Using external monitor with laptop

[MomentsofSanity]

So I decided to treat myself nice this Christmas (let's face it, every Christmas) and I bought myself a 52" Sony Bravia LCD for the bedroom. I have hooked up my laptop to it but, and this is driving me nutty because I can't figure it out, when I close the laptop lid the external monitor goes blank.

Now I know the first thing you are going to suggest is going to the power settings and setting it to do nothing when I close the lid. Way ahead of you there, already did. Still goes blank when I shut the lid. I'm sure there's something simplistic I'm missing so maybe a fresh perspective on the subject would help. I am running an HP Laptop with Windows Vista if that helps any.

I'm stumped.

Oh and if you haven't put a beast like this in your bedroom already... I highly recommend it!

[NanoReefaholic]

Do you have a CRT/LCD function key? Some drivers are set to clone the port for external displays (makes great for presentations) yet still only runs the support for the internal monitor. The CRT/LCD key will swap the priority from internal to external or a combo. Look for this function and if you have it listed hit "Fn + CRT/LCD" to swap modes.

(edit, sometimes the CRT/LCD key is a logo of a monitor rather than text)

[NanoReefaholic]

So, what's the verdict?

[MomentsofSanity]

D'oh!

I knew I meant to follow up on something! No luck. The only function key relating to the monitor will just switch back and forth between which one is the primary screen but once the lid goes down, off she goes.

Guess it's not THAT big a deal but my plan was to have the wireless keyboard and mouse plugged in and just set the laptop in front of the TV. With the lid down it won't obstruct the viewing area but with it up..... big square at the bottom of the screen.

Thanks for the help. Much appreciated as always.

[soups]

I bought myself a 52" Sony Bravia LCD for the bedroom. :eek2:





52" for a bedroom!!!
How big is the livingroom?:D

[Ken_Baird]

We have 8 HP laptop's at work running XP Pro, our company will not run Vista. (say no more your problem maybe Vista related) The HP's have a configuration utility for setting up the different options, have you checked the display properties of the driver, I think you will find what you are looking for there.

For example my laptop (older unit) but for reference I can set different settings for when you run multiple monitors. see attached picture for reference.

HTH's

[MomentsofSanity]

The same size ;). I admit it. I have issues :D

[MomentsofSanity]

We have 8 HP laptop's at work running XP Pro, our company will not run Vista. (say no more your problem maybe Vista related) The HP's have a configuration utility for setting up the different options, have you checked the display properties of the driver, I think you will find what you are looking for there.

For example my laptop (older unit) but for reference I can set different settings for when you run multiple monitors. see attached picture for reference.

HTH's

I've been wondering if it isn't graphics card/driver related but all of the settings point to no. Everything indicates it should function as I desire but that darned lid goes down and off it goes!

I'll get it yet... oh and AP tank pics on 52 inches of TV = :jumpin:

[MomentsofSanity]

Fixed it and it was a driver issue. Not settings but the driver itself. I rolled it out and reinstalled the latest driver software and it's working perfectly. I should have done that right away, I know better.... Meh I'm sick.... i'll blame the head congestion for this one :D

Thanks all for the help.

[Ken_Baird]

Fixed it and it was a driver issue. Not settings but the driver itself. I rolled it out and reinstalled the latest driver software and it's working perfectly. I should have done that right away, I know better.... Meh I'm sick.... i'll blame the head congestion for this one :D

Thanks all for the help.
Maybe politically incorrect, but my vote would be for for VISTA :hihi:

I see Bill now has Windows 7 coming ... Let's just hope the industry will have working drivers before it is released. :idk:

[NanoReefaholic]

XP 64bit blows hard so we run Vista Ultimate 64Bit and I won't allow anything else to be run in any of my shops unless it's BSD. In fact I prefer BSD but we need the 64bit for the RAM (smallest we run is 8G RAM). Thankfully Windows 7 already has beta sets out there already unlike Vista did before its release. That said this issue wasn't Vista itself. It wasn't even Microsoft. It was HP.

This is like getting a new high tech gadget for Christmas and then getting peeved at the manufacturer because you couldn't operate it 100% out of the box, without reading the instructions on how to set it up or operate it.

Politically incorrect? Yep. Point the finger where it belongs. I've had the same problem with Apple OSX, BSD, and Lunix as well.

Glad to see you've gotten it to work out right. Vista Update should have brought you to the current version of drivers for all of your computer. When was the last time you updated, and not just the critical updates? If you have it set to only update the critical and not the recommended ones you may end up in this situation again with something else.

[Nanoized]

I bought myself a 52" Sony Bravia LCD for the bedroom. :eek2:





52" for a bedroom!!!
How big is the livingroom?:D

I was thinking about what MomentsofSanity needed to enlarge on the screen for the bedroom? :giggle:

[NanoReefaholic]

Hmm... good question... A laptop + 52" screen in the bedroom... must be for surfing the internet. AP in HD hehe