Dual LCD monitor setup

[dfuze]

I've got a question for those of you w/ dual LCD monitors. I'm thinking about either getting one big one (not likely though due to the cost), or a second smaller one. I currently have a 17" LCD. I'm not particularly looking forward to getting another 17" as I could spend a little more for a 19". I would also really like widescreen to be honest. Has anyone ever mismatched LCDs? Are there any quirks to doing so? Will it still allow me to span accross both nicely without hiccups?

TIA for any insight.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

If you have unmatched models, it will be kind of goofy as it works best if you have the same vertical resolution and screen height.

I ran mismatched displays for a while and after switching to matched, it's a vast improvement.

 

[Ichigo]

In case you do have mismatched monitors (ie a 24" & 17") what's the best way to set it up so that the 17" is like just a background upon which you can put certain windows that you want up all the time?

 

[tfcmasta97]

ive had many mismatched and i still loved it.... i began with a 19" monitor and an old 14"er i had laying around, moved to 19+17, then the 19"CRT with my 17"LCD [same screen size]

never found any of em to be a problem

 

[defiantsf]

dph,

I am using dualview mode on my 6800GT to run two LCDs - one 23" 1920x1200 and one 19" 1280x1024. It works great! Once you go dual displays, you won't go back. I still wonder how I have gotten by with just a single display all these years. Have fun!

 

[JBT]

I've got a 24" widescreen and want to go dual but really want to get a 20" so its matches vertically... I wish the 20's would drop in price like the 19's have... I would pick a 19 up ASAP if it would match up better

 

[Tifosi248F1]

There is no problem running different resolutions so long as you don't try to span your desktop. Your best bet is something like nVidia's dualview or a multimonitor program that creates 2 different "desktops." I use UltraMon myself on a 20" NEC 2070NX @ 1600x1200 and a 19" Samsung CRT @ 1360x1020. It gives me a taskbar on each display, but a start menu only on the primary, and you can add buttons to application windows that move the window from one display to the other or span it across both.

 

[dfuze]

Thanks for the responses!

I'm thinking of getting a 20" widescreen, one that has a resolution of 1680x1050, as the 1050 will be very close to matching the 1024 vertical of my 17" LCD. I'm hoping that will allow me
to span the desktop across. I found an old 15" CRT in the basement and tested out a dual setup and I do like it in theory, just not this one (max resolution on the CRT is 1024x768). Now I just have to find an affordable 20" in that resolution.

Any good suggestions of a 1680 x 1050 monitor? (Other than scanning the reviews in Newegg)...

 

[Peter]

20" widescreen TFTs have /almost/ the same pixel size and overall display height as 17" TFTs. I'm using that combination right now.

 

[JBT]

Originally posted by: Peter
20" widescreen TFTs have /almost/ the same pixel size and overall display height as 17" TFTs. I'm using that combination right now.

thats a great suggestion for those folks with 17"ers!! I hadn't thought of that.

 

[dfuze]

Originally posted by: Peter
20" widescreen TFTs have /almost/ the same pixel size and overall display height as 17" TFTs. I'm using that combination right now.

I'm assuming you are talking about the 1680x1050 resolution. With the vertical only off by 26 pixels, are you able to span the bottom taskbar across both screens?

 

[n7]

I have used mismatched ever since i got more than one display, & it works great.

Used to have 1200x1600 + 1600x1200 + 1280x1024 + 1024x768, but now i just use 1200x1600 + 1600x1200 for main system & 1280x1024 + 1024x768 for secondary.

 

[Peter]

Originally posted by: dph1077

Originally posted by: Peter
20" widescreen TFTs have /almost/ the same pixel size and overall display height as 17" TFTs. I'm using that combination right now.

I'm assuming you are talking about the 1680x1050 resolution. With the vertical only off by 26 pixels, are you able to span the bottom taskbar across both screens?

Yes, 1680x1050 and 1280x1024. I don't span the taskbar, and I have it at the top of the screen, not the bottom.

You can adjust the screen positions to align at the bottom, so I don't see how what you are trying to do should fail.

 

[hennethannun]

there are many options here.

first of all, you could run both screens as a single desktop. this works best with identical resolution monitors, so i would not recommend it.

you can also run both panels independently. This allows you set the native resolution for each panel, BUT your task bar will only show up on your primary display (unless you get a third party program to force it onto both panels).

You could also clone the same image on both screens (useful for comparing the panels to correct color and brightness levels).

those are the basic settings in your nvidia or ati drivers. pick which ever works best for you...

 

[Bibble]

I have used a 19" and 15" lcd togetherfor 1.5 years and love my set up. I play games and run my "primary" applications on the 19" one, and have AIM and winamp or whatever on the other. It is really useful for comparing pictures and things. The fact that they are different sizes makes no difference to me. Eventually I will replace the 15" with something bigger, but it will only be 19" if that is what the most I can afford.

 

[Maxspeed996]

You will have no problem running two different sized monitors at different resolutions. every video card that has dual outputs supports this feature , and if you ran two video cards you could still do this.
I've done it , but I like having two identical monitors side by side much better. One thing though. Make sure you put one off to the SIDE...don't sith them even on your desk so that the bezel of the monitors is directly in the center of your line of sight...this gave me some weird vision where each eye would try to focus on once monitor , and I'd get headaches fighting it. It sucked. Just changing the position of the monitors makes a WORLD of difference. And once you do it...you'll never go back. It's so convienient to have the extra monitor to work with.

 

[MustangSVT]

i have 22" and 19" lcd... its fine when im in desktop, but when i have a game on one screen, the other goes weird... (playing sc on one screen makes the other screen to go in 256color mode and really low res.. )

any way to fix this?
using nvidia dualview btw.

 

[postmortemIA]

Originally posted by: MustangSVT
i have 22" and 19" lcd... its fine when im in desktop, but when i have a game on one screen, the other goes weird... (playing sc on one screen makes the other screen to go in 256color mode and really low res.. )

any way to fix this?
using nvidia dualview btw.

press OFF button on monitor.