Using two monitors

[Delores McCree]

I understand that there's a way to use one monitor for instructions, etc. and another for just the photo I'm working on. Does anyone know what I have to do to get this to work?

[ID. Awe]

Delores: The simplist way would be to spring for a Matrox G550 card which has dual ports, the setup is simple and takes all the hassle out of it.

As far as how to make it work with your current system we would need to know your OS version, and the video card(s) you are using.

[Thee_DarkOverLord]

you could stick in two cards if you have a older spare one. Probably one in the agp and another in a pci.

[Dion Geaney]

Hey Delores

I would like to help answer your question but also add a question of my own or have some feedback on my answer.

Last year I was getting into video editing and wanted to run two monitors for that, so I investigated the same question you are asking now. As the above replies have indicated, upgrading to a video card that supports dual monitors was the answer. I'm running Windows XP on a P4 1.8 with 768 RAM and ended up purchasing a Radeon video card that has a VGA and digital monitor output (64MB RAM card). I used a digital>VGA adapter to run two Philips 17" CRT Monitors.

So that’s how I got two monitors up and running...sorted.

Now, my problem is...I found that on my 'secondary' monitor I would get a little flicker. No matter the resolution or MHZ the second monitor would flicker like an 'older' monitor (I mean it wasn't terrible, but it was enough to distract me from what I was doing (I'm sure some computer users wouldn't even notice it, but I've either got super sensitive eyes or I've become a perfectionist when it comes to monitor clarity...LOL!)).

I have never worked out whether or not that’s just 'the way it is' or if my video card was sub-standard or whether it was because I was using a digital>vga adapter (although I would switch between which was the primary and secondary monitor and it was always the secondary monitor that flickered regardless of which port the monitor was plugged into).

Delores...I ended up purchasing a 21" Philips CRT monitor (which have just gotten so cheap, it's crazy-cool!!!) and just use the one monitor at a very high screen resolution which makes all my toolbar/palettes viewable with plenty of space for the work area.

As I said, I would love to hear everyone’s comments and advice, I did enjoy using two monitors but purchasing one large Philips monitor worked out to be less expensive than a top of the line video card....anyone else...???

[Damian Neuberger]

I have a comment and a question. I have a Matrox G550 and two monitors, a CRT and an LCD. The G550 puts the tool bars and all the windows stuff on the CRT and the LCD is a blue blank screen (although I could set it up the other way around). I prefer the color accuracy on the CRT over the LCD. Now, in MS Word for example I can open two documents and put one on each screen. But I can't do that in Photoshop. Any way I can do that so I can work on two images at the same time?

I had a Matrox G450 at work for a similar set up and it spread the workspace over the two screens. I didn't like that as well because I would be moving the mouse all over the two screens to work. Is this strictly a video card issue or a Photoshop setting or programming issue?

Thanks for any ideas.

[David Skidmore]

I use PS7 and XP with one monitor into an AGP card. Are you saying that you can plug in a PCI video card also and run a second monitor with the first running simultaneously off the AGP? If so, do both monitors show the same thing and if not how do you set that up so that one monitor has the image and the other the tools and pallets?

dc

[Ervin Little]

I got an Email from Matrox a couple days ago about their new P650 and P750 video cards. As I understand from their website. both monitors can be calibrated separately. The P750 is a triple head card, the third being a TV I think.

Has anyone tried one of these cards yet?

BTW: They have a rebate. $20 off the P650 and $30 off the P750.

Erv