Use for two monitors?

[Brooke]

I've noticed in the "Show us your workspace" thread that a lot of people have two monitors. How does that work? How does it help you? Do you have to have a certain program to be able to do that?

On Silky's pic, it looked like there was her actual illustration on one monitor and all the palettes on another. That would be SUPER useful. But I have no idea how to even think about doing that.

Thanks :D

[Dave]

The programme/graphics card that controls what appears where is Nvidia (http://www.nvidia.com/page/home.html) I think(?)

Dual screens are also useful for checking the colours are right on an image by looking at it through two seperate screens.

[HighLighter]

Yeah, you have hook those up to the back of your machine... most computers have two ports for that and when you go into your system preference panel you can choose if you want the monitors to act as one large monitor or as a mirror (both showing the same image). I've never understood why that would be an option, but Dave's thought about being able to see how the image appears on another screen makes sense to me.

I had used a 17" for sometime and it was just too cramped... having to move palettes around all the time... now I have a 20+ and it's great. A second would be nice (if this ever becomes 'serious' work... hoping) but thinking that an upgraded desktop would be first choice, graphic tablet next and then secondary monitor. (wow... my wish list isn't too long is it!? :))

Saw in your office pic where you have a laptop... simply hook up a monitor to the back and configure... you're running two monitors in no time!

[Ez2bFish]

2 monitors really increases your desktop space. The secondary acts as an extended desktop. It's good for spreadsheets and other files that you need to look at or reference while you work on the primary monitor. As it pertains to the PA stuff we do, or if you are in the graphics business, it really helps spread out your application. It's helpful,...but sort of like call waiting on the telephone - you can only talk to one person at a time. :sly:

[Silky]

Brooke, I worked with only one monitor until Scott gave me my second one about two months or so ago. I never really had much use for one until I started using Illustrator. I found that I was constantly moving palettes around, trying to free up the space for my illustrations. With the second monitor, I moved all the palettes to that monitor and now have a clutter free artboard area to work on in Illustrator. I never thought I'd have use for two, but now that I have two, I have no idea how I ever managed without them before. I was lucky in that my G5 came with a video card that could handle both monitors, so there was nothing else needed. Once it was hooked up, all I had to do was open Illustrator and drag the palettes over to the second monitor. Now they open there automatically. I love it! :)

[spdfreak_95]

The dual monitor system in part came about due to graphic designers wanting to free up space to view their work on one screen without all the "other" clutter which silky touched on in reference to moving palettes over to the other monitor and saving their workspace. Most, if not all graphic designers employ this tactic. In essence what you have is a set up with the ability to veiw your work on a much larger scale without anything getting in the way.
Also screen resolution is independant so if you are blind like me you could have your "palettes" monitor at a lower resolution allowing them to appear larger.

How does all this work? Your computer needs to have a graphics cards which supports the dual monitor system. In other words two monitor input plugs OR you could always get a secondary graphics card (it doesn't have to be a high end card. Use the one in your old PC that is sitting around in your garage somewhaere)

Wallpapers are available for such a set up as well. Rather than having one BG image which by default is displayed on both monitors. These wallpapers are made to suit either your screen resolution or total desktop size.

So put that old monitor and what you thought was an out dated worthless graphics card you were about to throw out to good use.

spd

[Brooke]

Thanks for the info. That makes a LOT of sense. I'm wondering if, at work, I could hook up a monitor to my laptop. I'll have to check it out and see if I can get work to pay for it. LOL

[down2earth2]

Having two monitors rocks. I was always shuffling pallettes out of my way and not always having the pallette I need open open. Now all the pallettes I use are always open and not covering my work.

With a Mac I think all I did was plug in the monitor and I was basically ready to go.