# Adding a VGA port? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300 "2008-11-24T18:50:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/1 "2008-11-24T18:50:30Z")
My laptop is failing so I [posted](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=494229) a few days ago that I was in the market for a new one. My partner picked up an HP 2133, which appears to be a slightly stripped-down version of the [HP Mini 1000.](http://www.shopping.hp.com/mini/) Let me start by praising it. Though still plenty small, it has an almost-normally sized keyboard with crisp key depression, a screen large enough to open my grading software, and so far seems to be working well. It runs XP, which I need. I’ve added Avast! and Open Office and may load the MS 2003 suite if I really need it. The processing speed is certainly fast enough for my non-gaming needs. One thing it doesn’t have is a VGA port, and a lot of why I need a laptop is for making PowerPoint presentations. It’s still useful and a good compromise between the Asus and a full-sized laptop, but if I can’t project from it, its utility is quite decreased. My question: Is there a way to add a VGA port to a machine that doesn’t have one? It does have an “expansion port” but I can’t find what that is used for for this model (which, as I say, appears to be a stripped-down 1000). This expansion port has a tiny little icon which appears to my aging eyes to show an external monitor. The computer also has 2 USB ports. Consolation question: Please recommend peripheral CD/CD-R/W/DVD plug-and-play components (I don’t need to write DVDs). Thanks as always! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/2 "2008-11-24T19:03:56Z")
Too late to edit: That should say HP Mini 1033CL. ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/3 "2008-11-24T19:33:10Z")
[http://www.pcconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7003407&oext=1038A&ci\_src=14110944&ci\_sku=7003407](http://www.pcconnection.com/IPA/Shop/Product/Detail.htm?sku=7003407&oext=1038A&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=7003407) for the USB-VGA adapter. CD/CD-R/W/DVD-R/DVD-RW drives are so common and cheap, I’d just go with a DVD writer. In fact, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a CD-RW that isn’t DVD-RW these days. Edit: Check this writer out. [http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106248](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827106248) ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/4 "2008-11-24T19:51:13Z")
According to this manual, there is a VGA cable that plugs into the “expansion port”. [http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01590181.pdf](http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01590181.pdf) A dock for the laptop would also have VGA out. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/5 "2008-11-24T21:03:49Z")
Y’all are great. I’ll check out these peripherals and get back to you. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/6 "2008-11-25T00:04:15Z")
Okay, the earnest young man at Office Max insists that “you can’t get VGA output from a USB post.” I told him that there are a number of devices on the market that say that they do, but he was adamant. Comments? (Of the GQ kind, not aspersions upon the gentleman’s character.) ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/7 "2008-11-25T00:21:47Z")
Perhaps you can’t get anything **from Office Max** , but there certainly are products for getting video from a USB port. As a matter of fact, the ad between the OP & the rest of the thread was for an Iogear wireless usb-to-vga setup, a-la [this](http://www.dealpocket.com/dealdetail.asp?dealid=7842) ---
**Author:** ![DudleyGarrett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DudleyGarrett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DudleyGarrett)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/8 "2008-11-25T00:36:08Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Okay, the earnest young man at Office Max insists that “you can’t get VGA output from a USB post.” I told him that there are a number of devices on the market that say that they do, but he was adamant. Comments? (Of the GQ kind, not aspersions upon the gentleman’s character.) He’s a little misinformed, I’d say, and it’s not surprising. Nothing against him, of course, as this is a rather special adapter that he’ll likely never see on the shelves at OfficeMax. I’d suggest getting the USB-to-VGA adapter on-line from a reputable dealer. Here’s [one](http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815118301). I don’t know if you know, but this company, NewEgg, is one of the best on-line gadget retailers. Their customer service is top notch and their shipping is lightning quick. This way, if it doesn’t work to your satisfaction, you can ship it back and be out a couple bucks for shipping. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/9 "2008-11-25T01:01:07Z")
Thanks. I appreciate the help before I drop the cash. I do know and like NewEgg. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/10 "2008-11-25T02:53:07Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Okay, the earnest young man at Office Max insists that “you can’t get VGA output from a USB post.” I told him that there are a number of devices on the market that say that they do, but he was adamant. Comments? (Of the GQ kind, not aspersions upon the gentleman’s character.) FYI, it’s better to just not trust the people at Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Max, Staples, etc. Nothing against them personally, but they’re typically ill-informed and poorly-trained. Unlike most professions, most tech retail store employees have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s the exception rather than the rule when you do find an informed employee, and they typically won’t be there long because they can find much better positions with their knowledge. \ In fact, 90% of the ones I’ve encountered were absolute idiots. Your average geek or gamer will know far more than these people (which is surprising, because you’d think that they’d come from the same age group or technophile demographic… but apparently not). \ ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/11 "2008-11-25T05:33:59Z")
So here’s my communique from HP. I’m sharing it because it so enjoyably obscures about as much as it reveals. **My note to HP:** > [@](#): > > I recently bought an HP Mini 1033CL at CostCo. I have two related questions: 1. I do not see a VGA output port. Is it possible to add one via the expansion port? 2. Generally, what is the purpose of the expansion port and how is it used? Thank you. **HP’s reply:** > [@](#): > > Dear Susan, > > Thank you for contacting the HP Home & Home Office Sales Center. > > I understand you want to know if you want to know more about the I/O port of your HP Mini. HP is committed to customer satisfaction. I’ll be happy to help you. > > The HP mini do not have a VGA output port, it has two USB port. It is not possible to add a port using an expansion port. The expansion port is used to connect other ports like VGA or HDMI for the PC to connect to an external monitor other peripherals. > > If you want to connect your HP mini netbook PC to an external monitor and enjoy the added functionality and productivity provided by dual display, you may connect it to the USB port using an HP Mini VGA cable that will be available on January 2009. > > {mountain of unrelated sales pitches for other products omitted} So, friends, do it or don’t it have VGA connection from expansion port that is still not well-described and which is not the port for which HP elves are busily crafting USB-VGA mini-cables? ---
**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/12 "2008-11-25T05:40:13Z")
The expansion port does not use USB it uses a different technology but HP is making a cable to go from it to VGA. Other companies bake a USB to VGA adapter. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/13 "2008-11-25T06:40:16Z")
“The expansion port is used to connect other ports like VGA” (but “It is not possible to add a port using an expansion port”)–Does this mean it is similar to, but is not, a VGA port, or that VGA ports may be connected to the expansion port (“like VGA” being an example)? Meanwhile, “you may connect [an external monitor] to the USB port using an HP Mini VGA cable”. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/14 "2008-11-25T15:00:01Z")
I’d say your best bet is to call HP and speak to some one directly. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/15 "2008-11-25T16:33:42Z")
I agree, though I don’t hold out much hope that that person will speak English any better than the one who replied to my e-mail. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/16 "2008-11-25T16:39:25Z")
If you call, try asking for the part number directly (from the manual): 512315-001 VGA Cable ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/17 "2008-11-25T17:55:25Z")
Thank you. I scanned that manual for the word “VGA” and that part was not one of the hits. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/18 "2008-12-28T23:31:32Z")
Since HP still has no information about the VGA adapter, I went ahead and ordered a USB 2.0 to VGA adapter from newegg. I’ll let you know how it works. ---
**Author:** ![Glazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e57/32.png) [@Glazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glazer)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/19 "2008-12-29T03:53:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Dear Susan, > > Thank you for contacting the HP Home & Home Office Sales Center. > > I understand you want to know if you want to know more about the I/O port of your HP Mini. HP is committed to customer satisfaction. I’ll be happy to help you. > > The HP mini do not have a VGA output port, it has two USB port. It is not possible to add a port using an expansion port. The expansion port is used to connect other ports like VGA or HDMI for the PC to connect to an external monitor other peripherals. > > If you want to connect your HP mini netbook PC to an external monitor and enjoy the added functionality and productivity provided by dual display, you may connect it to the USB port using an HP Mini VGA cable that will be available on January 2009. Methinks that english is not his second (or even third) language. What I want to know is if you want to know :smack: :smack: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2008, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adding-a-vga-port/474300/20 "2008-12-29T05:15:58Z")
It’s the hideous conjunction of English as a foreign language and cut ‘n’ paste. Either way, it fails the Turing test.