Dell Inspiron 3500 - Manual (Page 30)

External Monitor: Dell™ Inspiron™ 3500 Portable Computer
Use the 15-pin monitor connector to attach an external monitor to the computer. If you reconfigure your hardware, you may need pin number and signal information for
the monitor connector. Use the following procedure to connect an external monitor:
1. Turn off the external monitor and your computer.
Set the monitor on a monitor stand, desktop, or other level surface near the computer.
2. Connect the external monitor's video cable to the computer.
Plug the monitor cable connector into the matching monitor connector at the back of the computer. If the cable is not permanently attached to the monitor, connect it to the monitor
also. Tighten all the screws on the monitor cable connector(s) for proper connection.
3. Connect your external monitor to a grounded electrical outlet.
Plug the three-prong connector on one end of the monitor's power cable into a grounded power strip or some other grounded power source. If the cable is not permanently attached
to the monitor, connect it to the monitor also.
The video image can be displayed on an external monitor, on the computer's display, or on both simultaneously. To toggle between the three display modes, press
<Fn><F8>.
If the external monitor is turned off when you boot the computer, and if the Video Display Device category is set to CRT Mode in the Main menu of the Setup
program, the computer sends the video image to the external monitor. In this case, you do not see an image on either the computer's display or on the external monitor.
To resolve this situation, turn on the external monitor or press <Fn><F8> to switch the video image to the computer's display.
Whether you are using an appropriately equipped multifrequency monitor only or you are using an external monitor and the built-in display simultaneously, you can
display up to 16 million colors at a noninterlaced resolution of 1280 x 1024 pixels.
CAUTION: Do not place the monitor directly on top of your portable computer, even if it is closed. Doing so can crack the computer
case, the display, or both.
NOTE: When the external monitor and built-in display are used simultaneously, the refresh rate is always 60 Hz. Each time you press <Fn><F8>, the
computer switches the video image to the next display in the following sequence: the built-in display, an external monitor, both displays
simultaneously.