Siders77 Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 (edited) Well I'm thinking of getting a new monitor for Christmas. At the moment I have a 15in monitor which I'll use for MSN and I'm thinking of getting a 19in one for Photoshop and stuff. I'll upgrade the 15in monitor when I have money. Anyway. What stuff would I need? Is it hard to set up and do you need any software for it to work? Thanks. :) EDIT: I forgot to ask. What monitor would you recommend? 19in. :S Edited October 2, 2005 by Siders77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 You need a graphics card with 2 monitor outputs and 2 monitors. Go for a Samsung or Iiama TFT... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 (edited) Cheers Tic. :) I'm looking on Overclockers now, is this what I should get? Or am I wrong? :) I didn't know Graphics Cards were that expensive! :S Ooo, just found this whick looks nice. :) Monitor. And I think I've found the right Graphics card now. :) EDIT: Sorry, the Hyperlink thing still isn't working. Edited October 2, 2005 by Siders77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 Also make sure the graphics card supports DVI monitors (I would hope all current graphics cards do though). I cant see the point in 2 monitors myself, a single decent 19" TFT should be more than enough... :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 It's because I get annoyed when I'm using Photoshop and I keep having to minimise it to see what someone's saying on MSN or something. I'll probably just get the 19in monitor first and see how it goes with that. Cheers for the help so far. :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Campbell Posted October 2, 2005 Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 Most current graphics cards will have the dual monitor capability. Mine is about 3 years old now. I run an old 15" CRT and a 15" LG tft which cost me 109.99 and is so far (about 4 months) working out really nicely 16ms response but only 1024x768 max res. Though thats plenty on a 15" monitor. Don't worry too much about getting a huge main screen, up to you obviously but i find my 2 15s work well for everything and give me a 2048x768 usable screen. I would prefer 17s but i'm happy and it was a cheap set up. The software will come with the GFX card though windows has dual capability anyway. If you do go dual get ultramon (www.ultramon.com). Really useful tool. I love having dual, some people don't see the point or dislike using it and some really like it. It's worth trying if your getting a new monitor and if you don't like it just get rid of the old one. Hope thats helpful Dan This is my set up..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 2, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2005 Cheers Dan, that was very helpful! :S I'll see if I can get a new Graphics card anyway (I need to replace my old skool 32mb one :) ) Thanks guys. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 If you just want to run 2D stuff over two monitors, you don't need a decent graphics card. I'm pretty sure even something like a 5200SE 32mb will still have dual monitor outputs. Unless you're playing games there's not really any point in paying more. And as Dan_Brisa said, use Ultramon, supposed to be really good :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munkee Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Just a little off topic kind of.. Im running dual monitors sort of, one is a lcd flat screen tv running through the s-video cable. Whenever i choose to extend my desktop on to it everything is like ultra zoomed in. I know its to do with the res but is there any way i can force it to run at a res where the whole of the desktop is visible? Im running 1680 * 1050 on my laptop and the lcd is 14" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve-A Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 The other option o a expensive graphics card is running two cards. When I was running two monitors I had a 15" running off an old super cheapo PCI graphics card with 1mb ram etc, and a 17" running off a proper AGP grphics card. The reason I had two screens was so that I could run full screen aplications and still use msn, and so that when video editing I could have more room. By arranging my softwear correctly so that only grphically simple things were on the second screen it worked awesomely. It also cost me nothing as I found the screen and card in the attic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Hummmmm, now you've said that, I have another Monitor plug thing on my MOBO, i'll dig out the old monitor and see if it works if I plug it into that. :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Hummmmm, now you've said that, I have another Monitor plug thing on my MOBO, i'll dig out the old monitor and see if it works if I plug it into that. :bunny: Can always try it, but I don't think it'll work. The motherboard generally uses either the onboard graphics or AGP graphics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Ah that sucks :bunny: I'll give it a go anyway :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Just tried it and it doesn't work. :bunny: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Campbell Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Just a little off topic kind of.. Im running dual monitors sort of, one is a lcd flat screen tv running through the s-video cable. Whenever i choose to extend my desktop on to it everything is like ultra zoomed in. I know its to do with the res but is there any way i can force it to run at a res where the whole of the desktop is visible? Im running 1680 * 1050 on my laptop and the lcd is 14" Im pretty sure TVs even LCD ones will only run something like 640x480. You should be able to adjust each screen individually. Right click on the desktop and select properties. Under the settings tab you should be able to select your tv/monitor and choose a resoultion and refresh rate, it should also tell you available resolutions and possible refresh rates so you don't try and run something the tv can't handle. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 What card do you have Dan? I'm still looking but don't actually know if I'm looking for the right thing! :bunny: Would you say this is okay for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 What card do you have Dan? I'm still looking but don't actually know if I'm looking for the right thing! :bunny: Would you say this is okay for it? Pictures are meaningless, put a link to the actual specification up and im sure people would be able to help out more. Dan is running an Asus 9600XT graphics card, it was mine but the thing conflicted with something on my system and crashed loads so I swapped it for his bog standard 9600 (Which for some reason didnt conflict). That 9600 graphics card is probably the worst thing on my system :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Matrox Millennium P650 64MB DDR (AGP) - OEM (GX-002-MX) The Matrox Millennium P650 is the definitive graphics board for enhancing corporate productivity. Offering tangible productivity gains through advanced dual-RGB and dual-DVI capabilities and featuring dependable drivers, the Millennium P650 epitomizes usability, stability and reliability. Millennium P650 also delivers advanced technologies including 64MB of DDR memory, AGP 8x support, a fan-less design, fully-symmetric dual-display capabilities and dual-display color calibration while exhibiting crisp image quality and increasing productivity through multi-display. Take advantage of unique capabilities at the unprecedented ESP of only US$169, and multiply your productivity. - 256-bit GPU with 128-bit DDR memory bus - 64 MB DDR memory - AGP 8x, 4x, 2x, 1x* - Powerful 2D, 3D and DVD-Video acceleration - Multi-display support: DualHead-HF - 1600 x 1200 dual digital and 1920 x 1440 dual analog resolution - Dual-DVI outputs with independent resolution support - Fully symmetric dual-display outputs with identical quality - Dual independent hardware overlays for video - UltraSharp Display Output technology: - Highest quality output with 10-bit gamma correctable DACs - Certified for AEC and entry-level MCAD - Glyph Antialiasing for ultra-crisp text rendering - Unified Drivers for Millennium P-Series & Parhelia Series - OpenGL® 1.3® and Microsoft® DirectX 8.1 compliant By reading that properly it looks like it will do dual monitors but i'm still not 100% sure. :bunny: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 By reading that properly it looks like it will do dual monitors but i'm still not 100% sure. :( "Dual-DVI Outputs with indipendant resolution support" So it has 2 DVI outputs on the back of the card which would allow you to connect 2 monitors that have DVI plugs on them. The indipendant bit must mean you can run one monitor at say 800*600 while the other monitor is run at 1024*768. I recon you should put your budget up on here, let people do their magic and find you a nice card :bunny: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Campbell Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 (edited) Mine is an ATI RADEON 9600 series. It's all dependant on how much you want to spend and what your doing with the PC (games etc). I expect there are lots of people more adept at advising you on GFX cards as I havn't looked into them for a long time. I will have a go anyway.... The one at the bottom here is simliar to mine.... I think :bunny: The other cards shown there have the connections I use (a VGA, S-video and a DVI output). Also notice how cheap this now is. http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/950...600_Series.html As a cheap but more up-to-date version of mine the bottom one from this link isn't bad. http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/970...800_Series.html I may be wrong. Hopefully someone like Tic will post and correct me as I know he keeps more up-to-date with it all than I do. Dan edit: man i'm slow Edited October 3, 2005 by dan_brisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 I may be wrong. Hopefully someone like Tic will post and correct me as I know he keeps more up-to-date with it all that I do. Dan edit: man i'm slow I dont know shit about the newer graphics cards, I also dont have a clue about any of the new processors or mothorboards, as for PCI express graphics, what the hell is that all about?!?! HAHA :bunny: I havent seen that Asus 9600XT card you had off me on the net for ages. If you going for an ATI chip I wouldnt go for anything below a 9800 myself, I dont know much about the NVidea offerings but I think the equivilant to the 9800 is the Nvidea 6800... For £100-£150 you will be able to get yourself a nice card :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 (edited) Cheers for the links guys. Really I don't want to spend more than £50 really. So I may go for the one on the first link you posted. :$ Cheers :lol: EDIT: I may go for this one actually. Edited October 3, 2005 by Siders77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Campbell Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Thats looks ok, will work fine dual monitor etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siders77 Posted October 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 (edited) Cool. :lol: Thanks a lot for your help. EDIT: Just been looking at it closer and it doesn't look like it'll run 2 Monitors because the silver thing looks too bag. Do I have to get an adaptor that plugs into the black thing? :$ Edited October 3, 2005 by Siders77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haydon_peter Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Cool. :lol: Thanks a lot for your help. EDIT: Just been looking at it closer and it doesn't look like it'll run 2 Monitors because the silver thing looks too bag. Do I have to get an adaptor that plugs into the black thing? :$ The 'silver thing' is a DVI output. DVI is what you will find on the majority of TFT monitors. You can get DVI to Analogue adaptors so its not a major problem if both of the monitors you want to use are analogue. (I seem to remember that my graphics card came with a adaptor included so I dont think you can go wrong, if the card doesnt come with one they can only be a few quid if that) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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