Question : Problem: Need help with adding a third monitor

For background, please see here:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Hardware/Displays_Monitors/Q_24040871.html

I finally got around to trying the solution suggested there and it did not work. Here's the setup:

Notebook docked in port replicator. Replicator has a VGA and a Digital port.
Analog monitor plugged into VGA port. I'll call this "VGA".
Wide screen monitor plugged into Digital port; I'll call this "DIG".
I'll call the notebook "LCD".

At a minimum, I want DIG to be my primary monitor and VGA to be my secondary. If I could get the LCD in there as a third, that would be great.

Control Panel > Display > Settings still shows only 2 monitors (even after reboot).

I use Fn-F8 to toggle CRT/LCD. Starting with the desktop showing ONLY on LCD:


Fn-F8 -->  LCD & VGA; both identified as "1"
Fn-F8 -->  VGA only; identified as "1"
Fn-F8 --> DIG & LCD; both identified as "1"
Fn-F8 -->  DIG only; identified as "1"
Fn-F8 -->   VGA & DIG; both identified as "1"
Fn-F8 -->  back to LCD only

Note that whenever the image gets to DIG, it's using the VGA resolution.

Now tried: with desktop showing only on DIG:
    click on "2" and check "extend ..."
      desktop was extended; DIG is "1" and LCD is "2"

Fn-F8 --> DIG only; identified as "1"
Fn-F8 --> DIG & VGA, both identified as "1"
Fn-F8 --> DIG only;
Fn-F8 --> VGA & LCD; both identified as "1"
Fn-F8 --> VGA only
Fn-F8 --> back to DIG & LCD; DIG is "1" and LCD is "2"


Does this indicate that the port replicator is incapable of recognizing two distinct external monitors? Or is there something I need to set in Windows (XP Pro SP2)?  

Answer : Problem: Need help with adding a third monitor

It is very unlikely that you will be able to run 3 distinct monitors off of one video card. The best way round this is probably to get one of these

http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/products/gxm/dh2go/

This will allow you to have you laptop as one screen and then connect you two other monitors up as one via the digital or analogue port on your "port replicator". Even then I'm not sure if the two monitors would be seen by windows as two district items or one huge monitor.