Question Both (External) Monitors Work - but not at the same time

Dec 15, 2022
2
0
10
Hi, I'm a total newb so I'll try and keep it short...

I have a Sceptre 32" TV which I'm using as a monitor for music recording. I also have an old Element TV, about 26", which also works good and I want to use it for the mixer side. The problem is that they don't work at the same time. So I can get one, or the other, but not both. Somehow though, one time I did have them working together but I'm not sure why and the resolution never matched - I had to resize the page/browser to fit the other monitor when moved to the other side.

Also tried an old Toshiba laptop with VGA but the resolution got scrunched. Less was fitting on the screen.

So my question is 1) do the monitors need to match, or does it help 2) what do I need to know/do about the resolution 3) anyone have recommends for other monitors that might work (don't have to be 'top of the line' but just work together).

Here's the gear -

HP Windows 10 laptop
i7 processor
2 usb3 ports
1HDMI port
1 usb2 port

I have another older Toshiba which can do the VGA / HDMI in a pinch but I really don't want to use it if possible.

Thanks for any feedback/help.

Dan
 

kanewolf

Titan
Moderator
Hi, I'm a total newb so I'll try and keep it short...

I have a Sceptre 32" TV which I'm using as a monitor for music recording. I also have an old Element TV, about 26", which also works good and I want to use it for the mixer side. The problem is that they don't work at the same time. So I can get one, or the other, but not both. Somehow though, one time I did have them working together but I'm not sure why and the resolution never matched - I had to resize the page/browser to fit the other monitor when moved to the other side.

Also tried an old Toshiba laptop with VGA but the resolution got scrunched. Less was fitting on the screen.

So my question is 1) do the monitors need to match, or does it help 2) what do I need to know/do about the resolution 3) anyone have recommends for other monitors that might work (don't have to be 'top of the line' but just work together).

Here's the gear -

HP Windows 10 laptop
i7 processor
2 usb3 ports
1HDMI port
1 usb2 port

I have another older Toshiba which can do the VGA / HDMI in a pinch but I really don't want to use it if possible.

Thanks for any feedback/help.

Dan
Nothing you have listed shows how you are trying to connect these two monitors or how you are trying to get windows configured?
Do you want the same thing displayed on these monitors ?
You list one HDMI out on your laptop. Are you using an HDMI splitter to connect two monitors?
 
Dec 15, 2022
2
0
10
Sorry about that.

I've been connecting the HDMI cable from the laptop to HDMI 2 on the Sceptre TV. This also works fine on the Element TV. To use both screens at the same time, I bought a HDMI / USB3 adapter off Amazon.

The adapter shows up in the Devices menu and was 'working properly' in both USB3 ports but when I hooked up the HDMI cable to it no signal came through. I figured there must be something wrong with the adapter's female end which receives the cable, so I bought a replacement just like it. Then the same problem happened.

So to recap - the 2 monitors work fine. The HDMI cables work fine. The 2 USB3 ports work fine. The adapters show up as working but when I plug the cable in nothing happens.

Thanks again.

Dan