21" LCD monitor or 2x19" LCD screens?

[Loki]

Most serious graphics designers go for the two-screen option; one for all the tools/pallettes etc. etc. and the other for the image(s) they're working on.

 

[editor]

My current card has an analogue and a digital output and supports twin displays.

Looking in my XP device manager, it's listed twice:

Gigabyte Radeon 9200
Gigabyte Radeon 9200 (secondary)

Would I be correct in assuming that the quality won't be as good if I'm using an adaptor from the analogue output?

 

[Xanadu]

I don't think you can really get adaptors from the analog output to a digital output, there's not really much point, since the display has a analog input anyway. I'd suggest just using the graphics card that you've got and comparing the two displays first. If you notice a difference between the analog and digital connections, then you could switch card. You'll probably need to buy a DVI cable. Most monitors don't come with one.

Are you sure the VX910 runs at full 16.7 million colours? Some of the older panels ran at something like 190,000 colours and dithered the rest. Tom's hardware guide had an article on it.

 

[editor]

Are you sure the VX910 runs at full 16.7 million colours? Some of the older panels ran at something like 190,000 colours and dithered the rest

It's a new model and it's been very highly reviewed - I've seen it for £240 so two of them still works out cheaper than one 20" TFT!

 

[blackadder]

Look here Ed http://www.orderit-online.com/ I have an account here and can get very good prices, if I can help just ask.

 

[pinkychukkles]

just dashing out the door - but Ed, have you got 'em yet as I may be in the market for a couple of 19" tft monitors, I may have to see yours (if you've already got 'em) or if not perhaps we can combine our purchase POWER?

 

[editor]

Haven't got 'em yet... I'm mulling over whether I could afford the Viewsonic monitors that swivel 90 degrees, but they're well pricey...

 

[Xanadu]

Ah, just make a stand yourself!!!! All you need is a bit of wood, some glue, a couple of pints of ale, and a liiitttlllleeee aubergine!!!

 

[editor]

Ah, just make a stand yourself!!!! All you need is a bit of wood, some glue, a couple of pints of ale, and a liiitttlllleeee aubergine!!!

Err, not many monitors will work in portrait mode...

 

[Xanadu]

AFAIK many monitors do work in portrait mode, just needs the right graphics card/drivers. Whassa matter? Don't have an aubergine to spare?

 

[pinkychukkles]

I got another (new but secondhand) 17" but I may still upgrade to 2x19" and flog those two if some amazing fanndabbydozey screens come up, to save my eyes disappearing into a squint...

 

[Phototropic]

Duel monitor is great. I have a 17inch CRT running at 1024x768 and a 19inch TFT running at 1280x1024.

I could never go never go back to one monitor. I find it works very well for me because my flatscreen doesn't have that high a contrats ration so blakcs can appear as greays in games, so I have the CRT as the primary and run cgames on that, but for internet and work the size of screen on the flatscreen is great.

I have got extremely use to the flow from one to the other, even though they are at different resolutions.

EDIT: On the subject of adpators I have two plugged in, one for each monitor, as my card is duel DVI. I have noticed no problems with image quality.

 

[pinkychukkles]

on the subject of monitors - where can I get cheap wall mounts from?

 

[Firky]

I have 3 19" at work.. would be screwed without them!

Sheet, they must throw off bucket loads of heat

they crts?

 

[djbombscare]

This aint gonna be any help as they are probably very very very expenxive.

However

Very sexy

 

[editor]

Well, after my old 21" monitor started to make my eyes hurt from the fuzziness at 1600 x 1200, I finally bit the bullet and shelled out for two 19" Viewsonic swivelling TFT screens which should be arriving next week.

I remember someone saying something about some excellent software which made the job of managing a display across two screens easier - what was that and is there an extended evaluation version available?

 

[FunkyUK]

I remember someone saying something about some excellent software which made the job of managing a display across two screens easier - what was that and is there an extended evaluation version available?

You should get some pretty reasonable software with your graphics card? ATI uses Hydravision, Nvdia ues nView. check their sites

 

[Bob_the_lost]

I've got dual screens with nview, it's pretty good.

 

[editor]

I just downloaded the updated software for my somewhat elderly ATI RADEON 9200 card in preparation for the arrival of my monitors.

There's a wizard thingy to set up two monitors, so it looks straightforward enough.

What was the smarty pants twin screen software that someone posted about a while ago?

 

[DarthSydodyas]

Been using Dual 19" TFTs for over two years now. I'd be lost without them.

 

[pinkychukkles]

I got two of these bad boys

I had to get a new graphics card though + a digital to analogue converter for one of the outputs. The price has come down slightly from when I bought mine, they were just under £200ea a couple of months ago. Screen is good but I must confess not as good as the 17" NEC 1760NX I had before.

 

[Sunray]

I just downloaded the updated software for my somewhat elderly ATI RADEON 9200 card in preparation for the arrival of my monitors.

There's a wizard thingy to set up two monitors, so it looks straightforward enough.

What was the smarty pants twin screen software that someone posted about a while ago?

Err, thats called Windows, it handles, via the graphic card drivers dual displays. Just move the mouse off one and voila onto the other. The nVidia/ATI software is pretty sophiscated these days.

That graphics card is getting a little long in the tooth for your new displays. If those displays have DVI inputs then I suggest getting a Dual DVI-I output card. DVI is the new digital interface for digital display devices. Unlikley that 9200 has two DVI outputs. DVI-I also has the analog outputs so a converter can go to the 15 pin d-sub vga,(DVI-D is digital only, but thats not very common and is a different connector).

The nVidia 6600 comes in AGP, dual DVI and decent performance and is pretty cheap.

Not that I'd buy from these guys, but if you look the XFX 6600 AGP with dual DVI is 103 quid.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/6600AGP_Series.html

 

[stdPikachu]

Editor, I think the software you;re looking for is UltraMon. Not used it meself (Xinerama, hohohoho) but it's mean to be able to do Everything. Based on hearsay, it's apparently much better than the ATI-bundled "hydravision". nView is supposed to be better than Hydravision too, but not as full-featured as UltraMon.

 

[editor]

Oh the joy! Took delivery today of 2xViewsonic VP191s monitors, the set up was a piece of piss with XP and the screen are ulrea crisp (and the first time I've ever had to take the brightness down on a monitor - you could install these guys on a lighthouse they're so bright!).

The natty pivoting action works a treat too - great for working on long documents or piles of code.

My old CRT 21" looks like a stranded whale now it so's chuffing massive!

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Post a pic!

 

[audiotech]

My ten ton, hernia inducing Mitsubishi 21" CRT monitor doesn't seem quite as sharp as I like it to be.

Although it may be fine for most folks' needs, seeing as I'm running it at an eye squinting 1600x1200 resolution and spending the greater part of the say looking at the thing, I think it may be time to dig deep into my savings and get a sharp LCD monitor.

Looking through the price lists, I see that a decent 21" LCD screen capable of producing 1600 x 1200 resolution is going to hit my wallet at a hefty £700 - more than twice the price of two hotly reviewed 19" LCD screens!

So, is anyone here using two screens together? (I'm running an Athlon 2800/XP/gig RAM)

What's the plus points/minus points?
What's a decent graphics card for a twin screen set up? (I'm not a huge gamer although as a designer I need something with a bit of pixel shifting capabilities).

Opinions, recommendations and advice please!

I bought a 26" Hitachi LCD TV for £595 from Richer Sounds. Can be used as a computer monitor. This to go with my two 17" LCD computer monitors. All three connected to view graphics from the same computer.

 

[editor]

I've just blagged a review copy of UltraMon too and so far I'm impressed - the taskbar now stretched right across both screens with tabs for the programs open on each display with separate wallpapers for each screen! Coolio!