Will the E-Port Plus laptop docking station allow me to use three viewports/monitors *without* USB?

Question

I have a Dell Latitude E6400, for which I purchased the following docking station:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002L9D320/

The back has two DVI inputs and one VGA input. I already have two monitors hooked up to it using DVI, but it appears I can only use one of my monitors in place of the laptop's viewport rather than in conjunction with it.

Quick and dirty research points to the use of a USB display adapter, but I don't want to use that since I hear those use the computer's CPU to render the display and I can't sacrifice any more CPU than I already am.

Edit: I should have clarified better that what I want to do is use my laptop screen in addition to the two monitors plugged into it. Thus, there will be three total viewports.

Solution 1

Nope, this will not work with three monitors. I have an E6400 with the Dell docking station and it will not let me use more than two (including the built-in display). It's limited by the on board graphics controller per Dell Enterprise support. I have had this question asked a few times by users in my office with E6400's who would just like to use two monitors and the built-in display.

Solution 2

I have a Dell Precision M4700 docked on an E-port plus. There I have connected 2 DVI screens and 1 VGA screen. So, together with the Laptop display 4 screens in total.

It sometimes happens when I un-dock and re-dock the settings are "lost" and I have to reconfigure. Other that that it works great. I am now looking into using USB for the next screen :-)

Solution 3

The Dell E-Port Plus II (Model No. PRO2x) will allow 3 monitors to connect. The laptop screen would have to be closed, and in windows, the power option to "do nothing when lid is closed" needs to be set.

volla.

Windows will see 4 monitors, however display to 3 max.

Comments

[Steve]

To clarify: when you connect two monitors to it, do you wish to close the laptop lid so you're not viewing the laptop screen? Do you want to use 2 monitors plus the viewport for a total of 3 screens at the same time?

[Ramhound]

I have the same docking station. I am able to use 2 monitors one to the DVI connection and the other to the VGA connection.

[oscilatingcretin]

Steve: I updated my question at the end. Your latter sentence is what I want to achieve.

[Admin]

We have three of these laptops and also wanted to use two monitors, plus the laptop display to essentially have three displays. We could not make it work when running Windows 7. One of the guys decided to install KUbuntu instead of Windows and then he could have the three displays like we wanted and he just setup a VM for Windows. Seems like you should be able to make it work for Windows, but so far no luck.

[OG Chuck Low]

We have lots of these and these docs can be wiggy for sure but yeah.. no dice on 3 monitors :(

[Gregory]

FYI: I have the 210W E/Port Plus docking station. The beefier power port is necessary for the beefy power brick that comes with my M6600 laptop/workstation.