Tips For The Multi-Display Life

[magicbuss]

I'm running 2 x 27" 1920x1280 monitors off my laptop docking station. Identical setup for home and work. I've had up to 5 monitors, but 2 of the big ones works - esp on a laptop computer. I've thought about getting a 3rd monitor PCMCIA video card, but since it won't work through the docking station, I haven't done it.

Like others, I've had multiple monitors since 2000 or 2001. Unless you want to game / 3D video, almost any video card can drive 2.

 

[Onyx3173]

I've been running two monitors for almost 8 months now (I didn't even KNOW you could run multiples until about a month before I got my second.) and I'd have to agree with the statement that you'd have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers. I'm always over at freinds' house working on their computers for them and just can't do one 1280x1024 or 1366x768 display anymore. I have a 22" 1920x1080 for my main and a 19" 1366x768 for my secondary and it's just incredible.

Little bit of a side note, multiple monitors actually prevented me from frying my CPU recently when my CPU fan died. I run a gadget from Guru3d that tells me core usage as well as core temp and I barely caught it before it hit 70 celsius. If I had been running one monitor I wouldn't have even noticed since I was going into a fullscreen game.

 

[Alvin Smith]

Sorry to say, I am very disappointed with this article.

There was no mention or coverage about how nVidia drivers handle multi-mon setups or what happens when going beyond two monitors with more than one GPU card.

There was no mention (at all) of Eyefinity (though other articles have covered recently).

There was NO mention of what Windows 7 can do natively (generically) ... not in any detail, anyway.

There was no mention of interaction between Quadro and GeForce drivers, for multi-mon.

There was no mention of the diferences of graphics requirements for different apps (4X Trade-Station vs. 3X Eyefinity), for instance.

I hate to be so critical but this qarticle does not even qualify as "pap" ... Something I would expect to see in Reader's Digest or Family Circle Magazine ... Not THG !

About the only helpful aspect was the mention of a handful of utilities, at the end. The vague discussion on ergonomics pointed at considerations but had no research or reference to ergo standards, in various regions.

Zip, zero, zilsch, Nada, on professional OR DIY mounting options.

I am a video editor ... I can't get enough real-estate for media bins and directory trees and active virtual monitors and timelines and toolbars. Lots of folks trade stocks with up to 4 monitors. Many graphics artists have Quadros and would like to know if a 9800GT would add a 3rd monitor using native drivers.

No meat ... I would like to see a highly technical and very comprehensive series on "Two monitors & Beyond" that does not play or dabble (as this article does). I want to see real hw/sw builds! Real Apps! CS4! VEGAS! Flight Sims. Games. Trader Setups. Cover Drivers, Utils., Multi GPUs .. discreet vs. Integrated. Native OS features. Tricks. Tweaks. Display-Port know-how.

I try to limit my criticism to "the constructive" ... Everybody's a critic and I know this is a harsh review but ... My expectations were sorely dashed, in this case. THG is a more sophisticated audience ... by a very wide margin.

Substance !

= Alvin =

 

[Guest]

I will have to say, that people should not get an external display unless they will really use it. Just having a few extra programs open is not an excuse, there are multiple ways to switch between applications and windows. Sounds like some people are just lazy and want to be distracted by too much. I like to have only a few things seen at a time, and mostly just one.

The reason I got a display was for video editing. Two reasons: spread out what can be a cluttered workspace so it'll be easier to work with the timeline, and to have a better resolution monitor for more accurate previewing for effects and color correction.

So for me, if I see someone have two or more monitors and are not extensively editing or something else complicated, they are not using it to its potential. I guess I'm tired of people having so many techy things when they really don't need them.