OT: Dual Monitors - advice on second monitor

[Jeff Cohan]

I would appreciate some advice. I've been a single-monitor guy ready
to go dual.

BACKGROUND:

- PC: Dell Precision 350, configured with a dual-monitor adapter
(ATI Fire GL E1) - Win2K
- MONITOR: ViewSonic A90 CRT (18" viewable; .23H/.27D Dot Pitch) --
I've been very happy with it.
- RESOLUTION: 1024X768 (that's about as far as I can go, given my
eyesight)
- SPENDING LIMIT: around $300

This morning, I _finally_ explored the dual monitor setup by
attaching my kid's old and ailing 15" CRT as a second monitor. WOW!
Even with the lousy second monitor, it sure is nice being able to
segregate documents from panels (in FireWorks4, DWUD4, TopStyle3,
Swish2, etc.)

YOUR THOUGHTS:

While a flat-panel LCD would be nice (for all the obvious reasons),
I believe I could only get a 15" in my price range. Is that
accurate?

Am I better off getting another 18" viewable CRT, on the assumption
that this would minimize eye strain and brain strain as I switch my
glance from one to the other?

Are the advantages of a flat-panel LCD (even at 15") so great -- and
the challenge of switching between it and and 18" CRT so small --
that I should go flat-panel?

Any specific recommendations?

Thank you very much!

Jeff Cohan

[Craig Hartel]

Jeff,

I have two 19" CRTs side by side, which works fine for me. I know of a
person who has two LCD panels side by side, and she claims that a mix of CRT
and LCD would be a headache because of the different looks of the two
monitors. I'm unsure myself. I suppose a person could get used to
anything!

What if you drop down to a local retailer and see if you can get them to put
a CRT side by side with and LCD and have a look first hand?
In my mind, the monitor is the most important part of a computer system, as
it is your most important feedback device. A lot of people cheap out on
monitors, but dang it, you have to stare at the thing all day...you may as
well have the one that reduces your eyestrain and keeps things nice and
sharp for you.

Craig.

"Jeff Cohan" <jdcohan@foot4ward.com> wrote in message
news:3F48B05D.72FFEE6A@foot4ward.com...

> I would appreciate some advice. I've been a single-monitor guy ready
> to go dual.
>
> BACKGROUND:
>
> - PC: Dell Precision 350, configured with a dual-monitor adapter
> (ATI Fire GL E1) - Win2K
> - MONITOR: ViewSonic A90 CRT (18" viewable; .23H/.27D Dot Pitch) --
> I've been very happy with it.
> - RESOLUTION: 1024X768 (that's about as far as I can go, given my
> eyesight)
> - SPENDING LIMIT: around $300
>
> This morning, I _finally_ explored the dual monitor setup by
> attaching my kid's old and ailing 15" CRT as a second monitor. WOW!
> Even with the lousy second monitor, it sure is nice being able to
> segregate documents from panels (in FireWorks4, DWUD4, TopStyle3,
> Swish2, etc.)
>
> YOUR THOUGHTS:
>
> While a flat-panel LCD would be nice (for all the obvious reasons),
> I believe I could only get a 15" in my price range. Is that
> accurate?
>
> Am I better off getting another 18" viewable CRT, on the assumption
> that this would minimize eye strain and brain strain as I switch my
> glance from one to the other?
>
> Are the advantages of a flat-panel LCD (even at 15") so great -- and
> the challenge of switching between it and and 18" CRT so small --
> that I should go flat-panel?
>
> Any specific recommendations?
>
> Thank you very much!
>
> Jeff Cohan

[Murray *TMM*]

Craig:

FWIW, I use a CRT as an ancillary monitor to my 18" Dell LCD. I put DW/FW
panels on the 2ry monitor and am not bothered by it AT ALL. 8)

This setup is splendid! 8)

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver MX
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
[url]news://forums.macromedia.com/macromedia.dreamweaver[/url] - THE BEST WAY TO GET
ANSWERS
==================
[url]http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com[/url] - Template Triage!
[url]http://www.projectseven.com/go[/url] - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
[url]http://www.DreamweaverFAQ.com[/url] - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
[url]http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/[/url] - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"Craig Hartel" <mpp_milquetoast@SANSSPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:biaqgc$k6e$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Jeff,
>
> I have two 19" CRTs side by side, which works fine for me. I know of a
> person who has two LCD panels side by side, and she claims that a mix of

CRT

> and LCD would be a headache because of the different looks of the two
> monitors. I'm unsure myself. I suppose a person could get used to
> anything!
>
> What if you drop down to a local retailer and see if you can get them to

put

> a CRT side by side with and LCD and have a look first hand?
> In my mind, the monitor is the most important part of a computer system,

as

> it is your most important feedback device. A lot of people cheap out on
> monitors, but dang it, you have to stare at the thing all day...you may as
> well have the one that reduces your eyestrain and keeps things nice and
> sharp for you.
>
> Craig.
>
> "Jeff Cohan" <jdcohan@foot4ward.com> wrote in message
> news:3F48B05D.72FFEE6A@foot4ward.com...

> > I would appreciate some advice. I've been a single-monitor guy ready
> > to go dual.
> >
> > BACKGROUND:
> >
> > - PC: Dell Precision 350, configured with a dual-monitor adapter
> > (ATI Fire GL E1) - Win2K
> > - MONITOR: ViewSonic A90 CRT (18" viewable; .23H/.27D Dot Pitch) --
> > I've been very happy with it.
> > - RESOLUTION: 1024X768 (that's about as far as I can go, given my
> > eyesight)
> > - SPENDING LIMIT: around $300
> >
> > This morning, I _finally_ explored the dual monitor setup by
> > attaching my kid's old and ailing 15" CRT as a second monitor. WOW!
> > Even with the lousy second monitor, it sure is nice being able to
> > segregate documents from panels (in FireWorks4, DWUD4, TopStyle3,
> > Swish2, etc.)
> >
> > YOUR THOUGHTS:
> >
> > While a flat-panel LCD would be nice (for all the obvious reasons),
> > I believe I could only get a 15" in my price range. Is that
> > accurate?
> >
> > Am I better off getting another 18" viewable CRT, on the assumption
> > that this would minimize eye strain and brain strain as I switch my
> > glance from one to the other?
> >
> > Are the advantages of a flat-panel LCD (even at 15") so great -- and
> > the challenge of switching between it and and 18" CRT so small --
> > that I should go flat-panel?
> >
> > Any specific recommendations?
> >
> > Thank you very much!
> >
> > Jeff Cohan

>
>

[Steve Howard]

Jeff Cohan wrote:

> I would appreciate some advice. I've been a single-monitor guy ready
> to go dual.

Depends on your exact needs.

Getting the images on the two monitors to match is really tough IMHO. If
different colour rendition is not important then the exact type of second
monitor does not really matter, so long as you have room on your desk :-) If
colour matching is important then either be prepared to spend a lot of time
getting something almost good enough, or make life easier and try to make
your second monitor identical to your first.

Others may, of course, have had better luck than me in matching monitors!

I commonly use a second monitor with my laptop - at home I have a 17" flat
panel that I use, but when visiting clients it is whatever monitor (usually
cheap, old, and/or nasty CRT) they can spare. Both work absolutely fine, but
I have got used to the clarity a flat panel has that is missing in cheap
CRTs (hey, clients just let me have what is spare, this is not a meant as a
criticism of CRTs!!).


I'd say use what you can afford so long as the image is good enough to not
strain your eyes. You will LOVE the extra desktop space. Pretty soon it
feels like working with two separate computers ...


Steve

[Jeff Cohan]

Thanks, Steve.

Steve Howard wrote:

> Depends on your exact needs.

The driving force is that I've started doing a couple of things with
FW4 that I never used to do: 1) creating full-size Web page mockups;
and 2) using magnification to achieve better control. It's time to
move those panels to another monitor.

> If colour matching is important then either be prepared
> to spend a lot of time getting something almost good
> enough, or make life easier and try to make your second
> monitor identical to your first.

I'm pretty close to driving back to BestBuy to get a ViewSonic A90+
(my current monitor is the A90).


Jeff

[Lanny Chambers]

In article <3F490CEF.E5E33AE@foot4ward.com>,
Jeff Cohan <jdcohan@foot4ward.com> wrote:

> > If colour matching is important then either be prepared
> > to spend a lot of time getting something almost good
> > enough, or make life easier and try to make your second
> > monitor identical to your first.

10+ years ago, large color monitors were prohibitively expensive (and
not very good). Many designers used a 21" grayscale monitor for
PageMaker layout, and a carefully-calibrated 12" Trinitron for
color-critical work.

> I'm pretty close to driving back to BestBuy to get a ViewSonic A90+
> (my current monitor is the A90).

Relegate your panels and browser to the A90 and buy a 21" ViewSonic for
your workspace. My old G810 is still chugging along like new. At
1280x1024x85Hz, it's plenty easy to read the panel text. Buy.com has
them for $470.

--
Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA
[url]http://www.hummingbirds.net/[/url]

[Richiebee]

"Jeff Cohan" <jdcohan@foot4ward.com> wrote in message

>
> The driving force is that I've started doing a couple of things with
> FW4 that I never used to do: 1) creating full-size Web page mockups;
> and 2) using magnification to achieve better control. It's time to
> move those panels to another monitor.

You do know that you can hide ALL panels with a simple press of the TAB key
right? Bring them back the same way. You can really maximize your
workspace with this simple hotkey.

Rich


--
Richie Bee
[url]www.richiebee.ca[/url]
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Fireworks
[url]www.macromedia.com/go/team[/url]
Sharing Fireworks Resources
[url]www.richiebee.ca/public[/url]
-iii<O

[Jeff Cohan]

Rich -

Yes, I did know that, and I have been doing it. And that has helped
(actually, it has been indispensible). But I decided to go for the 2
monitors.

Thanks.

Jeff

Richiebee wrote:

> You do know that you can hide ALL panels with a
> simple press of the TAB key right? Bring them
> back the same way.

[Jeff Cohan]

Thanks for the input, Lanny.

Earlier today -- before reading your message -- I bought a ViewSonic
A90f+ to join the ViewSonic A90. Retailers in my area had lots of
LCD flat-panels and very few CRTs. I like the setup!

Jeff

Lanny Chambers wrote:

> Relegate your panels and browser to the A90 and buy
> a 21" ViewSonic for your workspace.