Dual external monitor support with docking station on EliteBook 2540p or 2740p

[joewinograd]

An update on this that may interest some folks. I was wondering if the DisplayPort would work on a monitor with an HDMI port. So I bought the StarTech DP2HDMI DisplayPort (male) to HDMI (female) Video Adapter Converter ($20 at Amazon) and connected it with a standard HDMI cable (male-male) from the 2540p to the HDMI port of the same monitor that I had been using with the straight DisplayPort cable. It worked fine in the HDMI port at the same resolution (1920x1200) and to the naked eye, I can't see any difference in quality between the DisplayPort output and the HDMI output. So for folks with a monitor that has HDMI but not DisplayPort, there's a good solution for 20 bucks. One caveat: I did not test audio coming across the HDMI cable. Theoretically, it should work, but I can't confirm that, as my monitor has no speakers. Regards, Joe

[joewinograd]

Another update on this. I am at a location now that has a monitor with speakers, and I can report that the 2540p's DisplayPort carries the audio to the HDMI port. I tested it with both the StarTech DP2HDMI DisplayPort (male) to HDMI (female) Video Adapter Converter mentioned before (with a standard HDMI-HDMI cable) and a StarTech DP2HDMIMM10 DisplayPort (male) to HDMI (male) Video Adapter Converter 10-foot cable. In both cases, the audio came out of the HDMI monitor's built-in speakers. The 2540p was also driving a VGA monitor at the same time, and both monitors were at 1920x1200. I'm impressed with the 2540p's ability to do this. Btw, at Amazon, the 10-foot DisplayPort (M) to HDMI (M) cable is just $13.95, which is less expensive than the 9-inch DisplayPort (M) to HDMI (F) adapter – very strange! Regards, Joe

[Erikincolorado]

Hi  I am a complete novice at computer equipment. I've read through this conversation and understand that running two monitors from the 2540p is possible - but I'm still not understanding what equipment I need to do so. Can you help?

My IT guy is stating this:  "Soo yes it can out of the docking station...but one has to be run out of the VGA which it is...and one has to be ran out of the display port.  Which only connects to HDMI.  You would have to get a HDMI monitor.  We do not have those at all.  Also you would have to get a display port adapter that would connect your HDMI monitor.  We can't support this option however because one it won't be our equipment.  So if you get it to work great.  But I can't help or fix it for you."

Basically what I'm asking is, other than the VGA port:

1. what does the port look like that I need to use?

2. what is the name of the cable I need to buy?

3. Do I need and HD monitor? Or can I use a basic LCD $99 special from best buy?

Thank you!

Erik

[joewinograd]

Hi Erik,

Since you're a novice, I'll try to keep it simple, and I'll give you links for Best Buy to exactly what you need (but, of course, you may purchase this stuff wherever you want, such as Buy.com and Amazon.com, my personal two favorites).

You do NOT need the docking station. You need four things:

(1) Monitor that will accept a VGA signal.

(2) VGA cable.

(3) Monitor that will accept a DisplayPort or HDMI or DVI-D signal.

(4) If you get a monitor with a DisplayPort connector, then you will need a DisplayPort (male) to DisplayPort (male) cable. If you get a monitor with an HDMI connector, then you will need a DisplayPort (male) to HDMI (male) cable. If you get a monitor with a DVI-D connector, then you will need a DisplayPort (male) to DVI-D (male) cable. In some cases, you may want to get an adapter, if your new monitor comes with a certain type of cable (see below).

I assume you already have the VGA monitor and cable. If not, let me know.

No, you do not need an HD monitor. For example, for a $99.99 monitor at Best Buy, here's a 20-inch HP:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+20%22+Widescreen+Flat-Panel+LCD+Monitor/1422209.p?id=1218257754431&...

Note that this monitor comes with both a VGA cable and a DVI-D cable. So as I mentioned above, the thing to do in this case is buy a DisplayPort (male) to DVI-D (female) adapter. That way you can utilize the DVI-D cable (male to male) that comes with the monitor.

I can't find the DisplayPort (male) to DVI-D (female) adapter at Best Buy online. They do have a complete cable:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/StarTech.com+-+10%27+DisplayPort-to-DVI+Video+Adapter+Converter+Cable+-+...

But at $25.99, it's one-quarter the cost of the monitor! So I suggest getting an adapter elsewhere, such as this from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/DisplayPort-DVI-Video-Adapter-Converter/dp/B0017K6BD2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics...

It's $10.89 with shipping. I've had great luck with StarTech cables and adapters (I'm currently using one on the DisplayPort of my 2540p).

The photos at all of those links should make it clear what the ports look like.

I think that's it. Any questions, let me know. Regards, Joe

[joewinograd]

Sorry, I gave you the wrong link to the full cable. That was the 10-foot one for $30.99. Here's the 6-foot one for $25.99:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/StarTech.com+-+6%27+DisplayPort-to-DVI+Video+Converter+Cable+-+Black/964...

Of course, neither one makes any sense in this case, unless you're totally committed to buying from Best Buy. The adapter at $10.89 from Amazon is the way to go, since the monitor already comes with the DVI-D cable. Regards, Joe

[melanthius]

I use a 2530p with the 2400/2500 series dosking station, and that docking station does't have a DisplayPort. I haven't gotten more than one external monitor running with it because the docking station paritally blocks the the VGA port on the laptop.

[Dukexxx]

Since the HP Elite book 2540p will not physically fit into the 2400 Series Docking Station how are you connecting them?   What sort of cable is necessary.  Thanks

[BHK6]

Hi Dukexxx,

You would need a VGA cable as if you were connecting an external monitor.

Thank you,

[schommes]

Dear guys,

I want to equip my HP Elitebook 2530p running on Win7 with a second EXTERNAL Monitor.

I am currently connecting the Notebook to the 2400/2500 series docking station ( EQ773AA) which has a VGA and an S-Video-port.  The first external monitor is connected to the VGA-port. The second external monitor is supposed to be able to pivot, i.e. work in vertical mode. Since it is hard to come across a monitor with S-Video-port AND pivot-function, I have resorted to another monitor with VGA-port and connected it to a S-Video to VGA converter, but that failed for reasons which I was not able to determine.

Now I am wondering if the graphics card of the 2530p is even able to support a second external monitor (that is in addition to the internal notebook monitor)? 

According to the system information the graphics card is a mobile intel r 4 series express chipset family.

If the answer to the above is yes, than I guess the docking station is the problem. So my second question would be if there is an alternative dockingstation for the 2530p; one with dual monitor ports (i.e. double VGA, VGA + dvi or VGA + display port).

Thanks in advance, Thomas

[starryguy]

You probably solved your problem other ways, since your question was 42 months ago! You might not even have that 2530 anymore!

But here are the choices I have found:

I have five units of the 2740 and 2760 Elitebooks. I use them on flight simulator cockpits with many screens.  I will restrict my answer to the simplest case of your single 2530 and two monitors, one rotated vertically.

Buy a docking or expansion station that has the DVD drive and two video ports.  One is VGA.  Use it to duplicate the 2530 screen but rotated 90* on the vertical format VGA monitor you want to use that way.  

The other port is a DisplayPort.  You can buy ACTIVE converters for VGA, or PASSIVE converters for HDMI or DVI-D.  That will give you a second external screen.  But the internal screen of the 2540 will be dark.  The graphics capability of that model will support only two active screens by itself.

IF you wish THREE active screens at same time, you can do this:

Internal screen is #1

VGA or Displayport of docking station, or the VGA of the 2530 and no docking station.  With the VGA you might be able to rotate that screen, but I have not tried that as a second screen.  That is #2

You have USB ports.  You can get an iOGEAR or several other brands USB external video adapter for VGA or DVI output to another monitor.  Or you can buy a USB docking station of many brands that has at least one video out. That is #3

Alternative, if you have it on the 2530, is the ExpressCard slot like on my units.  You can put in a USB adapter and run one or more of the external video adapters from it.  Or you can use the Expresscard slot for a fancy solution.  There are made cables for an external PCIe card slot.  You can plug in a power supply to it (not very powerful or expensive) and a desktop video card with multiple outputs for more monitors.  How fancy you go depends on need.  I have seen 9 screens running on a single 2760.  Only problem is that as you increase the screen area and complexity of images, the load on the CPU increases greatly.  The frame rate might go down unless you sacrifice higher resolutions.

Hope these ideas help any others.