Want to add monitor to laptop

[Blue Deuce]

I have a couple year old HP ZD 7020 laptop. I am all in all happy with its performance especially since I added 2gb.

It has a Nvidia GE Force FX Go 5600 video adapter. Is this sufficient to add a second monitor to post process ? Or does this not even come into play ?

I am by no means a hardware expert. In other words can I even add a additional monitor and if so what do I need to purchase ?

[Sp00ks]

BD, You should be good to go just like it is. That is a fine video card for a laptop and you shouldn't have any trouble adding an external monitor to it. I don't know the laptop specifically but you should have an external video connector on the back. Plug the monitor in and there is typically a set of function keys you need to hit to tell the laptop to use the external monitor.

[Sp00ks]

I downloaded the manual and you do have a VGA connection on the back. I don't know what monitor you intend on attaching but it needs to have a VGA cable. A VGA cable is an analog connection like used on the old CRT or tube monitors. Most newer LCD monitors will come with both connections. (VGA and DVI)

The Icon on the laptop looks like this:

http://www.clanmage.net/~spooks/Images/Misc/VGA.jpg

[PacAce]

Note that although you may be able to attach an external monitor to the laptop, you may not necessarily be able to make a 2nd monitor out of it. Most of the older laptops only mirror the built-in monitor so you may want to check yours to see if it has the option of using an external monitor as a 2nd (non-mirrored) monitor (if that's what you were asking about).