Quick question on using two monitors??

[helimutt]

I have a desktop PC with 20" monitor but find I have a number of windows open and could do with more screen space. One option, which a colleague from work told me about, was to have two monitors, side by side, but used as one screen. If I was to buy another monitor the same as the one I have, what else do I need to buy and also, having a GeForce FX5700LE graphics card, do I need to buy another graphics card the same or would any one do?

Would this card just slot into the PCI slots on the motherboard, same as the one I have now?

Sorry, thats more than one quick question.


Cheers,

[Wader2]

You certainly need two VGA connectors at the back. Some single cards have two. Otherwise just add a second card as you thought.

[helimutt]

Just looking at the card output, there is a TV out, VGA and a DVI out. Could I just use a converter from DVI (unused at present) to VGA and plug another monitor into that? The converter is pennies whereas another card will be more costly.

??

tks

[boguing]

That's exactly what I do. Used two for years, and couldn't do without the second now.

Just don't expect then to match, colour wise. Wasted hours on that.

Relative positions, height etc are handled quite well in control panel/display/settings. Then go into advanced to play with other fine tuning.

[helimutt]

just clicked on an ad at the bottom of this thread. It shows a splitter for VGA output. Would this work? One VGA from PC card, going to a splitter which feeds two monitors. Would this work or would I get the same picture twice. One on each screen.?

[Saab Dastard]

would I get the same picture twice. One on each screen.?

Yes!

You are simply splitting the signal, not creating two different signals

SD

[helimutt]

Thought so. Oh well. Off to buy a DVI to VGA converter then.

[5711N0205W]

Try a quick search for 'Triple Head 2 Go' for a product from a Canadian company, I have one and it is excellent, 3 x monitors at a desktop resolution of 3840 x 1024 from one VGA connecter.

[helimutt]

yes but is that the same pic on all three monitors or the one pic spread across 3 screens?

I'm looking to have the one pic across two monitors. tks

[5711N0205W]

One desktop (picture) over three screens, they also do a 'Dual Head 2 Go' that spreads one desktop over 2 screens.

[Keygrip]

I don't mean to hijack the thread (we can all learn from it) but this question has popped up at exactly the right time.

I've been using two monitors for many months now - different feeds to each. Unless I tell them otherwise, I have Outlook open permanently on the left screen (17") and Internet Explorer (or whatever I want to work on) on the right screen (19").

I changed them both to LCD a few months ago - but my twin monitor/dual output video card is pumping them both with analogue signals.

Now, stumbling across a 15" Hi-Def television this weekend, I've added a third screen to my desk - and it has a computer monitor input.....so I'm considering adding it as a third output monitor and filling it with temporary (and chat) windows - but, maybe, all digital.

I guess the triple head 2 Go is the wrong creature to make it all work.

Any other suggestions gratefully accepted.

[boguing]

Is there room in the box for a cheap pci video card?

[5711N0205W]

You're quite correct Keygrip the triplehead will not help with a mix of analogue and digital outputs/connections, as boguing says can you get another card in the case?

Otherwise you could update your video card to one with an analogue and a digital connecter, does not need to be expensive at all it's a common setup, run an analogue version Dual Head from one and digital connecter to the single monitor hi def from the other.

[Saab Dastard]

Would the triplehead not work if you had digital-analogue converters on those that required it?

Just a thought

SD

[Keygrip]

Hmmm, I'm on the road at the moment so can't look at the computer, but if memory serves me correctly I have a spare PCI slot, but no room to get another card in (rings a bell that one of the current cards is "deep" and blocks one of the slots.

I'll have a look if I make it home.

For helimut - are you sure the DVI and VGA can both be used individually? I haven't checked the relevant site(s).

I did, however, look into the "triple head" device. Seems that it would supply ONE output to multiple monitors, but would spread the image across the screens, not simply duplicate the same image on more than one.

That would suggest that, if that one image was your "desktop", you could open multiple windows and lay them, side by side, across the various screens.

The problem that I found for my own question is that image would be stretched horizontally across the three (or two, for your suggestion) screens, but would be the same HEIGHT on all of them - so if I set it correct for the 17" middle sized screen (for example) the larger 19" would have a black bar at the top, and the smaller 15" would crop the top of the image.

That would look crap - although it would work.

If you are buying a second monitor just the same as your original one, it would work for you. Yes, No?

[5711N0205W]

The problem that I found for my own question is that image would be stretched horizontally across the three (or two, for your suggestion) screens, but would be the same HEIGHT on all of them - so if I set it correct for the 17" middle sized screen (for example) the larger 19" would have a black bar at the top, and the smaller 15" would crop the top of the image.

Not sure the effect of three different size monitors but not great I would expect, I use 3 x 19" which is fine but a 15", 17" and 19" would probably not really do it.

As for an analogue/digital converter, yes this would probably work, the Matrox products I believe come in Analogue and Digital versions.

[Bushfiva]

If you're content with a slowish screen (i.e. great for Office, surfing, too slow for games), you can pick up cheap USB to video adapters. We use them on the office machines to run with 4 screens. The adapters we use are colour-coded: white, green, blue. You can't have two of the same colour on a computer. A quick Google should point you in the right direction.

[helimutt]

You're asking me? LOL

The other option I have is to buy the same video graphics card as the one I have and then have two crads from the same motherboard. Would this work? I have loads of space inside cabinet for them. I built computer myself so kept everything minimal.

So, the answer I need now is, if I have two identical monitors and two identical cards, will I get the effect I need? Two screens and the effect of just one big screen between the two?

Just seen three screens together and now want three. Looks great for flight sim!! How do I do that?

[boguing]

Don't understand why you're not using the dvi port with a 15 pin d-sub converter? This will give you everything you want.

If you do go for a third screen, then another video card will be needed. But, you've probably only got one agp slot, so it won't be the same as the one you have. Which doesn't really matter.

[5711N0205W]

Just seen three screens together and now want three. Looks great for flight sim!! How do I do that?

Yep, I'm running FSX in widescreen mode on 3 x 19" using the Triplehead, it makes for a much more immersive experience on a PC as the peripheral cues are greatly enhanced from a single. Ad a TrackIR (more google) and you add another dimension too :ok:

So in basic terms, 1 x video card output (analogue or digital) running the single desktop of your choice (in my case 3840 x 1024 pixels) feeding a Triplehead to give you a big wiiide screen over 3 monitors. The Matrox software supports Xplane, FS2004 and FSX. There is no degradation of perfomance from the Triplehead, it is just a clever splitter.

[helimutt]

Gonna get me triple head, if you'll excuse the pun!!

[Capn Notarious]

With regard of using two screens
I have a nineteen inch { identified no 2 } and a seventeen inch { identified no 1 }
Now regardless of which socket used, the 17inch screen is not so bright: yet wired alone on either socket the screen is bright.
Does one screen draw more currant?

Apart from purchase of two identical screens {oh and I have adjusted contrast and all controls} any ideas?