Optimus V 13" with 3k screen wont work with external monitor?

[grofit]

I have an external monitor I was using for my other laptop which works fine, its an Iiyama ProLite E2207WSV. Now if I connect it up to this new laptop the monitor just has a breakdown and flicks on and off constantly, it tends to stay on for about 1-4 seconds, then it flicks off for about the same period. I have tried it again with the other laptop which works fine (that one is an Inferno 11").

Now I have tried making sure the refresh rates match, as I have 59 or 60 hertz as options. I have tried setting both to both settings and it does not work. I have tried lowering my resolution to as low as it will go on the laptop incase it was the 3k resolution causing it issues, I have also tried using extend, duplicate and 2nd monitor only, all cause same issue. So I am out of ideas... anyone else had any issues like this or suggest anything? as its great having more real estate on the laptop but I now have a separate monitor taking up desk space that cannot be used

 

[maxbor]

Don't know if this would make any difference at all but have you tried updating the Nvidia display driver? I had a few issues with the discrete graphics card not taking over from the integrated graphics until I updated. Worth a shot anyway.

 

[grofit]

Don't know if this would make any difference at all but have you tried updating the Nvidia display driver? I had a few issues with the discrete graphics card not taking over from the integrated graphics until I updated. Worth a shot anyway.

Will give it a try and get back to you with the results, thanks.

 

[grofit]

Nope, installed latest ones, no change, if anything I think it flicks on even less now, it seems to spend more time black.

 

[grofit]

Any other ideas?

 

[Fluff]

What port are you using? Not 100% but i dont know if hdmi is able to drive 3k at 60hz. Have you got any other port? If i had a 3k monitor id be trying to use display port but im guessing that port isnt on your laptop.

Also have you tried testing the monitor on another computer?

 

[steaky360]

Any other ideas?

Have you tried setting the monitor to be the primary display for the laptop? See if the issue still persists?

When the screen flickers to black, do you think its the monitor searching for a source or is it simply the laptop outputs 'black' intermittently??

Another thing to try is to try to get the laptop to output to a different display to see if the problem persists with an alternative display?

 

[grofit]

I am using the normal monitor adapter, dont know the technical name the one which is like a trapezium with 5x3 pins in, that is the only connection the monitor has.

I have tried using second display only, same thing. The monitor goes on and off and the laptop is obviously black as its no longer running in 2nd monitor only mode. I was about to say I dont have another monitor but I have a Phillips (something) monitor and I have JUST tried it on that and same issue, it flashes no video input but then will occasionally show the correct image, it is black for probably 10-20 seconds for every 1 second of actual video output I get on it.

 

[steaky360]

I am using the normal monitor adapter, dont know the technical name the one which is like a trapezium with 5x3 pins in, that is the only connection the monitor has.

I have tried using second display only, same thing. The monitor goes on and off and the laptop is obviously black as its no longer running in 2nd monitor only mode. I was about to say I dont have another monitor but I have a Phillips (something) monitor and I have JUST tried it on that and same issue, it flashes no video input but then will occasionally show the correct image, it is black for probably 10-20 seconds for every 1 second of actual video output I get on it.

Do you mean one of these??

What resolution are you trying to display at? The max resolution of this display is 1680 x 1050 so if you're displaying any other resolution it might cause the problems you're seeing.

I'd also try a different VGA cable if you can.

 

[grofit]

Yep thats the one!

My main laptop display is 3200x1800 and the secondary displays I have gone as low as it would go, which was something like 1024x768 and still no luck, I have tried it as high as it will go as you mention and no luck there either. I have tried all resolutions available as well as all refresh rates available

I have tried 2 different VGA cables, one that I had originally (which works fine on my other laptop) and the one which was connected to the Phillips one I tried which also works fine on the desktop it is used with. So I cannot see anything wrong with the cables and/or the monitors.

Has anyone at PC Specialist HQ tried these laptops with external monitors? just to see if they get same results... as I am more than happy to keep testing stuff with it but if all of these higher res laptops just wont work with vga cables then I know there is no point testing further. It is not the end of the world to me, but it is a shame as it is nice to be able to get the extra real estate some times and not all monitors support HDMI (not sure if that has issues or not).

 

[moosEh]

Couple of suggestions.

Have you tried HDMI?

And also have you change the resolution on the main screen down to 1920x1080?

 

[grofit]

Hey, didnt realise there was a 2nd page.

Have not tried HDMI, I have no monitors which support HDMI (so even if it did work it will not help me), I have a TV downstairs which supports HDMI though so I can try that later. One of the first things I tried was putting this screen down to a lower resolution like 1280x800 or whatever it is, I also tried the lowest it would go, as well as mixing the refresh rates via the intel graphics options on both screens.

 

[grofit]

Have just tried using HDMI now and it works fine, does that possibly help narrow down the issue?

 

[grofit]

So we have established HDMI works fine, and VGA connections do not seem to work... any new ideas?

@moosEh: is there any chance you could ask someone within PCS to quickly test one of these laptops on an external monitor and see if they get the same results so I can find out if it is a hardware issue or just something wrong with this specific laptop?

@anyone with 3k OptimusV: Any chance anyone else with this laptop could try hooking up a VGA connection to a monitor and tell me if it works?

 

[grofit]

Just to put this thread to rest I have spoken to support and it turns out the issue looks like it is due to the RAM (be it the slots or the sticks), as changing RAM configurations GREATLY changed the stability of the external monitor, although it didn't entirely fix it, but hats off to the guys for diagnosing it and sorting out return quickly.