2 monitors?

[GetCarter]

Hi chaps,

I have a VAIO 3.6 gh pentium 4 with 18" TFT - 1 gb ram (running windoze XP home, ver 2002 with service pack 2)

... I also have sitting doing nothing an older (Vale)computer but with a good (G force 2 I think) graphics card and a spare 17"TFT

If I take out the graphics card from the Vale and shove it into the Viao, connect the monitor and switch on will it:

a/ work perfectly and with little set-up mean I can drag stuff from screen to screen when in photoshop CS - making me happy?

b/ give me endless grief, make word documents spread over two monitors so I can't write anymore, pi55ing off Mrs Get and making me sad?

c/ burst into flames, invalidating all warranties, making me shout at the dog, go to the pub and drink too much?

Thanks for any advice.

Steve

PS - I won't sue if you were wrong, but I may let your tyres down next time we meet. ;)

[randlemarcus]

WOuld have thought that the old card would be AGP, and as you have a single AGP slot in the new PC, then that's you a bit bu99ered.

Has the new card got a DVI out, in addition to the analog out? You can buy a converter for around a tenner to switch the DVI back to a normal analog, and then just hook the other TFT up to it.

Windows XP will sort itself out, and you'll have two side by side monitors.

Marcus

[__Lee__]

This is possible but it may be a better idea getting a more upto date graphics card.

What you have to do is fit the graphics card, install the drivers for it (windows should prompt you when you first boot it) then right click on your desktop -> properties -> settings -> and you should see the picture of two monitors -> right click on the 2nd monitor which should be greyed out and click identify.

One thing to beaware of is that not all different types of motherboards/different makes of graphics cards are compatable.

Your computer may even have a built in graphics card on the motherboard, if you go into the bios you can check to see if it is disabled.

Just be careful when you have the PC in bits!, that where most of the mistakes usually occur. I would check to see if you have a onboard card first.

[GetCarter]

randlemarcus said:

Has the new card got a DVI out, in addition to the analog out? You can buy a converter for around a tenner to switch the DVI back to a normal analog, and then just hook the other TFT up to it. Windows XP will sort itself out, and you'll have two side by side monitors. Marcus

New 'puter has digi (white) and analogue (blue) 9 pin connections side by side... I am using the digi connection... worth trying the old monitor on the blue?

Ta for the help BTW

[GetCarter]

Ta Lee - just saw your post.

Will do.

[Plotloss]

If the current card has DVI (white) and HD12 VGA (blue) then you have all you need to run two monitors potentially.

If you right click the desktop in XP and select the settings tab, do you get a box showing two monitors with one greyed out?

If you do, just connect the other monitor - job done.

[Chim_Knee]

randlemarcus said:

WOuld have thought that the old card would be AGP, and as you have a single AGP slot in the new PC, then that's you a bit bu99ered. Has the new card got a DVI out, in addition to the analog out? You can buy a converter for around a tenner to switch the DVI back to a normal analog, and then just hook the other TFT up to it. Windows XP will sort itself out, and you'll have two side by side monitors. Marcus

Agreed.

I currently have 1 graphics card that has 1xDVI and 1xVGA (analogue) output. I have 2 TFT monitors hanging off this (both of my monitors have both DVI and VGA inputs - which is an important consideration).

My graphics card driver recognises that I have 2 monitors and let me a) Tell it which one I wanted as the "main" one - which AFAICT meant which one the task bar resides on and b) That I wanted to stretch my desktop space across the two.

Now, I have Photoshop stretched across and can have my tools, preview et al on one monitor and my working screen on another - brilliant it is too!

The word processing thing... isn't a problem as when you "maximise" it only maximises to the screen the app is on (if you see what I mean).

My set up is just waiting for me to get another graphics card with Dual DVI as there is a difference between the brightness of both monitors (they are exactly the same monitor, I should add - it's down to the difference between DVI and VGA). But, for me, the difference is irrelevant - for someone of your quality it might be however.

Please feel free to mail me for clarification/expansion if you want and I'll be happy to help as much as I can.

Cheers,
Phil.

>> Edited by Chim_Knee on Thursday 16th June 15:11

[GetCarter]

Plotloss said:

If the current card has DVI (white) and HD12 VGA (blue) then you have all you need to run two monitors potentially. If you right click the desktop in XP and select the settings tab, do you get a box showing two monitors with one greyed out? If you do, just connect the other monitor - job done.

Just checked - That is indeed what I have

..and at least I know that if it blows up, I know what you drive, and which Brintingthorpe you drive, so I can do your tyres there

Ta mate

[Plotloss]

Nay bother, should be absolutely fine.

You need some bits to extend the start bar across but other than that its quite useful really.

I'll have a poke around to see if I still have the installer...

[Chim_Knee]

Plotloss said:

You need some bits to extend the start bar across

whassat then? I'd be interested in doing that... if you've got any info like.

[Plotloss]

UltraMon 2.6 is what thy wants...

I cant find the installer at the min though...

In the meantime though, heres the website:

www.realtimesoft.com/

>> Edited by Plotloss on Thursday 16th June 15:21

[GetCarter]

It worked!

...no flames at all. Wife is still here and dog hasn't been kicked once.

I can't seem to make 1 -2 and 2-1 if you see what I mean (make main monitor the bigger one)... will that link help me out there or do I just need to ar5e about more.

Thanks again.

Steve

[Plotloss]

So you want the newly attached CRT to be Monitor 1?

If thats the case you need to get a DVI - VGA dongle and a VGA-DVI dongle unless the TFT came with a VGA lead in addition to the DVI lead currently connected.

Mind you, that said, there maybe facility on your VGA card to swap the output assignations...

Did it come with any utilities?

[size13]

GetCarter said:

It worked! ...no flames at all. Wife is still here and dog hasn't been kicked once. I can't seem to make 1 -2 and 2-1 if you see what I mean (make main monitor the bigger one)... will that link help me out there or do I just need to ar5e about more. Thanks again. Steve

There is a setting in the display properties to do this - mine is greyed out (although I have 2 monitors) but there may also be something if you click advanced.

[GetCarter]

Plotloss said:

So you want the newly attached CRT to be Monitor 1? If thats the case you need to get a DVI - VGA dongle and a VGA-DVI dongle unless the TFT came with a VGA lead in addition to the DVI lead currently connected. Mind you, that said, there maybe facility on your VGA card to swap the output assignations... Did it come with any utilities?

No... it made the new (not as good) monitor number 1 by default.. I'll try size13's fix, see what hapens. (or just change the cables with fire extingishers on hand).

>> Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 16th June 15:56

[size13]

it may let you change the option on the left (circled in red) or you might have an option like the ati driver does

>> Edited by size13 on Thursday 16th June 15:56

[malman]

2 tings

1) as size13 image shows you can pick which monitor is the primary.

2) you can drag the monitors about. Its hard to explain in text but you can grab monitor 2 with the mouse and drag it to the other side of monitor 1 (or above or below if you like )

I have monitor 2 on the left of my main screen (laptop) so I drag it over in the control panel display. That way the start button/taskbar is still on my laptop screen but I put my email etc on the second monitor off to my left.

[size13]

malman said:

2) you can drag the monitors about. Its hard to explain in text but you can grab monitor 2 with the mouse and drag it to the other side of monitor 1 (or above or below if you like )

So you can!

[_dobbo_]

Never miss an opportunity to show off:

[GetCarter]