# Dual Monitors work great!



## greenlight (Jul 8, 2006)

I finally got around to setting up my backup monitor to run alongside my laptop. It took a while to install the right driver for the monitor, but soon all was working great! 

I'm sure it's really useful, but I wonder about the power consumption. Also, is it tougher on my laptop?


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## DFiorentino (Jul 8, 2006)

I'd vote, but don't know which to pick. I run two at home, but three at work. I think three wide screens would be my dream setup.

-DF


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## CLHC (Jul 8, 2006)

No—But the three-way sounds interesting. W-I-D-E Cinema Type screens as *DFiorentino* alluded to also would be Really Nice!


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## eluminator (Jul 8, 2006)

I've never encountered a situation where a monitor driver is needed.

When I go to Windows Update, there's one in the hardware section but I don't install it. About as useful as teats on a bull, as we say down on the farm.

I guess some of them let you adjust the monitor with a mouse instead of using the monitor buttons. That's nice but not worth the trouble.

Maybe laptops are different. Well laptops are definitely different, which is why I use desktops  

I suppose using two monitors might cause the video card to generate more heat. I've been using two on my desktop for years without problems, but like I said, laptops are different.


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## Orbit (Jul 8, 2006)

yeah but you should try this out!






I love a 3 monitor setup.


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## bjn70 (Jul 9, 2006)

A couple of the guys at work have dual monitors, their setups look like they would be great for CAD. (I can't get the boss to buy new monitors for my office.)

I have a single 15" at home, don't have room for much more. My wife is getting a new computer for her business and wants to run dual monitors- one for the receptionist to see and one for the clients to see when they check in. I've done a little research to find out what it might take to get dual monitors running. As a minimum I'll have to add a video card to the video builtinto the motherboard, but I found lots of people that had problems if they didn't use specific video cards.


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## chocho (Jul 9, 2006)

Personally, I recommend the triple-wide 19" by Mass Multiples.

It can easily be driven off of two separate video cards (most all mid to high-end video cards are dual head - 1 analog and 1 digital - thus you need two).

Or you can drive them off of a four-head Nvidia Quadro NVS 440
as I have here.

My Office Setup

-Chris


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## Manzerick (Jul 9, 2006)

Nice setup!!!!



chocho said:


> Personally, I recommend the triple-wide 19" by Mass Multiples.
> 
> It can easily be driven off of two separate video cards (most all mid to high-end video cards are dual head - 1 analog and 1 digital - thus you need two).
> 
> ...


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## Lips (Jul 9, 2006)

I have two 17 inches running on ULTRAMON software

One of the best computer upgrades you can do. 

Once you get multiple monitors you won't go back to one...


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## metalhed (Jul 9, 2006)

Lips said:


> One of the best computer upgrades you can do.
> 
> Once you get multiple monitors you won't go back to one...



Yup...what he said.

I do all the updates and codewriting for my site in notepad, and have to check everything in at least two different browsers (Firefox and IE). So I went to two monitors just after the first of the year...awesome, totally slick.

Now I can't imagine how I got by with one. After my wife and I move to Washington, I'm going to build a new PC and go the three-head route. 

Hey. it's what every executive works for...a bigger desk. :laughing:


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## revv11 (Jul 9, 2006)

I run two PC's both with dual 20" LCD's. I picked up a couple of used Matrox G450 Dual-Head graphics cards on eBay for about $10/ea. I have had them for years and never a problem.

I am a stock trader and I need a lot of real estate for charts & news sources. My office is a lot cooler in the summer since I switched from CRT's, easier on the eyes too.


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## greenlight (Jul 9, 2006)

chocho said:


> Personally, I recommend the triple-wide 19" by Mass Multiples.
> 
> It can easily be driven off of two separate video cards (most all mid to high-end video cards are dual head - 1 analog and 1 digital - thus you need two).
> 
> ...



Nice setup! I like the usb lighted mouse pad!

Just downloaded ultramon... thanks for the tip.


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## idleprocess (Jul 9, 2006)

I _had_ a dual-monitor setup at one point. Maybe it was my hardware (two badly-matched CRTs, one driven by a cheap DVI:VGA adaptor), and Windows' sub-par multi-display management tools, but I didn't care for it.

On the other hand, I regularly have the desktop and my notebook running at the same time. Notebook does most light internet communications while the desktop plays games, burns CDs/DVDs, acts as an ad-hoc server, and has a goodly amount of diskspace - in addition to running 24/7 most of the time.

Not sure I'll ever be going to multiple displays on one box - I'd rather divide tasks between multiple machines. Next on the agenda is a storage/server machine that will free the desktop for games & productivity. I don't expect to need user I/O hardware on that machine except for setup since it will probably be running linux/samba and I'll just SSL or X-term into it on occasion.


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## GadgetTravel (Jul 9, 2006)

Yes, I agree it is about the best upgrade you can buy. I recently started using two 20 inch Dell widescreens and love it.


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## bubbacatfish (Jul 9, 2006)

I've been running two monitors at home since about '98, at work for maybe the last two or three years. Took forever to convince the powers that be that it wouldn't cost that much & was needed, my desk at work has 7 PCs & 8 monitors(and one lonely Wyse terminal), and I've been lobbying for ages to get it down to 3 or 4 PCs & 8 monitors (and one lonely Wyse terminal, dinosaur that it is will likely never go away), cables & cords everywhere, it's a bloody mess...





p.s. They're right, you won't go back after going to multiple monitors..


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## eluminator (Jul 9, 2006)

revv11 said:


> I picked up a couple of used Matrox G450 Dual-Head graphics cards on eBay for about $10/ea. I have had them for years and never a problem.



I have a Matrox G550 I'll sell cheap. I'll throw in a Radeon 9000 to sweeten the deal 

Video hardware/software problems aren't always obvious. My computer would sometimes hang with a blank screen. Often when doing a fast user switch. It seemed the OS had died but I knew better because I could still access it from another PC.

The symptoms changed a bit when I replaced the Radeon with the Matrox. The problem went away completely when I replaced the Matrox with a Radeon 9250.

In addition, the stupid Power Desk software included with the Matrox was obviously buggy. Same goes for the stupid extra software included with the Radeon.

If your OS ever seems to hang, or you are left with a blank screen, you have a problem somewhere and it probably isn't the OS.


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## xochi (Jul 9, 2006)

The absolute last thing I need is _anything_ that makes sitting at a computer more compelling! That's why I still have dial up, I could easily afford a highspeed cable modem and wifi laptop but _I just know_ that rather than getting stuff done and spending time away from the computer, I'd just spend more time at the computer.

It's not an information system it's a _time sucking system!_


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## jtice (Jul 9, 2006)

I am running 4 monitors now,
multiple monitors if one of the best upgrades I have ever done.
I am slowly replacing them with LCDs.






~John


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## John N (Aug 12, 2006)

Hello,

While I have set up multiple monitor setups on Sun systems, I've never done it on a Windows PC. I was wondering if folks can give me a few pointers.

I've ordered a pair of Dell UltraSharp 2407FPW monitors and a MSI NX7600GT-VT2D256EHD (with two DVI outputs). My system is running Windows XP Pro.

I don't need any special software do I?

In any case, I'm interested in any tips people might have.

Thanks,

-john


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## wquiles (Aug 12, 2006)

I have had 2 monitors for several years now and I would never go back to a single monitor. I am still using a cheap Matrox 450 (or something like that) and since I don't play any games it has been more than enough. I started with a single 19" CRT and one 19" LCD, and I then upgraded the 19" CRT by a 20.1" LCD and I am in heaven.

I run way too many things at once for a single screen => two screens is awesome !!!

Will


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## John N (Aug 12, 2006)

Um. Yes! But... What did you do to configure your setup? 

Thanks,

-john


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## eluminator (Aug 12, 2006)

You probably don't need any special software. Just a driver for your video hardware. XP just might even have that driver also. It's got one for my Radeon 9250.

Probably when you plug both monitors in, you will see the same display on each one. Sort of a clone mode. By the way, with mine, I get this clone mode when I first power on. The BIOS displays on both. Your mileage might vary.

To extend the desktop onto the other monitor, go to the Settings window. I do it this way. Right click on the desktop. Click Properties > Settings tab.

You should see both monitors in the "Display" dropdown box. When you highlite the second one, you can check "Extend desktop onto this monitor".







By the way, you will likely get some kewl software with the video card to make it do tricks or something. My advice is, don't install it. One secret of having an OS that doesn't crash is to minimize the stuff that you install. You don't need a driver for your monitors either.


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## John N (Aug 12, 2006)

Thanks! That's exactly what I wanted to know.

BTW, when you expand an application to full screen, does it go to the full screen on one screen, or across both?

Thanks,

-john


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## eluminator (Aug 12, 2006)

I should let you figure it out when you get your hardware 

Actually the full screen thing fills one monitor only. But if the window is not set for full screen, you can increase the width to fill both monitors by tugging on the edge with the mouse.


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## John N (Aug 12, 2006)

Thanks. That's how I hoped it would work. I want to be able to full screen something like TV or DVD playback and let it use one monitor while continuing to work on the other.

Thanks a lot!

-john


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## GadgetTravel (Aug 12, 2006)

John N said:


> Thanks. That's how I hoped it would work. I want to be able to full screen something like TV or DVD playback and let it use one monitor while continuing to work on the other.
> 
> Thanks a lot!
> 
> -john



On my setup you would have to do that manually. If I click the full screen icon in a window it goes across both screens, at least with Microsoft applications.


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## eluminator (Aug 12, 2006)

I find using the "ClearType" thing will sometimes make the text characters considerably sharper on an LCD monitor. It seems to me I get sharper text than anything I've ever seen on a CRT.

You enable "ClearType" from the "Appearance tab".

Right click on the desktop. Click Properties > Appearance tab > Effects button. ClearType is an option under "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts".


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## RA40 (Aug 13, 2006)

Wow...this is putting ideas into my head.  

I though the widescreen was nice but this would enable me to move the toolbars so I have a full screen for image editing. Man...not only do I have to resist flashlight temptaion but now multi-monitor set-up's.  

I may not leave the pooter room.


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## thesurefire (Aug 13, 2006)

This is a cool thread. I'm a bit behind the times as I still use one screen. Can someone point out the main advantages of using 2?


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## BentHeadTX (Aug 13, 2006)

I run a 19" LCD and a 17" CRT and love it. The 17" CRT will be replaced by a 21" widescreen that can rotate vertical so I can read CPF threads better :thumbsup: My ATI motherboard has dual-head video onboard and my VIVO X700 Pro video card also has dual-head. They can run in parallel for 3 monitors and a TV if I want. The X700 will push the 19" for gaming with the 21" going with on-board for CPF reading etc. 

When I return to the states, my plan is to do with two 21" wide screens with the internet on the 19", documents, email and that sort of thing on the 21" vertical and let my TV tuner go to work on the second wide screen. Good thing 21" wide screens are under $500!


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## greenlight (Aug 13, 2006)

thesurefire said:


> This is a cool thread. I'm a bit behind the times as I still use one screen. Can someone point out the main advantages of using 2?



I like having more than one project going when I'm on the computer. I use 2 browsers, email client, explorer, and I don't want to click thru to each window. I like to be able to see them all.

I have to admit that I prefer one monitor over the other, and I don't multitask all the time, either.


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## IsaacHayes (Sep 13, 2006)

Nice setups everyone.
Jtice: is that mIRC I see?

Monitor drivers matter, at least for CRT, as if you don't have the right driver, windows won't allow you to go to certian resolutions and refresh rates as it doesn't know if the monitor can support it. I like 85hz min (75hz is annoying, 60hz makes me puke), so I make sure I can go that high. My 17" CRT is a trinitron and very sharp, so I've held onto it. Had it since 97 I think.

Only thing I don't like about dual monitors is it makes moving your mouse a pain since you have to move it across two screens to click on something. I dont mind clicking to switch between programs, as my pc responds uber fast and so it doesn't hinder time for it to pop up.

However for photo shop, it would be nice to have my palletes/tools on a seperate monitor.


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## jtice (Sep 13, 2006)

yep, thats #CPF Chat on the upper left monitor.


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## bjn70 (Sep 14, 2006)

I just configured my computer at work for dual displays. Several of the other guys have dual displays with 19" LCD's, but I haven't convinced the company to buy that setup for me yet.

Recently my wife had wanted dual monitors for the checkout computer in her store, so I bought an Nvidia-based video card on sale at CompUSA. Of course then she decided she didn't really want the dual monitors so I had this video card just setting here.

Then 2 days ago another guy at work got a new LCD monitor and put his 19" CRT in the storeroom. So I brought the spare video card from home, put it in my computer, set his old 19" CRT beside my old 19" CRT, and cranked it up. It's pretty neat but somewhat hard to get used to.

We run CAD and some other applications that need to share data, so it is convenient to have CAD open on one screen and the other app open on the other screen. Much more convenient that having to switch back and forth. Sure, with one screen you can go to the taskbar to switch apps, or CTRL-TAB, but for some reason it seems to throw a break into the thought process and that interruption hurts productivity much more than it would sound like.


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## Wingerr (Sep 14, 2006)

eluminator said:


> I find using the "ClearType" thing will sometimes make the text characters considerably sharper on an LCD monitor. It seems to me I get sharper text than anything I've ever seen on a CRT.
> 
> You enable "ClearType" from the "Appearance tab".
> 
> Right click on the desktop. Click Properties > Appearance tab > Effects button. ClearType is an option under "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts".



Good tip, just tried it out, and it makes it much smoother looking on the LCD-

Before:





After:


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