Using multiple monitors

by **Murgatroyd** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:15 pm

How is it done? Multiple video cards? I have a few extra monitors kicking around, and really wouldn't mind running two at a time. With that said, are you capable of having different programs running on the monitors at the same time? Seems like it would require extra input devices. Thanks. :help:

by **Rocky Dennis** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:26 pm

depends on your vid card. needs to have 2 connections on it, dvi and vga. usually a blue one and white one. what card do you have?

by **Murgatroyd** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:29 pm

Nvidia GeForce4 Ti4200, but soon to have an ATI Radeon 6700xt

by **hightimber** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:30 pm

I'm also interested in this topic. I have an ATI Radeon 9700 Pro.

by **Rocky Dennis** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:42 pm

I have a 9700pro also. you can connect 2 vga monitors to this card using the adapter it came with or one dvi and one vga.
Murg- I'm guessing you are looking at the 9600xt. If so same story

by **Rocky Dennis** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:44 pm

the product manuals on the ATI site are pretty good and it looks like the setup is straightforward

by **Bagginses** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 12:45 pm

Does using two monitors cause a bigger hit to your processing power? My 9600 has an S-video port and I was thinking of hooking up a spare television I have to it. I wasn't sure if you could have the monitor and a television going at the same time or if the television would just show exactly what the monitor's showing.

-Bagginses

by **Major SONAR** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 1:12 pm

I ran a dual monitor setup for a while. It's just ok.

I thought it would be GREAT to have BF 1942 stretched across 2 monitors, but the truth is that most of the action is in the center of the screen. So with 2 monitors the most important view is obscured by the outer edges of the monitors.

You have two options to run dual monitors: 1) run 2 video cards or 2) have a card that supports dual monitors.

I never really noticed a hit on the CPU, but then again I wasn't running any benchmarks. You can configure your setup to run stretched across both screens or use both monitors as one big screen. I found it annoying because the monitors I used were different sizes and running different resoulutions.

It might be useful for some people. Say people who use CAD/Photoshop progams, but for most people it's not that useful.

Just my opinion.

by **Chacal** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 1:39 pm

I'm one of these people, and 2 monitors is the bliss. For gaming, not useful except I have TS on the 2nd screen, I can see who's talking and I can keep an eye on suspicious activity.

by **Irish** » Fri Jan 30, 2004 1:49 pm

Game on primary and IRC or Ventrilo on the second. Need a dual monitor card. You can tell if you do or not. Must have an adapter for two CRT monitors. If not, one DVI and one VGA.

by **Agent-Commando** » Sat Jan 31, 2004 3:49 am

My 9500 Pro came with a DVI to VGA converter, most do nowadays.

It's fun but can be distracting, like I did it for awhile, would be gaming on one and the other had MSN on and would chat..lol

Sometimes one would be a full screen movie, the other chat or surfing...meh, doesn't hit ur performance that much, you barely notice it.

One thing though, you can only run two displays at once, so if you attach TV to s-video port, vga to monitor, dvi to another monitor, u have to choose which two will run and at which resolution. Keep in mind TVs aren't meant to run above 800x600. Flat Plasma Displays yes, like their max is a lot higher than some PC monitors or LCDs...

by **residue** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 12:15 pm

does anyone know how to configure a dual monitor setup so that each monitor appears as a separate desktop (with hotkeys to toggle between the two) instead of stretching the desktop across two screens?

does this require extra software not normally included with a 9800 pro?

by **yaDad** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 12:23 pm

dual monitors and larger/replicated desktop is indespensable...
those that have never uded it you dont know...my desktop spans two monitors...taskbar only on one or both...play game on one watch TV/TS/HD/IRC/anything on other

by **Murgatroyd** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 12:25 pm

Originally posted by Yadad
dual monitors and larger/replicated desktop is indespensable...
those that have never uded it you dont know...my desktop spans two monitors...taskbar only on one or both...play game on one watch TV/TS/HD/IRC/anything on other

So, how do you do it? I.e. how is it configured hardware/software wise?

by **shockwave203** » Sun Mar 14, 2004 12:31 pm

all I do is hook up both my monitors in my video card. then when you go into display properties, you can configure how the desktops are set up. you can have both desktops displaying the same thing, or have one a 'primary' and one a 'secondary'.

I usually set my CRT to primary, so I can play BF1942 on it, then have my LCD to secondary, and have the Teamspeak window showing, so I can see who's talking in game.

i can also have a media player showing on the second monitor, so i can listen to music and play what songs I want while in game

Using multiple monitors

Using multiple monitors

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