The Official Computer Tech Support Thread

LoathsomePete · 08-02-2010, 08:35 PM

Hey Freebase I've run into a slight snag in a future monitor prospect I've been working on. I just got a VGA splitter so I can plug two monitors into my computer. I had my regular 19.5" monitor plugged in and then the 42" screen TV that sits unplayed next to my computer. However when I turned on both monitors I found to my dismay that both screens were a little discolored. My desktop monitor was more of a pinkish color and my TV monitor was more of a lime green color. I unplugged them and just have my desktop monitor plugged in right now and everything seems to be fine. This was more of a test for my plan on getting a second monitor so I could duel screen stuff for work and have more room to use the multiple programs and files I have open. Will I have the same effect as with the much larger TV?

Freebase Dali · 08-02-2010, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

Hey Freebase I've run into a slight snag in a future monitor prospect I've been working on. I just got a VGA splitter so I can plug two monitors into my computer. I had my regular 19.5" monitor plugged in and then the 42" screen TV that sits unplayed next to my computer. However when I turned on both monitors I found to my dismay that both screens were a little discolored. My desktop monitor was more of a pinkish color and my TV monitor was more of a lime green color. I unplugged them and just have my desktop monitor plugged in right now and everything seems to be fine. This was more of a test for my plan on getting a second monitor so I could duel screen stuff for work and have more room to use the multiple programs and files I have open. Will I have the same effect as with the much larger TV?

Well firstly, if you're planning on using dual monitors in such a way that you're able to move program windows from one monitor to the other (extended desktop) then you won't be able to achieve that with a splitter. To achieve that, you need to have a dual head video card. (Video card that has two separate VGA outs)
If you only have one output, the only thing you can accomplish by using a splitter is having the same thing on two screens, and at the same resolution... which doesn't accomplish anything as far as screen real estate is concerned. You'll just have a larger version of what's on your monitor, on your TV.
The only other way around this is if you have a laptop and you use the laptop screen as one monitor, and the VGA output as another. Otherwise, you might need to upgrade your video card. (Believe me, it's so worth it... once you go dual monitor, you will NEVER go back)

As far as why you're getting off-colored screens when you use the splitter, it could be a problem with trying to split the coloring between two monitors... I'm not sure. Have you tried just plugging in the TV? If the coloring issue is only present when both the monitor and TV are connected, I wouldn't even try to diagnose a problem beyond just assuming your graphics card isn't set up to be able to handle that kind of thing.

LoathsomePete · 08-02-2010, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

Well firstly, if you're planning on using dual monitors in such a way that you're able to move program windows from one monitor to the other (extended desktop) then you won't be able to achieve that with a splitter. To achieve that, you need to have a dual head video card. (Video card that has two separate VGA outs)
If you only have one output, the only thing you can accomplish by using a splitter is having the same thing on two screens, and at the same resolution... which doesn't accomplish anything as far as screen real estate is concerned. You'll just have a larger version of what's on your monitor, on your TV.
The only other way around this is if you have a laptop and you use the laptop screen as one monitor, and the VGA output as another. Otherwise, you might need to upgrade your video card. (Believe me, it's so worth it... once you go dual monitor, you will NEVER go back)

As far as why you're getting off-colored screens when you use the splitter, it could be a problem with trying to split the coloring between two monitors... I'm not sure. Have you tried just plugging in the TV? If the coloring issue is only present when both the monitor and TV are connected, I wouldn't even try to diagnose a problem beyond just assuming your graphics card isn't set up to be able to handle that kind of thing.

Huh... my bosses husband has the same computer as me and is far less computer literate yet he's running a duel monitor pretty well. He might of had his son fix it without him really knowing what his son was doing... Oh well I need to make a few minor upgrades to this piece of junk anyways. Thanks for the quick reply.

Freebase Dali · 08-02-2010, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoathsomePete

Huh... my bosses husband has the same computer as me and is far less computer literate yet he's running a duel monitor pretty well. He might of had his son fix it without him really knowing what his son was doing... Oh well I need to make a few minor upgrades to this piece of junk anyways. Thanks for the quick reply.

He's not using a splitter. It's physically impossible to do true dual screens (extended desktop) without hardware that makes it possible, which in the case of video cards, is part of having two outputs, but most importantly the hardware to make it work correctly.

If he doesn't have dual outputs on his video card, then he's using some kind of hardware splitter that I don't know about. Which is completely possible. I just know it's not possible with a simple Y cable.

debaserr · 08-02-2010, 09:09 PM

i have had this really annoying problem with my free ram. i have this nice program that keeps track of the amount of free ram i have and it has a function i can use that defrags/frees up ram(memturbo). quite often i have this problem where my free memory grows lower and lower incrementally until i have to restart to reset it. it must be some program that is fucked up. but i'm guessing the solution would be a pain in the ass(restarting, running programs i use frequently by themselves and watching the free ram counter and using the process of elimination to find the culprit). have an easier idea?

Freebase Dali · 08-02-2010, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trace87

i have had this really annoying problem with my free ram. i have this nice program that keeps track of the amount of free ram i have and it has a function i can use that defrags/frees up ram(memturbo). quite often i have this problem where my free memory grows lower and lower incrementally until i have to restart to reset it. it must be some program that is fucked up. but i'm guessing the solution would be a pain in the ass(restarting, running programs i use frequently by themselves and watching the free ram counter and using the process of elimination to find the culprit). have an easier idea?

1 - Have you relied on anything else besides Memturbo to validate that your free memory is indeed getting smaller? (Very important question)
2 - What are you doing when this is happening (Browsing, downloading movies, watching movies, playing games, etc.)?
3 - How much RAM do you have?

debaserr · 08-02-2010, 09:19 PM

1 - yes, task manager.
2 - it depends mostly i just use google chrome, mediamonkey and jdownloader. but i am also known to use VLC media player and various games.
3 - 4gb (running w7).

debaserr · 08-02-2010, 09:22 PM

also of note: i think svchost.exe is the process that usually hogs the ram.

Freebase Dali · 08-02-2010, 09:57 PM

Well, it's ordinary that there can be multiple instances of the svchost process running at any given time, but it is definitely necessary as svchost processes are necessary for groups of other processes to function. You couldn't disable them if you tried.

Anyway, that's not your problem.
Actually, I'm not quite sure what the extent of your problem is.. Have you ever gotten an "out of memory" error message?
Just to make sure, go ahead and operate full capacity and watch your free memory get lower. Let it get all the way to zero. If you don't get an "out of memory" error message from Windows or get a blue screen or any other major screwup, then just throw that memturbo program out.
ESPECIALLY if it gets low and Memturbo "suggests" you buy something from them...

Freebase Dali · 08-02-2010, 10:05 PM

Oh and by the way, you can't "defrag" RAM. The program is already conning you just by saying it does.

08-02-2010, 08:35 PM	#631 (permalink)
LoathsomePete Cardboard Box Realtor Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Hobb's End Posts: 7,648	Hey Freebase I've run into a slight snag in a future monitor prospect I've been working on. I just got a VGA splitter so I can plug two monitors into my computer. I had my regular 19.5" monitor plugged in and then the 42" screen TV that sits unplayed next to my computer. However when I turned on both monitors I found to my dismay that both screens were a little discolored. My desktop monitor was more of a pinkish color and my TV monitor was more of a lime green color. I unplugged them and just have my desktop monitor plugged in right now and everything seems to be fine. This was more of a test for my plan on getting a second monitor so I could duel screen stuff for work and have more room to use the multiple programs and files I have open. Will I have the same effect as with the much larger TV? __________________ Last.FM 101 Albums That May Not Change Your Life, But I Really Like And You Might Too

08-02-2010, 09:09 PM	#635 (permalink)
debaserr eat the masters Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,470	i have had this really annoying problem with my free ram. i have this nice program that keeps track of the amount of free ram i have and it has a function i can use that defrags/frees up ram(memturbo). quite often i have this problem where my free memory grows lower and lower incrementally until i have to restart to reset it. it must be some program that is fucked up. but i'm guessing the solution would be a pain in the ass(restarting, running programs i use frequently by themselves and watching the free ram counter and using the process of elimination to find the culprit). have an easier idea? __________________ Last.FM

08-02-2010, 09:19 PM	#637 (permalink)
debaserr eat the masters Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,470	1 - yes, task manager. 2 - it depends mostly i just use google chrome, mediamonkey and jdownloader. but i am also known to use VLC media player and various games. 3 - 4gb (running w7). __________________ Last.FM

08-02-2010, 09:22 PM	#638 (permalink)
debaserr eat the masters Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5,470	also of note: i think svchost.exe is the process that usually hogs the ram. __________________ Last.FM

08-02-2010, 09:57 PM	#639 (permalink)
Freebase Dali Partying on the inside Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,584	Well, it's ordinary that there can be multiple instances of the svchost process running at any given time, but it is definitely necessary as svchost processes are necessary for groups of other processes to function. You couldn't disable them if you tried. Anyway, that's not your problem. Actually, I'm not quite sure what the extent of your problem is.. Have you ever gotten an "out of memory" error message? Just to make sure, go ahead and operate full capacity and watch your free memory get lower. Let it get all the way to zero. If you don't get an "out of memory" error message from Windows or get a blue screen or any other major screwup, then just throw that memturbo program out. ESPECIALLY if it gets low and Memturbo "suggests" you buy something from them...

08-02-2010, 10:05 PM	#640 (permalink)
Freebase Dali Partying on the inside Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,584	Oh and by the way, you can't "defrag" RAM. The program is already conning you just by saying it does.