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Can I hook up an external monitor and a keyboard to my laptop?

Computer monitor and keyboard question? I will choose best answer dont worry?

  • I have a laptop with a very small screen. When I have it plugged in at home, I would like to have another monitor to use. I know this is possible but I dont want to USE both monitors, I only want to use the big one (To much clutter.) What I want to do is have my laptop shut but still running, and use that one big monitor as the main display. The problem here is that I don't have a keyboard. Can I just buy a keyboard for a desktop and hook it up to my laptop? Or is that impossible. Thanks for your time :)

  • Answer:

    You can plug an external monitor to your laptop. Look for a socket on the laptop that has 15 (female or male ) pins, this is the external monitor port. Use the correct cable to join the laptop and the external monitor (15 pins). Check the function keys on the laptop. Usually pressing a particular key and the Ctrl or function key will cycle through: both monitor and laptop showing same screen : only monitor showing the screen while laptop is blank : or only laptop showing screen while monitor is blank. A USB keyboard and mouse can be plugged into the laptop's USB port, so you don't need to use the laptop's smaller keyboard. You can change the settings so that the laptop's lid can be closed without the laptop closing down.

ROD S at Yahoo! Answers Visit the source

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You can purchased a USB Keyboard to use. However, you will also need a mouse since your mentioned that you wanted to shut your laptop. I would recommend a wireless keyboard and mouse setup. Also, you will need to go into your control panel and set the sttings that your laptop remains on when you shut it Good Luck The Old Computer Guy

The Old Computer Guy

yea. You can get keyboard for laptop at store. Try and go see if you like.

Beach Bum Daddy

Your Laptop should have a blue VGA Connector (http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000801.htm ) in the back, or on one of the sides. You can connect a stand-alone Monitor to it. You can also go into the Setup/Boot-Up section of your Laptop and adjust the Settings to allow the Laptop to automatically detect when you've hooked it up to an external Monitor [video] (http://www.ehow.com/video_4993274_connect-laptop-external-monitor.html ) AND (http://www.ehow.com/how_2008985_use-monitor-laptop.html ), and for it to either allow dual display [Laptop and External Monitor simultaneously] or just a single display through the Stand-a-Lone Monitor. Additionally, you can connect your Keyboard to the Laptop's PS/2 or USB Connector(s)---this applies to connecting a Mouse simultaneously as well---depending on whether you have both Connectors on your Laptop, or just one. Another method---if you can afford it---would be to purchase a KVM Switch / Box(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KVM_switch ) that, has a VGA, PS/2, and / or Serial Port Connector(s) thereby allowing a quick one-step method of connecting, and disconnecting all three simultaneously, for examples (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ImageGallery.aspx?CurImage=17-107-212-S01&SCList=17-107-212-S01%2c17-107-212-S02%2c17-107-212-S03%2c17-107-212-S04%2c17-107-212-S05&S7ImageFlag=2&Item=N82E16817107212&Depa=0&WaterMark=1&Description=LINKSKEY%20LKV-S04SK%204-Port%20Slim%20Desktop%20KVM%20Switch%20w%2f3-in-1%20Combo%20Cables ) AND (http://www.pricewatch.com/gallery/video_accessories/kvm )... GBJ

G. B. J., Md.

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