Dual Monitor Set Up
 

Are you using a Dual Monitor set up for your home office, and if so, how do you like it?

I see there are a couple of different ways to accomplish this, and supposedly it can help to make you more productive with the increased desktop space.

Thoughts?
:helpme

I have my laptop as my main computer. It's a 17 inch behemoth that pretty much does everything for me. I have a 23" monitor as my 2nd. I can't work off of just one anymore, 2 monitors ftw.

I use four 24" monitors and a 51" TV for my setup. I sit in a recliner with the keyboard and mouse on my lap, facing the setup.

On the main monitor (the 51" TV), I have my coding window (nice and big), or whatever I'm focusing on.

On the upper-left monitor, I put my IM's -- ICQ, Skype, etc. This way, any movement on that screen clues me in to the fact that someone is trying to get in touch.

On my upper-right screen I reserve for my e-mail. I set the font to "large," and I can read it all very easily.

On my lower left screen, I usually put reference material -- the documentation for any libraries or classes I'm working with, any PDF books I'm referencing, etc.

On my lower right screen, I put a browser window with the site I'm currently working on.

Rarely do I ever "alt-tab," and I have hot keys to move thing to different monitors with just a click.

I just bought another 51" TV to add to the set up.

I'd guess that productivity has at LEAST doubled due to this -- I work SO much faster this way, that when I try to work on just one monitor, I really get a sense of how SLOW I am moving.

I sort of have a two monitor set up.

I have an HP and the video card is not set up for dual monitors. I've looked into replacing the video card, and even though I have a college degree in computer tech I haven't banged around in a PC tower replacing stuff in a long long time. I'm concerned about fucking something up and it's just not worth the risk.

Instead, I bought a second all in one touch screen and have that on my desk top as well. I work off of my main PC, and my second computer, the touch screen, just runs my email. This way I instantly know when my email comes in, and I can just lick with fingers on the screen and delete crap I don't need, etc. It's been pretty handy.

Here's what my office looks like. From left to right I have TV/DVD combo, my main PC monitor, and on the right my touchscreen.

http://www.rochardsbunnyranch.com/rock/officenu.jpg

My next PC will be dual monitor. But for right now this is fine.

I have dual 30 in on my desk, but haven't sat there in months.

I love them, but find myself on the Laptop or Tablet and even my Phone much more these days.

I have 3 22" monitors running. Its hard to function on 1 when using my laptop and 2 was not bad, but 3 is just that much better :thumbsup

I have several machines and each of them are set up with dual monitors. It's the only way to roll. Once you use two, you won't know how you survived without them.

That said, I do a lot of video work, so it is very helpful for me. Not sure what you'll be doing on the machine. It's still nice though.

been using dual monitors for about 10-12 years. only way to go for me as an editor and photographer... I use 2, 30 inch cinemas on my PC. I run with 2560x1600 rez... make some stuff hard to read, like I need to resize websites in my browzer... but allows me to have mucho desk space which I like.... on my render machine just use one 22 @ 1900x1200 or something or other...

I've got two dual setups using two different computers left to right. I use Multiplicity so I can use one mouse and one keyboard for both machines.

Same with me. Laptop is the main machine with a 23 on the right.

On the left I have a second Laptop for video. Also a 17.

I've had 2 setup for YEARS and once you have this, you will never go back. I wish I had 3 but I don't have room on my desk.

I love my dual monitor setup!

I have an extended desktop configuration with a 27" LG LED monitor to the right side and a 40 inch Sony Bravia flat screen on the wall in front of me. It's great to drag from the small monitor to the flatscreen and see things in a different way, or bigger.

I have my workhorse editing PC hooked up to the flatscreen and just switch inputs, and keyboards, when I'm going to edit or work on special effects :thumbsup

We definitely need to see a photo of this bad ass command center - whip out your phone and snap one off!!

ultramon works great

yeah i was about to say, i wanna see this

2 votes for the command center!

Nice!

I am consolidating machines. In the past, I used one machine for all of my video editing, and then the others for main machine, another for secondary bullshit, etc.. I would like to get more desktop space, and eliminate some of the secondary machines, and a lot of these external HD's. At least in my home office set up.

After you have to move this shit a time or two, and set it all back up again, it really gets to be a major pain in the ass. Less machines and more monitors sounds like a winner to me. :thumbsup

I've used dual monitors for nearly 5 years now and will never go back. I love being able to multi-task or have a tv show or movie running on my other monitor while I work at night. :)

A friend of mine has a six monitor setup which is insane. I could handle three but that's probably my max. Plan on buying a 32" to mount on the wall above my monitors soon so I can watch CNN all day.

on the desk i am using 2 23 acers monitors for 2 years now, using ultramon for control. when the one cable went recently and i only had one monitor it sucked

The setup I've used for years probably provides 98% of the benefits of multiple monitors, without the extra physical monitors. Long standard practice with Linux, I use four DESKTOPS. There's a little panel in the taskbar to switch desktops on the same monitor, or I could drag Windows between them.

Desktop 1 is email and browser, desktop 2 is ssh sessions to various servers, desktop 3 music and a root prompt for local machines, and desktop 4 is for testing content.

I would guess Windows could do the same by now since Linux has had the capability built in for at least fourteen years. Gates doesn't like to fall more than ten to fifteen years behind, generally.

http://troll.me/images/xzibit-yo-daw...ur-monitor.jpg

I'm monitoring this thread... :pimp

ADG

Dual monitors or more is the only way to get lots of work done in less time. The time savings is extraordinary.

It's easier than it looks. Usually two screws to remove the side of the case. One screw to loosen your current video card (unless you are using motherboard video, in which case there will be nothing to remove). Might also be one power cable going to it which you unplug, though in your case probably not.

Now pop the new video card in the slot, plug power cable in if necessary, voila. Turn computer on and install latest drivers. Only caveat is that you have to make sure your current power supply will support it. If you go with something like an ATI 5450 then you would not have a problem. (Also might have to disable onboard video in the BIOS if you are using motherboard video.)

i'm going dual monitors for years.... can't even think about going back to single....

I like this office area :thumbsup

At present my office is at the back of my studio, we haven't kitted it out properly as yet :(

When I was in my home, I would link up to a 42" plasma which was great to use with editing movies... Now I just use the single screens, until I get going here :pimp

Just took this photo real quick with my cell phone.

My desk is a cluttered mess at the moment... have two computers with dual monitors each, plus two additional with single monitors, plus a laptop... Out of the photo on the right is my affiliate workstation, where I prepare galleries and other affiliate stuff. Couple more computers there.

BTW, two monitors in the middle are 22 inches. Two on right are 20's. Two singles on my left are both 23's. Laptop is a 17 inch screen.

Note GFY on the screen in the middle and my GFY mousepad for my laptop.

http://www.extremebank.com/images/gfy/workspace.jpg

Just got a new iMac 27 inch. all beefed up with solid state drive an two terabyte 2nd drive pre installed. And i also ordered a 2nd thunderbolt 27 inch monitor.

It looked great and looked about what I needed when I went online and custom ordered it. Then when it came in, I was like WTF!! These screens are huge!!

Been working on it for about 2 weeks. I am way faster, and way more accurate with my photo processing. Very happy.

Working off a solid state drive is a must if you are working with stills. A slightly different configuration, but man!! Talk about getting things done now.

+1 :-)

...

I use dual 24 inch and Ultramon

I have an old Geforce 8800 GT graphics card with dual DVI outputs.

http://i.imgur.com/zxDOm.jpg

27" Imac in the middle, 2x 27" thunderbolt displays one on each side. This is how work gets done :)

Laptop with a docking station and two monitors, key board and mouse. Only set up to go with

I know. I can build a computer from scratch. I just haven't done it in such a long time that the risks will outweigh the potential issues. I can't go without my computer for a day if something goes wrong.

Dual Monitors + Ultramon = FTW.

Haha, ok. I wish I'd seen this about 30 mins ago. I just put one of the 51" TV's in the bedroom, and consolidated down to four 24" monitors on the wall, to see if I liked that better -- I think it'll be MUCH easier to see my monitors now that they're "closer" ... give me just a sec to snap a phone pic (and remember, I just moved in to this office literally DAYS ago, so I don't have anything settled yet).

Screw it, I took a video instead, hahaha ... it's uploading to YouTube right now. We have one foot out the door to go to dinner, so I'm going to post it and run.

link to the software pls...

World's smallest video, LOL ... took it with my Thunderbolt. I'll do better pics/vids when it's all set up. Enjoy! :thumbsup

Dave I use 2, 30's.... and love it... I was told SD drives have a life time so don't defag them..??? what have you heard???

fuck white boards: http://www.ideapaint.com/conversion-...RBkhwod9xeglw&

I think it can be more productive for sure. I think with my new setup I am going to go with a bigger Monitor then with multi monitors. Just because of space constraints. It is easier to copy and paste etc when you have all the windows viewable.

You can either do it with a dual monitor video card, or they have USB 2 VGA, to emulate it, but they cost about the same so it doesnt make sense to use USB 2 VGA.

That is a bloody good idea :thumbsup

I've seen that stuff before. Problem is, I move my whiteboards from room too room (or location to location), and it'd be pretty difficult with that paint, LOL.

Dual monitors is critical, I could never go back to 1 monitor---ever again.

Am I the only guy that plops down on his sofa with his laptop?

I had a devoted office in my last house with two desktops, one running duals.

The only use that got is showing it to anybody that wanted a tour of the house.

I also had a regular office and it got to the point where I only went for mail. Then I stopped doing that and just had everything sent to my home.

Now it's me, my laptop and my sofa and I am happiest.

I used to but now I just have three laptops rolling, much better.

Quick question for you: Are you using Lion? And are you having problems adjusting the brightness on the second monitor?

Hi Barefootsies,

You will love having a second monitor. With 2 monitors (or more) you can expand your desktop, move applications between monitors flawlessly, place your tools on one with your work on the other, etc.

Here's a couple of suggestions:

- Do this on your FASTEST computer.
- Use a new, current dual head video card with lots of ram.
- Use 2 (or more) identical monitors (same brand, model, size, colour)
- Place your monitors side by side with little or no gap between them.

You will not be in desktop nirvana. Enjoy!

You have the same desk as Ali.

awesome setup.