Monitors and laptops

It really depends on the video chipset in your laptop and the drivers. I have seen laptops with the ability to present dual (mirrored) display like that, but many probably only support one at a time.

 

If there is a jack on the back of the laptop for the extra monitor it will do a dual display. You can use either monitor alone or both at the same time. If you need settings they are at Right click on the desktop/properties/settings/advanced/and I think it is the adapter or monitor tab toward the bottom there will be set up options. Some laptops have a selection option with the F keys to switch between the three modes. If you have an s video jack you can use a tv but the quality is much lesser than a monitor but useable for most things.

If using the svideo, you need the tv plugged in when you boot on mine - don't know about others.

 

or for about $100, you can get a scan converter.

This would allow you an extra monitor jack (essentially a "through" jack on your monitor output), and ability to output video to S-video, or RCA video, or RGB video.

I use our scan converter constantly. It's a useful tool.

 

You should just be able to hook up your laptop through a standard vga cable to a monitor and then there should be a function key on the top of your keyboard to send the signal through to the monitor.

I have used this frequently with my LCD projector to do PowerPoint presentations.

 

I regret the duplicitous nature of this unfortunate and accidental statement. I hereby repent in sackcloth & ashes.

(that's churchese for "duplicate post")

 

Function + F8, I believe.

it may have "LCD/CRT" in blue over the F8 (or whichever) key.

 

Which f key differs. My current one has one button with a screen shape on it - F5 while an older one had two F keys higher up with different symbols.

 

Which is what you want. You can either clone or use an extended desktop.
In extended mode(not what you want here though) is expands your desktop space between both monitors.