Hello Simon - I'll let you know over the weekend. The monitor is a Dell S2240T touch-screen 22" model, 1920 x 1080 resolution, correctly identified by Jason originally, and my sporadic research has shown it to be compatible with Montage using a Startech external video card (USB2 to VGA) that I already have. I'm tired of continually having to lean forward to see what I'm doing on the flat-fitted Montage screen, so I'm hoping the Dell will transform my Montage sessions! I ordered it today from Amazon.fr (I live in France) and it will be delivered tomorrow (hope I'm in!).

Hi rod thanks for getting back here, yes I would be very interested to here how you get on with this new installation as I would also be keen to add this as well..if I could be cheeky here It would be great if we could see some photos of the process as you install your new set up....p.s. I know what you mean rod as you say about leaning fwd after some time using the montage, I also have a korg PA4X with a screen that lift's up and this makes a difference after some hrs sat working at a keyboard so fingers crossed this setup works for the montage ..

Previous discussion: https://yamahasynth.com/forum/external-monitor-usb?viewallreplies=1#reply-20050

Note that no external touchscreen monitors have currently been confirmed as working by independent sources - so I would advise against purchasing one for the sole purpose of hoping it will work with the Montage unless this has no financial impact for you, you have other uses for the monitor and would be OK with it not working with Montage, or know that it can be returned without penalty.

It's important to understand the disclaimer as this is far from a supported feature.

Nice extra Simon.

How much did it cost for both the parts?

How would you use it in a live gig? I mean what sort of stand would the monitor be on?

Thanks for the warning Jason! I know my Startech video card work because I'm using it now with an old CTX monitor that isn't a touch-screen, so although it helps a lot by making it easy to read without crouching over the Montage all the time, it doesn't help much when it comes to selecting on screen items! I also see that the Dell S2240T will work with the same Startech video card (USB2 to VGA), and is also compatible with the Montage. I agree there's still a risk in the absence of any guidance from Yamaha - which is VERY remiss of Yamaha, who should be well aware of this issue and be doing something about it. So I am prepared to take the chance (even though it certainly does have a financial impact) in my own interests and the interests of members of this Forum.

As to the costs Adrian, you'll need a powered USB hub (about £20) and the Startech video card (£59) and the Dell monitor (£279) including taxes and delivery. I buy everything through Amazon because of their fast service and back-up if things go wrong. But shop around there too - often find the same items at very different prices! The monitor, for example was on offer from another supplier at £405.

So fingers crossed!

Hello - an update on progress - not-a-lot! The Dell S2240T arrived, unpacked and set up (needed to make a platform to suit it, as usual). I connected the VGA lead, and the power supply, simply replacing the old CTX monitor, and switched on. It worked exactly as the CTX had, switching between the Montage and the computer in the same way - but no sign of touch capability. Nothing. I wondered if it was required to install the drivers on the computer (the Dell comes with a DVD) but ran into a snag. I don't have a spare USB port on the computer, and I need one to connect the Dell to the computer directly - the Montage connection won't work because of the change-over switch isolating one from the other. I tried a non-powered hub, but that wouldn't wouldn't work either. now intend to buy another powered hub, and connect the Dell through that. So at this moment I'm no worse off technically- if a bit bruised financially.

One thing - I get exactly the same broad band of nothing across the bottom of the screen when in Montage mode, as I did with the CTX. Changing the screen resolution has no effect on this - does anyone know the screen resolution of the Montage? Maybe it has to be precise ... ?

As mentioned before - drivers will not help. They would only help if you could install drivers on Montage - but you cannot. You must rely on native support (meaning already inside Montage) for the touch controller of the touch monitor you connect to Montage.

I'm not sure how you're attempting to connect the S2240T, but you need two USB connections between the Montage and the monitor - so the Montage needs a hub attached.

Reference:

http://content.etilize.com/User-Manual/1025833642.pdf

Page 9 - Port 3 (Upstream USB port) needs the supplied USB cable to connect between the S2240T and a USB hub that is connected to Montage
Page 9 - Port 5, 6, or 7 (Video port - one of these) needs to be connected with a USB-to-Video-Port converter. I believe you have a USB-to-VGA converter, so you would be using port 7. The USB-to-VGA converter needs to be connected to the same USB hub that is connected to Montage - so this is the second USB connection to Montage required.
Page 9 - Port 4 Connect the power adapter (supplied)

Since the monitor is self-powered with the supplied power adapter - the USB hub does not need to be powered unless you find only a powered hub works when using the USB-to-VGA adapter alone.

imgh.us shutting down - backup:

Thank you Jason! I had connected the monitor to the computer USB, but realised that does not make sense when I'm trying to control Montage. Your advice clinched it, and I changed the monitor USB to the Montage USB hub. The good news is that the broad band of nothing at the bottom of the screen disappeared so it was full screen - the bad news is that the screen on the Montage went blank! There is also no touch facility on the Dell. I've tried pulling the plugs etc: with no result so far, but will continue with a few more experiments tomorrow. In the meantime, of course, I have realised I don't actually need a touch-screen - it is easier to push the buttons, which are much nearer! So I am learning what buttons do what and may not bother with the touch screen at all! ut it would be nice to get the Montage screen back on line ...

The only other thing I can say to try (make sure everything is plugged in as on the diagram) - is to run the screen calibration routine.

1) Press and hold [UTILITY] button
2) While holding [UTILITY], press [COMMON] (there's two of them, it's the one directly to the right of [UTILITY]). then let go
3) Press [ENTER]

This should begin the screen calibration which should hopefully apply to the external screen.

Jason you are a Guru par excellence! That worked perfectly - the Dell is now a fully functional external touch screen. I've lost the Montage screen, but frankly, who cares? I can see everything right in front of me, big and bright and clear, and it responds to buttons and touch. It's like having a new Montage made the way it should have been in the first place! No more crouching over, no leaning forward, no crick in the neck or ache in the back! Hallelujah!

The re-calibration worked perfectly - just tapped on little white squares dodging about the screen. I stored the new settings just in case. THANK YOU!

As you can see in the original demo video - the screen does shut off with the external touchscreen plugged in. I believe the internal library for touchscreen control does this as a way to manage otherwise being confused by having two touchscreen sources. The internal touchscreen shutting off was therefore an expected consequence of having a large display that you can position anywhere you see fit limited only by USB max cable length which is about 16.5 feet per hop. You can add hops by adding hubs and there are "active cables" which can go further. There's a limit to all this - but I think having a 16-ft sphere of distance around your Montage for a touchscreen is fine unless you're thinking of tucking the Montage away and controlling the keys with say MIDI over bluetooth.

Lots of interesting possibilities.

I was "racing" you as I have a monitor I am currently testing but have not had the time to devote to music as my day job is turning into my morning, night, day, weekend, holiday, and even sleep job (working in my sleep, that is).

Hopefully I'll have some feedback on this monitor next week. If it works - the monitor I am looking at is more suitable for live use as it's a 10" screen. It also has the video adapter integrated into the monitor - so there is no extra converter to deal with - just a single USB cable.

It has to work, however. Testing will certainly be completed in the 2 week time period.

Hi rod glad you managed to get the monitor fully working, so this now looks like I will be following your example here.. just one question...with this new application I will only be using this new monitor set up in my studio but if I take the montage out of the studio with out the Dell monitor and go back to using the screen in the montage, will the montage internal screen come back to life when the external Dell monitor is disconnected ?

Hello Jason - thought as much - I remember the Montage screen appeared blank in the video, so checked it and indeed it is. It's no loss to me anyway, but it looks wrong! I should add that mine is purely a studio set-up - nothing ever goes out of the door, so I have no worries about lugging stuff about or fitting it up without the tailor made adapters. Your experiments sound more mobile in nature - I did have a look at the other one you mentioned (which I presume is the one now under test) but it lacked my primary concern - size! I wanted it BIG and bold so even I couldn't miss it!
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Had no chance today to get back to Montage despite wanting to desperately. Not work though, luckily for me! But I did sneak in a few minutes half an hour ago to read your Post (and Simon's) and take a not-very-good picture of my set-up as it is right now. It is obvious the Montage screen is not working. To answer Simon's question - if you simply unplug the monitor the Montage screen stays blank - you must switch the Montage off and then on again, when the Montage screen becomes active normally - presumably it has to re-calibrate itself. Same thing when you plug the monitor back in - you have to switch off the Montage, and then on again. Done this a few times, no problems presented themselves.

I am now planning to use the old CTX dedicated to the computer, and the Dell dedicated to the Montage - as you suggested earlier, Jason. This gets rid of the Konig 2-way switch (just to the right of the Dell) and enables simultaneous views, which is advantageous at times. Start on that tomorrow if I can stop playing about with my suddenly far more attractive Montage ...

Jason - sorry I forgot to ask - I've figured out working the Montage by buttoms alone without the touch screen - except for the choices along the bottom of the screen in the picture. 'Audition' of course responds to the 'Audition' button - but I can't figure the 'Default' - 'Name - 'Date' button presses, nor the 'Favourite' nor the 'Up/Down' page buttons. Must be possible - but which button presses are needed, please?