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How do you run two monitors off the one PC?
Hi folks,
How do you run two monitors off the one PC? I saw it somewhere, can’t remember where, and they could drag windows from one screen to another. Anyone have any ideas how to do this?
Nick.
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35 Replies
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a kvm switch cable does the job 😀
nik
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I think if you just plug it in a wizard might start up.
I run an extra minitor off a laptop and there is a window that you can choose the proportions of the two screens together and you choose a match, dead simple.
I use xp pro and the important part is in start/control panel/ display properties/settings.
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First you need a graphic card with 2 outputs, most do, then plug your second monitor in, and set it up by right clicking the desk top to bring up the setting.
this is my two
Peter
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some pc have a duel out vid card. if not it can be added.
duel screen is the way to go and the bigger the better, most lap tops can do it as james says.
chris
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😳 read that post the wrong way round 😕
nik
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add more water nik 😉
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quote Chris Wool:add more water nik 😉
yuk….watery pepsi… 😉
nik
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Forget 22" – 24" monitors, get two 17" monitors for about £90 each and a dual output card. Much more productive.
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Does anyone use a 4:3 screen and a 16:9 rotated for all their pallets etc? I’m thinking this may be more productive for me.
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quote jonm01:Forget 22″ – 24″ monitors, get two 17″ monitors for about £90 each and a dual output card. Much more productive.
twin 22 inch on the last build twin 24 on the next.
new glasses after that.chris
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Cheers guys. What’s the preference between flat screen and CRT. It’s a CRT I use for work just now but I was going to go for two flat screens. Someone told me the other day that flat screens aren’t too good for design work. Anyone found this?
Nick.
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quote Nick Monir:Cheers guys. What’s the preference between flat screen and CRT. It’s a CRT I use for work just now but I was going to go for two flat screens. Someone told me the other day that flat screens aren’t too good for design work. Anyone found this?Nick.
Nick I use 2 crts’s as I’ve found flat screens don’t have the clarity up close, especially when I’m trying to vector something intricate.
Just my feeling. Also, the colour reproductions seems better too on crt’s, especially when I’m printing photographs.
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quote Chris Wool:quote jonm01:Forget 22″ – 24″ monitors, get two 17″ monitors for about £90 each and a dual output card. Much more productive.
twin 22 inch on the last build twin 24 on the next.
new glasses after that.chris
Don’t you find that is almost a panoramic view though? I get the feeling you would have to be sitting far back from the screens or be turning your head from side to side like watching tennis?
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Jon,
I already had a 19" monitor and have recently bought a 24" one from ebuyer (now set up as dual screen) – you really appreciate the extra space at the side for palletes etc. None of the problems occur that you describe above. I have, say, internet explorer on one screen, and illustrator on the other (not the same programme coming across both screens although guess you can set it up that way)
The 24" monitor is only about £215 (inc VAT) from ebuyer – it is an acer al2416. Am really pleased with it.
MArtin
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Only two !!! *rofl*
Actually, that’s a cheat. 😀 I use two on the same computer for design work and the third, the left hand one, on a different computer for email and internet.
Twin monitors are easy for me. Apples come with two outputs as standard. Just plug them in and they work.
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i actually got 4 19" CRTs in front of me here.. but not all plugged in, my older computer does have 2 graphics’s cards in to run 4 anyway. lol
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I have some software that allows me to use another pc as another monitor or I can control it with the same key board
Nick.
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John, I like your setup of 2 on one PC but can you explain how you control what goes on which screen. My PC has the 2 monitor setup facility in Properties.
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well first check your back of the computer for two graphic outputs (maybe 2 different types of connector) but should be next to each other on the same back panel… thats it.. you can plug in two.. job done
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Dammit! Got out my spare TFT, found space on the desk only to find that the other output on the card is DVI, but my screen doesn’t have a DVI input. New flat screen looming…
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most not all dvi sockets have the vga signal so a adapter will do you.
chris
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Ooh ta Chris. I’ll try that.
Update – just bought one on fleabay for under £3
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quote Peter Dee:John, I like your setup of 2 on one PC but can you explain how you control what goes on which screen.
I can Peter, but I’m afraid it won’t help you much. Apple computers you see.
Twin monitor support is standard, so I just plug them in and call up the displays control panel. In there I get to choose:-
The resolution of each monitor.
To have one as a mirror of the other, or two separate displays.
If two separate, the arrangement (side by side, one above the other etc).
Which monitor the tool bar appears on.
Colour profile.Whether it’s that easy on a PC someone else will have to tell you.
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Ta for that. Can’t wait!
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Although I don’t use 2 monitors, my colleague does, PC based, 2 monitors side by side and he uses them pretty much the way you describe John.
Alan D -
It’s easy on a pc as well……
But get "ultramon", it’s a pretty good bit of software for sorting out display properties. Oh, and i use Vista…..but it does work with XP….Very useful in Illustrator….as been said, stick all your pallettes on it’s own screen. It works as one big display, so your mouse will "roll" off the screen onto the next so to speak. Your toolbar will be on one screen tho, and when you maximize a page / software, it’ll stretch to just the one screen, rather than the 2/3 etc…..couldn’t be w/o my 24" Dell’s now…
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You’re running two 24"s side by side?
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quote marketdrayton:It’s easy on a pc as well……
But get “ultramon”, it’s a pretty good bit of software for sorting out display properties. Oh, and i use Vista…..but it does work with XP….Very useful in Illustrator….as been said, stick all your pallettes on it’s own screen. It works as one big display, so your mouse will “roll” off the screen onto the next so to speak. Your toolbar will be on one screen tho, and when you maximize a page / software, it’ll stretch to just the one screen, rather than the 2/3 etc…..couldn’t be w/o my 24″ Dell’s now…
If you referring to rolling the screen around with the mouse, that is in some drivers for video cards anyway… the windows features are built into Windows for multiple montior support, one large display, positions of monitors… its all there… however as I said, Nvidai and ATI do have fairly clever drivers so i dont see the point of 3rd party software.
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Yes, 2×24’s.
I agree Dave, but i like ultramon, and it allows a desktop image to go across both monitors….don’t think you can do that in Windows, as well as a few other things. Windows works fine tho, don’t get me wrong!
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quote jonm01:You’re running two 24″s side by side?
You can never have enough screen area Jon. There’s no substitute for acreage. 😀
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Must try this sometime, a photographer friend had this set up and said he would never go back to single screen.
Cheers
Dave
John chaeck your pm please
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Definately multi screen is the best way
2×22" Widescreens and a 15" for pallets comes in very usefull -
Thanks for all the info here. I now have 2 screens.
I can’t believe I had a spare screen under the bench for so long and didn’t do this earlier. -
quote John Childs:quote jonm01:You’re running two 24″s side by side?
You can never have enough screen area Jon. There’s no substitute for acreage. 😀
True, I just imagine having two 24 inchers in front of me would actually be like sitting in that front row at a cinema, i.e difficult to focus on anything. Maybe you just need a big desk.
I’d like to see some pics of that set-up.
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That’s the two monitors up and running! Turns out all I needed to do was plug the second one in as the PC already had two ports. Bonus!!!
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