Dual Monitors...??

[Grafficks]

Hey everyone, got a quick curious question here.

I am fascinated by the idea of having dual monitors on my desk. I really want the extra workspace. However, I have a few uncertainties about how it works.

I know the obvious thing: dual monitors give you more workspace on your desktop.

Is it just like an extended desktop where you drag things over to the other monitor for more workspace? In what way is the extra desktop workspace achieved?

Of course I would not come asking without doing my own research...
Several Google results and many pictures are all I have at the moment, which still does not tell me much about the details i seek.

From HERE it states that:

the "exended" or "independent displays" mode and the "spanning" or "streched" display mode. In both these modes, display devices are positioned next to each other in order to create the illusion that the two displays are logically contiguous.

Which basically means the monitors are side-by-side, which is what I want. It then explains more about different ways of using two monitors:

In "extended" mode additional desktop area is created on additional monitors. Each monitor can use different settings (resolution, color, refresh rate).

Alternately, some video cards are able to "span" the existing desktop area across two monitors rather than create additional desktop space. This is accomplished by using a widescreen resolution such as 2048x768. That is, 2 monitors at 1024x768 resolution each. Each monitor needs to have the same resolution and color depth settings, and often the same refresh rate.

Ok then...so extended mode is when the monitors can have different settings, and span mode is when they have the same settings..?

The way that extended mode is worded when it says "additional desktop area" sorta tells me that it lets you simply drag windows from one monitor to the other. Is that how it is?? It does not specify!!!!

The way it explains span mode, "spans the existing desktop area across two monitors rather than create additional desktop space" is also vague...
By spanning does it mean extending the desktop including the taskbar & system tray to the other monitor? If so, then wouldn't it be bad since the inch-wide edges of the two monitors would create this ugly un-viewable area down the middle of it?

Sorry for the length of this...please help me if you can.

Thanks in advance!!


PS: Yay my 100'th post! :haha:

 

[SNGX1275]

There are basically 3 ways that things can happen, and it may vary on what they are called by the brand of the video chipset.

You can have them be exactly the same, meaning everything you see on monitor 1 is also identically displayed on monitor 2. This is pretty worthless unless you are doing color comparisons between the 2.

Another way is to have a HUGE start bar which spans over both screens, you can drag between 1 screen and the other, its effectively 1 big monitor. This way is better than the first one for obvious reasons, but its still not very good. Messages boxes often pop up right in the middle, so its split between 2 monitors not much good.

The 3rd way is to have 1 monitor be the primary and will house the start bar, then the second monitor is just an extention, but behaves independently. You can still drag windows between both. This is in my opinion the ideal setup.

Try not to make this more complex than necessary, its a pretty simple set of senarios.

Edit: Here is a shot of how mine is setup, I have a quicklaunch like bar set to autohide on the far right I forgot to have pop out for the screenshot.

 

[TimeParadoX]

Yes it's basicly just one big monitor you can drag from one to the other

Also make sure you get 2 screens that are the same size ( or close to each other ) so the backgrounds or games that you play match up and dont look messed up


What are your screen resolution SNGX?

 

[SNGX1275]

1680x1050 x2

Benq 8ms 20.1", awesome monitors, never have seen any ghosting.

 

[TimeParadoX]

Awesome, I might pick some up

I heard that BenQ has horrible customer support though ( not that I would need it, I got techspot to help )

 

[SNGX1275]

You shouldn't ever need tech support on an LCD anyway. Send it back to newegg if there is a dead pixel problem. But I have 2 of them and one of my friends from college bought 2 as well. Total Dead/Stuck Pixel Count on all 4 = 0

 

[Grafficks]

Wow that is a sweeeeett dual-monitor setup! Dual 20.1" widescreens? Insaneee!! :grinthumb

When I get two monitors, I will definately do a dual-monitor config like yours, where the second monitor is an extention.

My reasoning for wanting dual-monitors is that my tiny 17" LCD screen @ 1280x1024 is small!! I then had the choices of a either larger monitor, or (to my surprise) another monitor.

So I thought to myself, why get one fantastic 19" widescreen LCD monitor when I could get two crappy 17" LCD monitors?

I started reading about how great extra workspace from a second monitor is like, and decided that's gonna be my choice.

In addtion, the mere idea of multiple monitors is awesome (ie. Bruce Wayne's control panel in the Bat Cave!!). :haha:

Thanks for your help!

 

[TimeParadoX]

Yeah Grafficks, then you can get a Bat mobile and drive around your house then the Penguin guy ( forgot his name :haha: ) will come out and shoot you with his umbrella :haha: