Trouble getting two monitors both working

[herg]

Hello,

I have a laptop with an i7 8565 CPU and intel 620 graphics. I just got a QHD monitor (Acer ET322QU) (Mon1) connected via either DisplayPort or HDMIN to go with my old 1080p monitor (Acer G276HL) (Mon2) connected via HDMI. Windows 10, no gaming, up to date graphics drivers.

I can get one monitor working appropriately, either

- Mon1 at full 1440p resolution at 60Hz and Mon2 at 1080i 30Hz
or
- Mon1 at 1080p (which defeats the purpose of the large monitor and Windows appears to do some ugly scaling with) and Mon2 at 1080p 60Hz

If I select 60HZ, non-interlaced for Mon2 in the Display Adapter Properties from Advanced Display Settings in Windows, the resolution for Mon1 changes to 1080p and 2560x1440 is no longer even listed in the available resolutions. I tried creating resolutions for both monitors in CRU but selecting a custom resolution on Mon2 creates the same situation on Mon1; likewise for Mon1.

What I want is Mon1 at 1440p and Mon2 at 1080p.

Is this scenario possible?

TIA

[ToastyX]

That really shouldn't happen unless the HDMI port is actually converted to DisplayPort internally and it's sharing the bandwidth between the two ports and the laptop screen like a hub. The only way around that would be to reduce the refresh rate of the 1440p monitor to something like 40 Hz, if the monitor will accept that.

[herg]

(01-29-2020 05:55 PM)ToastyX Wrote:  That really shouldn't happen unless the HDMI port is actually converted to DisplayPort internally and it's sharing the bandwidth between the two ports and the laptop screen like a hub. The only way around that would be to reduce the refresh rate of the 1440p monitor to something like 40 Hz, if the monitor will accept that.

Whoa, thanks. It accepted 45Hz and now both look about as I would expect. At least there is no interlacing on Mon2. I don't really know enough about it to know if 60Hz vs 45Hz will make a noticeable difference.

It is interesting you mention it being an internal hub, you may well be correct. Its DisplayPort out is a USB-C port, and I have a hub that has a DP out for Mon1. Mon2 is HDMI and it does not matter if I use a HDMI on the USB-C hub or the HDMI out on the laptop directly, both behave the same. I have not tried HDMI out along with USB-C to DP out directly from the laptop as I do not have the latter cable. Would you suppose it would make a difference if I just used the two video ports on the laptop directly into the respective monitors?

Thanks for you help!

[ToastyX]

(01-30-2020 06:07 AM)herg Wrote:  It is interesting you mention it being an internal hub, you may well be correct. Its DisplayPort out is a USB-C port, and I have a hub that has a DP out for Mon1. Mon2 is HDMI and it does not matter if I use a HDMI on the USB-C hub or the HDMI out on the laptop directly, both behave the same. I have not tried HDMI out along with USB-C to DP out directly from the laptop as I do not have the latter cable. Would you suppose it would make a difference if I just used the two video ports on the laptop directly into the respective monitors?

I don't think it would, but I'm not sure since I haven't encountered this situation before.

[herg]

(01-30-2020 09:45 PM)ToastyX Wrote:  

(01-30-2020 06:07 AM)herg Wrote:  It is interesting you mention it being an internal hub, you may well be correct. Its DisplayPort out is a USB-C port, and I have a hub that has a DP out for Mon1. Mon2 is HDMI and it does not matter if I use a HDMI on the USB-C hub or the HDMI out on the laptop directly, both behave the same. I have not tried HDMI out along with USB-C to DP out directly from the laptop as I do not have the latter cable. Would you suppose it would make a difference if I just used the two video ports on the laptop directly into the respective monitors?

I don't think it would, but I'm not sure since I haven't encountered this situation before.

That's how it usually goes for me, why do it easy when you can make it hard.

It seems to be working, the only thing that does not is that when they come back from sleep, it appears Windows sees Mon2 first and moves any open windows from Mon1 to Mon2 before Mon1 comes up or is recognized. This is surely Windows though.

Thanks again for you help!