never seen a DP splitter at all. You would probably be better off attempting to troubleshoot why the VGA quality is so bad, rather than trying to mess around with the DisplayPort. Can you adjust settings on the monitor? Change the resolution or refresh rate on the output?

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    Thanks, new drivers and the resolution choices on the VGA significantly improved. I can now match the native resolution and all looks much better. Jul 19, 2010 at 7:56
  • A DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter requires an expensive converter box, but a DisplayPort to standard DVI adapter does not seem exorbitant ($10-15 on ebay). The latter should be sufficient to drive just about anything except 30" WQXGA resolutions up
    – fostandy
    May 16, 2011 at 3:28
  • On Amazon you can get the DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter cable, and the HDMI-to-DVI adapter is in the $10 range. No converter box required at all.
    – SDsolar
    Dec 7, 2017 at 18:15
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From the Intel site:

Support for the DisplayPort interface with up to 2560 x 1600 resolution, and the Digital Video Interface (DVI) with up to 2048 x 1536 resolution.

Note the use of the article AND as opposed to OR. Perhaps it can do both at the same time given the correct drivers and configuration. You mentioned that both of your monitors have DVI capabilities; why not use DVI for one (instead of VGA) and DP for the other? Are you sure you only have a VGA output and a DP output? Is there not also a DVI output?

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  • OEMs can decide whether to include a VGA, DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort connector, or a combination thereof. However, while the chipset supports outputting to both DVI and DP at the same time, that does not mean that all computers with that chipset will have both ports; this particular computer likely doesn't.
    – nhinkle
    Jul 17, 2010 at 23:02
  • No it doesn't unfortunately Jul 19, 2010 at 7:54

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