Dual Screen n00b.

[kpowell911]

Hi, I want to set up a dual screen for my PC. No real reason other than it looks pretty cool and useful.

I currently have a Dell 22" HD Screen, and have sourced an Identical one, so I have 2 identical monitors, But what else do I need?

My PC is a Dell Inspirion 530, and I run Windows Vista?

Thanks

 

[thenorth]

1. Plug them in
2. go to control panel
3. set the correct resolution
4. Set which screen is your main screen
5. Enjoy

 

[MDP91]

Depending on how you are going to connect them, but I'm a assuming VGA?? Two VGA leads, make sure your PC has two VGA outputs. Some graphics cards have two but some PC's have one on the motherboard an a seperate one on the card. Plug them in and goto to control panel have you can fiddle about with res settings etc. Vista will run two monitors.

 

[kpowell911]

I want extended I guess, so its streched over 2 screen and I can those awesome wall papers that go across the 2.

Im notsure my PC has twin ports for screens though! 2 secs

 

[Addicted]

You definitely wanted extended, having duplicate would be kind of special.

If you want to do the wallpapers easily, get a program called DisplayFusion, currently rocking an awesome wallpaper across all 3 of mine

 

[kpowell911]

Right, My current Screen is a BLUE VGA, plugged into like a white adapter.


MY PC APPEARS to have a second port for this, IVe taken a very poor, dusty picture:

Im guessing if I get one of those white adapters, I Can plug a VGA in and away I go?

 

[Wilkeh]

Mate, the white adapters are DVI connections. They're 300% better than VGA. (VGA = analogue, DVI = digital). You need 2 DVI leads, I'm assuming your monitors have DVI input? Completely get rid of your VGA leads.

 

[kpowell911]

Yea, the monitors have that white thing. So If I buy 2x DVI leads, it should work as there are 2 DVI Ports on the back of the Tower?

2 of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-8M-DVI-...ion_Video_Cables_Adapters&hash=item43a7710c76

 

[Wilkeh]

Exactly mate. You may just need to play with your settings in your GPU's personal control panel (Catalyst for ATI cards).

IIRC DVI leads are about £3 on Amazon.

 

[Gareth]

Get Ultramon as well.

 

[kpowell911]

Exactly mate. You may just need to play with your settings in your GPU's personal control panel (Catalyst for ATI cards).

IIRC DVI leads are about £3 on Amazon.

How can I find out what spec my PC is (ie what Componants?)

I know nothing about computers, but it was quite expensive when I bought it (although it is a Dell? lol)

 

[ElusiveHB]

Start/Run DXDIAG gives you DirectX Diagnostics

Right Click on my computer and manage then choose hardware, Control Panel/systems and security/system gives basic info, also has hardware manager.

http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/cyri/intro.aspx will also tell you if you're willing to do an install.

Everest Free will also give you spec. DXDIAG is easiest though.

 

[G3 NYX]

You can't have extended wallpapers unless you have windows xp










Or ultramon, but it rarely works...

 

[kpowell911]

What componant is the one that will alow me to run dual screens, The Video card?

 

[Wilkeh]

You can't have extended wallpapers unless you have windows xp










Or ultramon, but it rarely works...

Not true. ATI cards can with Eyefinity enabled on Catalyst.

What componant is the one that will alow me to run dual screens, The Video card?

Yes mate, also known as a GPU. Do you know the make of yours? Right click the desktop > Screen resolution > Advanced settings. It should show your make and model.

 

[kpowell911]

You Have: GeForce 8600 GT

Make sense?

 

[Wilkeh]

You Have: GeForce 8600 GT

Make sense?

Yeah mate, you have an nvidia card. Still retails for about £50. http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8600.html

You will be able to use Dual Monitors with that but I'm unsure if you will be able to have an extended wallpaper. More than likely you will have the same wallpaper on each monitor and will be able to drag items over from one screen to the other. (Windows start bar will only show on your main screen.)

Eg -

(I have 2 different sized monitors, hence the size difference).

 

[ElusiveHB]

Yes, if you right click on your desktop you should have Nvidia Control Panel in the context menu where you can set up multiple monitors. If not you can grab the drivers form here http://www.geforce.com/drivers

 

[kpowell911]

Cheers, Ill have a play, Always wanted this sorta set up, makes me feel like Tony Stark

 

[McGherkin]

Psh, triple screen for the win. Four, if you count my iPod (using iDisplay), which I sometimes use.

Some computers also have HDMI outputs too.

 

[GiT]

Best thing I ever did was go dual!

 

[Andy.]

Psh, triple screen for the win. Four, if you count my iPod (using iDisplay), which I sometimes use.

Some computers also have HDMI outputs too.

What set up are you using for that? Dual/ triple head or something?

 

[McGherkin]

My laptop has a VGA and HDMI output. Monitor in the VGA, TV into the HDMI, and laptop screen stays on.

A lot of the time I'll just use the laptop and TV.

 

[Andy.]

Do you use some software for that? My past three laptops have not been able to run three screens, in spite of having dual DVI or display ports etc. I've always got a windows error message to tell me it's not possible to have three active at the same time.

I got a Matrox box in the end!

 

[McGherkin]

I dunno. Mine just does.

Except it doesn't because the hard drive's fcuked.

 

[Addicted]

For the millionth time YOU CAN HAVE AN EXTENDED WALLPAPER.

Use DisplayFusion, it does it all for you, you just supply the image.


And some laptops/graphics cards cannot run three due to how the ports are setup.

For example on my card I have 2x DVi, 1 HDMI and 1 MiniDisplayPort. The HDMI and MiniDisplayPort use the same bandwidth, and therefore only one can be used for a monitor at a time, and the 2x DVI are independent so I can have 3 monitors max (which I have), from 4 connections.

 

[sbridgey]

Listen to Matt (addicted) he is correct. for triple monitors you require an ati card from the past few years or a recent nvidia card, the rest support 2 monitors only.

 

[Gareth]

I had three at one point, but you can't SLI three so I've got 2 x 27"s now.

 

[kpowell911]

A pair of these are the correct DVI cables arent they?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000MMLOLA/?tag=cliospnet01-21

Thanks

 

[ElusiveHB]

Listen to Matt (addicted) he is correct. for triple monitors you require an ati card from the past few years or a recent nvidia card, the rest support 2 monitors only.

Or two cards. SLi FTW.

 

[sbridgey]

Or two cards. SLi FTW.

Now that just is a silly thing to do.

 

[Gareth]

Watercooled SLI FTW

 

[kpowell911]

Cheers for everyones help, still some fine tuning to do, BUT heres a poor pic of my minor set up, obviously nothing compared to most, but hey!

Still some fine tuning to do, but the El Classico starts now So Ill have a mess later!

Cheers everyone!