Can it be a second monitor?

[Neibl]

Can I use the micro HDMI plug and a converter to either HDMI or vga to make the surface RT into a second monitor for my laptop?

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express

 

[Coreldan]

Well, we know that you can attach a display to be a secondary monitor for the Surface, so if they havnt overly changed the options regarding secondary monitors, I believe you at least can (on like Win7) decide which one is primary?

 

[Neibl]

I am attaching it to a windows vista device. Does that make a difference.

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[berty6294]

Im almost 99% you cant do that. HDMI is a one way road from the RT and i believe all computers

 

[VagrantWade]

Im almost 99% you cant do that. HDMI is a one way road from the RT and i believe all computers

In Windows, when you hook up a second monitor, you can tell it which display is primary, and which is secondary. HDMI is one way when you connect to a television, but we are talking about a computer that is already connected to one monitor (built in display), connecting to a second display. One computer, two monitors.

I have no idea if it can be done in RT though.

 

[berty6294]

im not understanding what your saying but im thinking he wants to used the mini hdmi port on the surface as an input and play video from the laptop to his surface screen... which if im right is not possible.?

 

[GB330033]

99.9% sure this won't be possible. They state that it is a video OUT port, which means it very likely won't function as a video IN like you want.

 

[VagrantWade]

im not understanding what your saying but im thinking he wants to used the mini hdmi port on the surface as an input and play video from the laptop to his surface screen... which if im right is not possible.?

Ah Coreldan's post threw me off. Wasn't thinking Surface <----> Laptop

Yea you can't just connect the HDMI out from a graphics card of one computer, and connect it to the graphics card of another computer, and use the other computer's display. At least as far as I know.

 

[berty6294]

Ah Coreldan's post threw me off. Wasn't thinking Surface <----> Laptop

Yea you can't just connect the HDMI out from a graphics card of one computer, and connect it to the graphics card of another computer, and use the other computer's display. At least as far as I know.

yeh okay haha making sure i wasnt loosing my mind!

But interesting about choosing which is primary display! Kinda curious how that plays out on RT

 

[Neibl]

So seems like there isn't a clear answer but most are leaning towards no. I see the Rt operating system being not compatible well kno soon enough

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[courtlandre]

This is most definately not possible. I'd like to see this functionality though in tablets/laptops though. Would make for a nice screen when travelling for my xbox

Most people replying that yes or were unsure were under the impression you meant just using it as a secondary monitor while using another monitor as a main (which you should be able to do). You are asking about using it as a monitor for another computer which is absolutely not possible.

 

[Loz Blake]

Isn't this something which you can do with SmartGlass?

 

[courtlandre]

Isn't this something which you can do with SmartGlass?

Not exactly. Smartglass displays information about the thing you are doing (perhaps a map for an xbox game, actor info for a tv show) but it does not act as a 'dumb' monitor.

OP is asking if it can be used like a seperate external monitor (per my understanding of his question).

 

[xkxkxk]

There's apps to do this for ipad, and thye'll come along for RT too.

It works fine for web, or as a place to put tools etc for photoshop, but won't work for video or other bandwidthy things.

Then again, you can get a half decent screen for $100/?100 now ...