Analog cameras
The simplest and most affordable way to ensure the protection of an object is to connect analog cameras. These are simple camcorders that have a tulip-shaped connector for connecting to a monitor. The red connector is needed to provide power, yellow for video broadcast, white for audio. Also, signal transmission can be carried out via twisted pair or BNC connector, depending on the model. Among the disadvantages of such a system are the limited distance between devices, the length of the cable and the high cost of laying the cords.

Mac Laptops
MacBooks, like all other Apple products, are highly reliable. A Macbook webcam rarely breaks, but occasionally problems can occur that prevent it from working properly. This usually manifests itself in the following:
- users do not see your image;
- an error window pops up while loading the application;
- the program hangs when trying to close it;
- the image contains stripes or multi-colored overflows;
- a system message appears stating that the device is disabled.
If we exclude the possibility of mechanical damage to the MacBook, then all other problems with the webcam can be easily solved. The first thing to do is to open the Task Manager window and check if two processes are running at the same time, the name of which contains the word “Camera”. If so, closing one of them will get rid of the conflict in the system.
The second possible reason is an erroneous name in the registry (for example, CameraApps instead of Camera), all such processes must be renamed. If this does not help, then you need to turn off the device and remove the battery from it. Turning on after 10-15 minutes should fix all errors and make the computer work fine.
Online services for verification
There are quite a few resources on the Internet (for example, here) that allow you to quickly check the quality of your webcam and microphone. Before starting work, you will need to allow the transfer of multimedia in the pop-up window of a standard flash player. After that, you will be given the opportunity to test the image and sound. The same page contains detailed instructions on how to use it correctly.
Features of checking the operation of a webcam in Windows 8 (8.1)
The operating system Microsoft Windows 8 (8.1), just like the previous version, does not have utilities for checking a webcam built into a laptop or connected via USB. In the overwhelming majority of cases, in order to turn on the webcam, you will need to launch a program that will work with it. To do this, you can use the services of third-party developers. One of the simple, convenient and free programs for working with built-in webcams in laptops and USB-models for desktops is called “Live Webcam”. You can download it on the author’s website.
Dangers. How hackers can see you through your webcam
In the field of cybercrimes, a new term is increasingly used. rattling. It sounds like the English version of the word “rat”, but the meaning is somewhat different, since it comes from the abbreviation RAT (Remote Administrator Tools). Such tools designed for remote administration are often used by hackers who take control of not only someone else’s computer, but also gadgets connected to it: webcams, printers and other equipment.
Typically, hacker software gets to the victim’s computer after going to a malicious site or by invitation from a spam mailing list. After that, the attacker gains full control over all the equipment of his victim: he can download confidential data, turn on and off the webcam, take his own pictures and even record video with it.
There is no guaranteed way to protect against such an intrusion, but you can take a number of effective measures and follow a few simple rules:
- use the latest versions of operating systems and related software: browsers, flash players and others;
- timely install outgoing updates;
- use a reliable antivirus and install a good firewall;
- do not follow the links found in your mailbox if the sender is unknown to you;
- do not go to the Internet to sites that seem suspicious or violating the law.
Signal output via DVR
Stationary analog can also be used to display images from cameras. The only condition for this is the presence of an Ethernet connector on the recorder for connecting to a local network or a Wi-Fi adapter for connecting to a router. The connection procedure is as follows:
- Connect a video camera (or multiple cameras) to the DVR using a coaxial cable.
- Connect the recorder to a laptop via Ethernet or Wi-Fi (if there is a corresponding module).
- Open a browser on the computer and go to the corresponding ip-address, in the window that appears, you will need to enter a login with a password (start IP, login and password can be found in the complete instructions for the device).
- For the greatest security, it is recommended that you change the default password as well as the IP address. Otherwise, the recorder can be hacked by an intruder, as a result of which a completely stranger will gain access to the cameras.
- For the greatest stability of recording and ease of use with cameras, it is recommended to install the software supplied with the recorder on a laptop. If the software is not included, it can be found on the official website of the device manufacturer.
- Start recording video from cameras to your laptop hard drive.
HP Laptops (Hewlett Packard)
- Pressing the Fn camera icon key.
- Automatic activation by any program, skype or similar
- Click “Start”, then in the search box, type “QuickPlay”, then “Video”
- Using a standard software called “HP MediaSmart”.
How to turn off (disable) the webcam
Turning off a regular webcam is very simple. just disconnect it from the USB port, for built-in models this process will be a little more complicated, but it also does not require any special skills. To do this, you need to find it in the list of the device manager, right-click on it and click on “Disable” in the menu that appears. This is the easiest, fastest and most reliable method if there is no mechanical switch on the case. For the reverse process, you need to repeat this procedure by selecting the “Enable” menu item. The current status of the camera can be determined by the indicator (LED), which is located next to it.
How to connect a monitor to a laptop via USB
When working at a computer, sometimes a second monitor is required. But there are times when the computer does not have the required D-Sub (VGA) or DisplayPort video output. For example, the candy bar may not have it, as it happened in my case.
Naturally, many are wondering if it is possible to connect a monitor via USB?
As it turned out, there are a variety of USB video adapters on sale with VGA / HDMI / DVI output or combined. In addition, there are adapters that only work with USB2.0, and there are those that support both USB3.0 and the already obsolete USB2.0.
After a short search, I settled on USB video adapters based on DisplayLink technology.
The essence of such a USB video adapter is as follows. A program and driver (in this case, DisplayLink Manager) is installed on the computer, which has access to the resources of the central processing unit (CPU) and video card (GPU).
The video stream to the second monitor is compressed and transmitted via USB to a decompressor, a specialized microcircuit that is built into the adapter itself. This microcircuit performs decompression of the signal received via USB and displays the picture on another monitor.
As you can see, this uses the CPU resources of the computer itself, which compresses the video signal. At the same time, it can be quite heavily loaded. If the picture on the additional monitor is not updated, then no compression and processor load occurs, since the control program constantly monitors changes on the screen.
The USB video adapter itself is powered via the USB bus (5V) and does not require an external power supply, which is very convenient.
On the official website of DisplayLink in the section “Products using DisplayLink Technology”, you can see the list of manufactured devices. Among others, there are USB video adapters and USB monitors.
The lineup of manufactured USB video adapters is quite extensive. Basically, the devices differ in the supported type of USB interface (2.0 / 3.0) and the maximum allowable resolution of the output image. Typically, USB2.0 devices support up to Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, while USB3.0 devices can display up to 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution.
To work with my candy bar, I bought a PLUGABLE UGA-165 USB video adapter, or rather, a copy of it.
As it turned out, an exact copy of the PLUGABLE UGA-165 model is being sold on Aliexpress for a fairly low price. He took it. Here’s what’s included.
This is the so-called Single Display Adapter, that is, an adapter for one monitor. There are adapters for two, three monitors and full docking stations, to which you can connect several additional high-resolution monitors.
I chose a suitable video adapter quite carefully. It was required that it work over the USB2.0 interface and have different types of VGA / HDMI / DVI video outputs. This would allow, on occasion, to connect any monitor or LCD TV.
In addition, I really wanted to get a picture on the screen with the highest possible resolution (HD Ready, or better Full HD).
The kit included two additional adapters for a standard 15-pin VGA (aka D-SUB) and HDMI connector. This will allow the video adapter to be used in conjunction with new LCD TVs and monitors, which are increasingly equipped with an HDMI input.
For completeness, I will show a photo of the insides of the video adapter.
Here is a printed circuit board with not many elements.
Onboard BGA chip DL-165 belonging to the second generation of DisplayLink specialized processors.
Things to Consider When Choosing a USB Video Adapter?
First, you need to know which version of USB (2.0 or 3.0 / 2.0) the video adapter will work with. For example, my monoblock simply does not have USB3.0 connectors, so I chose a video adapter that supports an older version of the interface (USB2.0).
If your computer has a modern USB3.0 connector, then it is better to take a video adapter with USB3.0 support. Some of the USB video adapters support both USB3.0 and USB2.0 interface versions. But here it is worthwhile to understand that the bandwidth of the USB2.0 interface is low, and it will not be able to display a picture with a resolution greater than Full HD (1920 x 1080) on the monitor. This is the “ceiling” for him.
Part 1: Connecting a camcorder to a PC via USB
Another thing is USB3.0, the bandwidth of which is enough for multiple monitors with high resolution.
The second thing to consider is what kind of video connector the USB video adapter will have. If the standard VGA is enough for you, then you can get the cheapest video adapter. The newer monitors support the newer HDMI and DisplayPort interfaces. Therefore, you should think ahead and take something newer. Or such a video adapter, which is equipped with all these connectors, as in my case.
The third thing to consider is that USB video transfer technology uses the resources of the central processing unit (CPU) to compress the image. At the same time, it is quite heavily loaded.
If you have a weak processor-based computer Atom or Celeron, then, perhaps, you will face the fact that with a dynamically changing picture on the second monitor, the computer will “freeze”, since it may not have enough resources.
Here is a screenshot for an example. Loading the Intel Core2 Quad Q8400 (2.6GHz) processor of my candy bar when outputting to the second monitor of a video player that plays a movie with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (Full HD). As you can see, the load is at least 14
15%. This is provided that no other processes are running on the computer.
If you move the video player window to the screen of the main monitor, then the load on the processor drops sharply and remains at level 3
It is also worth remembering one feature. If the picture on the second monitor is static, that is, it does not change, then there will be no load on the computer’s processor. The image is simply displayed on the second monitor from the memory of the USB video adapter itself.
And one more important thing to be aware of. Cheap models of video adapters based on old processors are only suitable for transferring a mostly static and low-changing image. They are not suitable for fast-paced video games.!
Even when playing high-quality Full HD video, the computer starts to slow down. Therefore, video with a higher resolution and bit rate is best viewed on the main monitor, and the second one is used to display low-changing images. For example, use a second monitor for surfing the Internet, viewing documents, etc.
Despite all the advantages, the UGA-165 USB video adapter at first upset me.
After unpacking, I decided to try it out in conjunction with an LCD TV Samsung LE32A430T1. But the TV did not “see” the signal from the adapter point-blank and I did not manage to display the picture on it. I tried everything. I connected both via VGA and HDMI, climbed into the TV settings, changed the resolution. Nothing helped.
To calm down, he explained this stubborn reluctance of the LCD TV to work with a USB video adapter only by the fact that it is already quite old. In addition, in the instructions for the TV, I found a clarification that it does not support SOC synchronization or something like that. Perhaps the reason lies precisely in this.
When working at a computer, sometimes a second monitor is required. But there are times when the computer does not have the required D-Sub (VGA) or DisplayPort video output. For example, the candy bar may not have it, as it happened in my case.
Naturally, many are wondering if it is possible to connect a monitor via USB?
As it turned out, there are a variety of USB video adapters on sale with VGA / HDMI / DVI output or combined. In addition, there are adapters that only work with USB2.0, and there are those that support both USB3.0 and the already obsolete USB2.0.
After a short search, I settled on USB video adapters based on DisplayLink technology.
How to copy files from Sony Handycam to Laptop | Transfer files from a handycam to Laptop
The essence of such a USB video adapter is as follows. A program and driver (in this case, DisplayLink Manager) is installed on the computer, which has access to the resources of the central processing unit (CPU) and video card (GPU).
The video stream to the second monitor is compressed and transmitted via USB to a decompressor, a specialized microcircuit that is built into the adapter itself. This microcircuit performs decompression of the signal received via USB and displays the picture on another monitor.
As you can see, this uses the CPU resources of the computer itself, which compresses the video signal. At the same time, it can be quite heavily loaded. If the picture on the additional monitor is not updated, then no compression and processor load occurs, since the control program constantly monitors changes on the screen.
The USB video adapter itself is powered via the USB bus (5V) and does not require an external power supply, which is very convenient.
On the official website of DisplayLink in the section “Products using DisplayLink Technology”, you can see the list of manufactured devices. Among others, there are USB video adapters and USB monitors.
The lineup of manufactured USB video adapters is quite extensive. Basically, the devices differ in the supported type of USB interface (2.0 / 3.0) and the maximum allowable resolution of the output image. Typically, USB2.0 devices support up to Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, while USB3.0 devices can display up to 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution.
To work with my candy bar, I bought a PLUGABLE UGA-165 USB video adapter, or rather, a copy of it.
As it turned out, an exact copy of the PLUGABLE UGA-165 model is being sold on Aliexpress for a fairly low price. He took it. Here’s what’s included.
This is the so-called Single Display Adapter, that is, an adapter for one monitor. There are adapters for two, three monitors and full docking stations, to which you can connect several additional high-resolution monitors.
I chose a suitable video adapter quite carefully. It was required that it work over the USB2.0 interface and have different types of VGA / HDMI / DVI video outputs. This would allow, on occasion, to connect any monitor or LCD TV.
In addition, I really wanted to get a picture on the screen with the highest possible resolution (HD Ready, or better Full HD).
The kit included two additional adapters for a standard 15-pin VGA (aka D-SUB) and HDMI connector. This will allow the video adapter to be used in conjunction with new LCD TVs and monitors, which are increasingly equipped with an HDMI input.
For completeness, I will show a photo of the insides of the video adapter.
Here is a printed circuit board with not many elements.
Onboard BGA chip DL-165 belonging to the second generation of DisplayLink specialized processors.
Things to Consider When Choosing a USB Video Adapter?
First, you need to know which version of USB (2.0 or 3.0 / 2.0) the video adapter will work with. For example, my monoblock simply does not have USB3.0 connectors, so I chose a video adapter that supports an older version of the interface (USB2.0).
If your computer has a modern USB3.0 connector, then it is better to take a video adapter with USB3.0 support. Some of the USB video adapters support both USB3.0 and USB2.0 interface versions. But here it is worthwhile to understand that the bandwidth of the USB2.0 interface is low, and it will not be able to display a picture with a resolution greater than Full HD (1920 x 1080) on the monitor. This is the “ceiling” for him.
Another thing is USB3.0, the bandwidth of which is enough for multiple monitors with high resolution.
The second thing to consider is what kind of video connector the USB video adapter will have. If the standard VGA is enough for you, then you can get the cheapest video adapter. The newer monitors support the newer HDMI and DisplayPort interfaces. Therefore, it is worth thinking ahead and taking something newer. Or such a video adapter, which is equipped with all these connectors, as in my case.
The third thing to consider is that USB video transfer technology uses the resources of the central processing unit (CPU) to compress the image. At the same time, it is quite heavily loaded.
If you have a weak processor-based computer Atom or Celeron, then, perhaps, you will come across the fact that with a dynamically changing picture on the second monitor, the computer will “freeze”, since it may not have enough resources.
Here is a screenshot for an example. Loading the Intel Core2 Quad Q8400 (2.6GHz) processor of my all-in-one when outputting a video player to the second monitor, which plays a movie with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (Full HD). As you can see, the load is at least 14
If you move the video player window to the screen of the main monitor, then the load on the processor drops sharply and remains at level 3
It is also worth remembering one peculiarity. If the picture on the second monitor is static, that is, it does not change, then there will be no load on the computer’s processor. The image is simply displayed on the second monitor from the memory of the USB video adapter itself.
And one more important thing to be aware of. Cheap models of video adapters based on old processors are only suitable for transferring a mostly static and low-changing image. They are not suitable for fast-paced video games.!
Even when playing high-quality Full HD video, the computer starts to slow down. Therefore, video with a higher resolution and bit rate is best viewed on the main monitor, and the second one is used to display low-changing images. For example, use a second monitor for surfing the Internet, viewing documents, etc.
Despite all the advantages, the UGA-165 USB video adapter at first upset me.
After unpacking, I decided to try it out in conjunction with an LCD TV Samsung LE32A430T1. But the TV did not “see” the signal from the adapter point-blank and I did not manage to display the picture on it. I tried everything. I connected both via VGA and HDMI, climbed into the TV settings, changed the resolution. Nothing helped.
To calm down, he explained this stubborn reluctance of the LCD TV to work with a USB video adapter only by the fact that it is already quite old. In addition, in the instructions for the TV, I found a clarification that it does not support SOC synchronization or something like that. Perhaps the reason lies precisely in this.
Today we will connect an external monitor to a laptop, netbook, or ultrabook and configure the whole thing in Windows 10 and Windows 7. If you have Windows 8, everything will work out. It’s just that I don’t have this system installed on my laptop, I can’t show everything and take screenshots. In general, in the process of connecting a laptop to a monitor, there is not much difference which version of Windows you have installed. In most cases, it is enough to simply connect the monitor to a laptop via an HDMI cable, or VGA, DVI, USB Type-C. We will also talk about which connection interface is best to use and which cable (possibly an adapter) we need.
My laptop is almost always connected to the monitor. Plus a wireless keyboard and mouse. That is, my laptop is in the role of a system unit. It is very comfortable. I can turn off my laptop at any time and take it with me. It is virtually silent compared to a PC. And thanks to the monitor I connect to at home, I can comfortably work on the big screen, watch movies, play, etc.
In addition, the screen quality on laptops is very poor. I will introduce models from the budget and middle price segment. Or old laptops.
Everyone has different tasks. And there can be a lot of cases when we may need to connect a monitor. Someone will connect to a large screen to watch movies, take their laptop to work and connect there to a monitor for more comfortable work, or, like me, use it as a stationary computer. In any case, we need to somehow connect and configure these two devices. By the way, instead of a monitor, you can use a TV.
To begin with, we will find out which connection interface (output) is on our laptop, we will also check if there is the same port (input) on the monitor and already decide which one to use. And of course we need a certain cable. In some cases, an adapter may still be needed.
DisplayLink Manager Software
All control of the USB video adapter is carried out through a special program. DisplayLink Manager.
Its latest version can be downloaded from the official DisplayLink website at the link. In addition to Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Android, Ubuntu and Chromebook operating systems are supported.
I have Windows 7, so I chose this system. Before downloading, you need to click on the “Accept” button to confirm your agreement with the license agreement. After that, the download should start. Run the installation of the downloaded file by double clicking.
During installation, the program will ask you to connect a USB video adapter to your computer.
In Windows Device Manager, the USB video adapter appears as USB Display Adapters (USB-DVI).
After installing DisplayLink Manager, its icon will appear in the tray. Here is such.
Using this program, you can control the USB video adapter: enable, disable, change the resolution to additional. monitor, rotate the screen, expand the screen on different sides. There are quite a lot of settings.
I’ll tell you about some of the features of the DisplayLink Manager utility that you might find useful.
By default, DisplayLink Manager launches when the computer is turned on. This is convenient as the desktop immediately expands to an additional monitor.
But, there are times when an additional monitor is not needed for operation. Then it can be turned off.
To disable the additional monitor, left-click on the DisplayLink Manager icon in the tray. In this case, the program menu should appear.
Select item 2.USB-DVI. “Disable”. In this case, the monitors will blink briefly, and the indicator on the USB-DVI adapter will go out.
This will turn off the USB video adapter and enter sleep mode on the add-on monitor. For me, for example, the second monitor of the BenQ FP93G brand left for the duty room with a slight delay, but, as I understand it, it depends on the monitor itself. Dell monitor P2217h went to duty immediately after unplugging the adapter.
To turn on the additional monitor again, do the same operation as when turning off the monitor, but this time select the “Expand” item. This.
In this case, the main screen will briefly blink, and the indicator on the USB-DVI adapter will light up. The desktop will again be extended to an additional monitor.
If necessary, you can expand the desktop to the right / left, as well as from above or below relative to the main one. For example, I have my desktop extended on the right, but someone might need a different configuration.
If you expand the desktop from above or below relative to the main one, then you may encounter the following. Move the mouse to add. the monitor will be allowed only within the border of the second monitor width. For example, the width in pixels of the main monitor is 1920 pixels, and the second is 1024.
In this case, if you move the mouse at the top / bottom edge within 1024 pixels, then you can easily move the mouse cursor to the second monitor. If you move the mouse pointer further than 1024 pixels, then you will not be able to move it to the second monitor. Such is the feature.
For those who have a monitor that allows you to change the position of the screen, the “Screen rotation” option may be useful.
When changing the screen orientation from landscape to portrait, simply select the “Screen Rotation” item in the DisplayLink Manager menu and then one of four options to choose from.
You can rotate the image to the right or left. Turning step 90 0.
If you select “Flip”, the image on the monitor screen will be displayed “upside down”. When you select “Standard Album”, the image on the screen will take a standard view, which is accepted by default.
On the second tab of the menu there is an item “Screen resolution”. Through it, you can set the screen resolution of the second monitor. Usually, the program independently determines the nominal resolution of the additional monitor, but, if required, it can be set manually. It was detected automatically for me. No further action required.
If you select Use this monitor as primary, the secondary monitor becomes the primary. A taskbar will appear on its screen. This can be useful if the secondary monitor has a higher resolution and you work primarily within the boundaries of its screen.
The item “Create a copy” duplicates the image of the main screen on the second monitor. What I didn’t like about this mode is that the image resolution on both screens gets smaller, as well as its aspect ratio and positioning on the screen.
Apparently, this mode is used in conjunction with projectors. I don’t need him.
The item “Fit to TV screen” can be useful in cases where the USB video adapter is used in conjunction with an LCD TV. In some cases, even if the video adapter works correctly with the TV, there are black margins on its screen at the edges. You can correct the position by adjusting the image manually.
To do this, select the item “Fit to TV screen” and adjust the image on the TV screen so that it occupies the entire screen.
A red frame will appear on the LCD TV screen, the edges of which can be shifted using the “” and “-” buttons in the “Fit to TV screen” window. Configure and click the “Apply” button.
There are two items in the main DisplayLink Manager menu: “Sound Setting” and “Advanced Configuration”.
By clicking on the “Sound Settings” item, the standard Windows “Sound” settings window opens, which is available along the path “Control Panel”. “Sound”.
The fact is that some USB video adapters also support the transmission of an audio signal, for example, via HDMI. Therefore, the program has a sound setting item.
The situation is similar with the item “Advanced configuration”, which simply refers to the tab of system settings Windows screen resolution (“Control Panel”. “All Control Panel Items”. “Display”. “Screen Resolution”).
You can find out the version of the DisplayLink Manager software by clicking on the “DisplayLink Manager” item at the top of the main menu.
If there is a new version of the program, it is better to download and install it, as in newer versions errors can be eliminated.
During the operation of the USB video adapter, some of them came to light. It is very rare for a video driver to fail. Solved by reboot. Sometimes this is not required, the video driver restores its work automatically.
Another “glitch” that was revealed when using the video adapter is the hang of the program, the window of which was on the additional screen. monitor. Hangs occur when disconnecting USB video adapter via DisplayLink Manager menu.
Basically, this is how the Media Player Classic freezes when playing a video. Perhaps this is a feature of the player itself. It was solved by force closing Media Player Classic and restarting it.
DisplayLink Manager Software
All control of the USB video adapter is carried out through a special program. DisplayLink Manager.
Its latest version can be downloaded from the official DisplayLink website at the link. In addition to Microsoft Windows, MacOS, Android, Ubuntu and Chromebook operating systems are supported.
I have Windows 7, so I chose this system. Before downloading, you need to click on the “Accept” button to confirm your agreement with the license agreement. After that, the download should start. Run the installation of the downloaded file by double clicking.
During installation, the program will ask you to connect a USB video adapter to your computer.
In Windows Device Manager, the USB video adapter appears as USB Display Adapters (USB-DVI).
After installing DisplayLink Manager, its icon will appear in the tray. Here is such.
Using this program, you can control the USB video adapter: enable, disable, change the resolution to additional. monitor, rotate the screen, expand the screen on different sides. There are quite a lot of settings.
I’ll tell you about some of the features of the DisplayLink Manager utility that you might find useful.
By default, DisplayLink Manager launches when the computer is turned on. This is convenient as the desktop immediately expands to an additional monitor.
But, there are times when an additional monitor is not needed for operation. Then it can be turned off.
To disable the additional monitor, left-click on the DisplayLink Manager icon in the tray. In this case, the program menu should appear.
Select item 2.USB-DVI. “Disable”. In this case, the monitors will blink briefly, and the indicator on the USB-DVI adapter will go out.
This will turn off the USB video adapter and enter sleep mode on the add-on monitor. For me, for example, the second monitor of the BenQ FP93G brand left for the duty room with a slight delay, but, as I understand it, it depends on the monitor itself. Dell monitor P2217h went to duty immediately after unplugging the adapter.
To turn on the additional monitor again, do the same operation as when turning off the monitor, but this time select the “Expand” item. This.
In this case, the main screen will briefly blink, and the indicator on the USB-DVI adapter will light up. The desktop will again be extended to an additional monitor.
If necessary, you can expand the desktop to the right / left, as well as from above or below relative to the main one. For example, I have my desktop extended on the right, but someone might need a different configuration.
If you expand the desktop from above or below relative to the main one, then you may encounter the following. Move the mouse to add. the monitor will be allowed only within the border of the second monitor width. For example, the width in pixels of the main monitor is 1920 pixels, and the second is 1024.
In this case, if you move the mouse at the top / bottom edge within 1024 pixels, then you can easily move the mouse cursor to the second monitor. If you move the mouse pointer further than 1024 pixels, then you will not be able to move it to the second monitor. Such is the feature.
For those who have a monitor that allows you to change the position of the screen, the “Screen rotation” option may be useful.
When changing the screen orientation from landscape to portrait, simply select the “Screen Rotation” item in the DisplayLink Manager menu and then one of four options to choose from.
You can rotate the image to the right or left. Turning step 90 0.
If you select “Flip”, the image on the monitor screen will be displayed “upside down”. When you select “Standard Album”, the image on the screen will take a standard view, which is accepted by default.
On the second tab of the menu there is an item “Screen resolution”. Through it, you can set the screen resolution of the second monitor. Usually, the program independently determines the nominal resolution of the additional monitor, but, if required, it can be set manually. It was detected automatically for me. No further action required.
If you select Use this monitor as primary, the secondary monitor becomes the primary. A taskbar will appear on its screen. This can be useful if the secondary monitor has a higher resolution and you work primarily within the boundaries of its screen.
The item “Create a copy” duplicates the image of the main screen on the second monitor. What I didn’t like about this mode is that the image resolution on both screens gets smaller, as well as its aspect ratio and positioning on the screen.
Apparently, this mode is used in conjunction with projectors. I don’t need him.
The item “Fit to TV screen” can be useful in cases where the USB video adapter is used in conjunction with an LCD TV. In some cases, even if the video adapter works correctly with the TV, there are black margins on its screen at the edges. You can correct the position by adjusting the image manually.
To do this, select the item “Fit to TV screen” and adjust the image on the TV screen so that it occupies the entire screen.
A red frame will appear on the LCD TV screen, the edges of which can be shifted using the “” and “-” buttons in the “Fit to TV screen” window. Configure and click the “Apply” button.
There are two items in the main DisplayLink Manager menu: “Sound Setting” and “Advanced Configuration”.
By clicking on the “Sound Settings” item, the standard Windows “Sound” settings window opens, which is available along the path “Control Panel”. “Sound”.
The fact is that some USB video adapters also support the transmission of an audio signal, for example, via HDMI. Therefore, the program has a sound setting item.
The situation is similar with the item “Advanced configuration”, which simply refers to the tab of system settings Windows screen resolution (“Control Panel”. “All Control Panel Items”. “Display”. “Screen Resolution”).
You can find out the version of the DisplayLink Manager software by clicking on the “DisplayLink Manager” item at the top of the main menu.
If there is a new version of the program, it is better to download and install it, as in newer versions errors can be eliminated.
During the operation of the USB video adapter, some of them came to light. It is very rare for a video driver to fail. Solved by reboot. Sometimes this is not required, the video driver restores its work automatically.
Another “glitch” that was revealed when using the video adapter is the hang of the program, the window of which was on the additional screen. monitor. Hangs occur when disconnecting USB video adapter via DisplayLink Manager menu.
Basically, this is how the Media Player Classic freezes when playing a video. Perhaps this is a feature of the player itself. It was solved by force closing Media Player Classic and restarting it.
What interface and cable to use to connect a laptop to a monitor?
At this stage, it is very difficult to give any specific and universal recommendations. For the reason that everyone has different laptops and monitors. Therefore, we will consider the most popular connection options. One of them should suit you.
The most optimal and common interface for connecting a monitor to a laptop is HDMI. It is found on almost every laptop and monitor. Even if your devices are not the newest ones. If you find an HDMI output on a laptop and an input on a monitor, then use it.
First, take a look at your laptop. I will show everything using the example of my two laptops. The new but budget Lenovo only has HDMI output. As I already wrote, this is the optimal solution.
The second, older ASUS laptop has the same HDMI digital output and the now obsolete VGA.
What other options could there be?
- Older laptops can only have VGA output.
- Rarely, but sometimes laptops have DVI output.
- On modern gaming laptops, in addition to HDMI, there may also be a mini Display Port.
- On new ultrabooks (mainly on expensive models) there is no separate output at all for connecting an external monitor. There, a new USB Type-C port is used for these tasks. And since there are very few monitors with USB Type-C input now, you will most likely need an adapter. For example, USB-C. HDMI.
With the laptop sorted out. We are now looking at our monitor. What are the connection interfaces there. My monitor has two HDMI inputs and one VGA (D-Sub).
Since I have an HDMI output on my laptop, and the monitor has an HDMI input, then of course I will use this particular interface to connect.
But, as you can imagine, this is not always the case. Consider these options:
- There is no HDMI input on the monitor. And there are, for example, only DVI and VGA. In this case, you can connect via VGA (if there is such an output on the laptop). But, if the laptop has HDMI, then it is best to use an HDMI to DVI adapter.
- On a laptop only HDMI, and on a VGA monitor. You can also use an adapter. There are enough of them on the market. But, since VGA is not a digital output, the picture quality may not be very good.
Simply put, when there are no identical interfaces on both devices, then you need to look towards the adapters. And it’s better not to use outdated VGA in the connection. If possible.
I think we’ve figured out the connection interface. Depending on the selected interface, we need a cable, or an adapter. I have a regular HDMI cable.
We connect the monitor to the laptop via HDMI cable
It is recommended that you disconnect both devices before connecting the cable. Honestly, I don’t turn it off. Nothing has burned yet But I recommend that you turn off your laptop and turn off the monitor.
We connect the other end of the cable to the laptop.
After connecting (and turning on), the image will most likely be duplicated on both screens (as in the photo below).
Update: There are many monitors with built-in speakers. HDMI cable can transmit not only image, but also sound. If immediately after connecting the sound to the monitor did not go, then see this article: how to output sound from a computer to a TV via HDMI. You may need to change your Windows audio playback settings.
Then you can change the mode of operation of multiple displays. Windows has 4 modes:
- Duplicate, or Duplicate. This is when the same image is displayed on the laptop and monitor screen.
In this mode, there is one nuance with the screen resolution. It is determined by the lowest resolution and installed on both screens. On laptops, the resolution is usually 1366 × 768, and on monitors, 1920 × 1080. In this mode, the monitor will also be forced to a resolution of 1366 × 768. And the picture will not be of very good quality. In my case, the laptop is also 1920 × 1080. - Expand. When the second screen becomes, as it were, a continuation of the main.
You can put some shortcuts, windows, etc. on it. You can, for example, work in a browser on a laptop screen, and put a player on the monitor and watch a movie. Or open the same YouTube in another browser window. - Computer screen only (turn off the pro-rector). This is when the image is displayed only on the laptop screen. Monitor disabled.
You can turn off the monitor without disconnecting the HDMI cable. - Well, the last mode. Only the second screen (only the projector). The opposite is true here. The laptop screen is off, and the picture is displayed only on the monitor.
I always work in this mode.
How to change these modes and, if necessary, change the resolution in the Windows display settings, I will show later in the article. Separately for Windows 10 and Windows 7.