2 computer monitors?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mcl116
  • Start date Start date
M

mcl116

New member
I've noticed a lot of studios have 2 computer monitors so I was wondering what the purpose of this is? Do you run the same thing just across 2 screens or is it 2 different windows on each monitor? Also I was wondering since I plan on starting a little studio of my own and have a computer monitor layin around, how would I go about hooking it up so I can have 2 screens as well.

thanks a lot!
 
Well, first you need either two video cards or one that has multiple outputs. Then you just plug them both in and change your display settings. In Windows, you can right click on the desktop, go to properties, and then find Display. In Mac, the display settings are in the system prefs.

The main reason, IMO, for two monitors is to have your edit window on one and your mix window on the other. Pro Tools seems like it's pretty much designed to be run that way. You wouldn't have to flip back and forth between the windows all the time and you'd have more screen real estate on each monitor for each window. Of course, you could always just have one really big monitor. It's mostly just about having space to work with so you don't have to search everywhere to find things.
 
If you have a graphics card like mine that has (i dont know the names) an older 'analogue' out and a newer 'digital' out you can also run 2 monitors off it. I used to, but I thought it a bit of a gimmick really, it didnt help much.

try it though, it looks cool.
 
In my setup the 2 screens act as one giant monitor. I can drag something off one monitor onto the other. It's AWESOME to have that much space, hardly gimmicky! I can see ALL my tracks and the mixer on one monitor, my fruity loops on the other, and I still have a little room left over for IM, a browser, whatever. It's just easier to operate when you can see everything at once. My DAW uses the 2nd monitor, so will my laptop. I got a dual setup at work too, I can't imagine life without it. It's like having a 3 car garage, you have plenty of room
 
elly-d said:
If you have a graphics card like mine that has (i dont know the names) an older 'analogue' out and a newer 'digital' out you can also run 2 monitors off it. I used to, but I thought it a bit of a gimmick really, it didnt help much.

try it though, it looks cool.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's what my desktop has as well. Works just fine.

You can also run an output off of almost all laptops. You'll want to reconfigure the screen layout in the display settings depending on where you have the monitors in relation to one another (so that dragging from one to the other is intuitive), but it really is nice. If you need any help configuring it, just ask, I'll be glad to help.
 
Been using 2 monitors for quite some time now and would never go back to one for making music. There's so much more screen real estate. Works well with recording, production and also, general use.
 
thebigcheese said:
Yeah, that's what my desktop has as well. Works just fine.

You can also run an output off of almost all laptops. You'll want to reconfigure the screen layout in the display settings depending on where you have the monitors in relation to one another (so that dragging from one to the other is intuitive), but it really is nice. If you need any help configuring it, just ask, I'll be glad to help.
Click to expand...

I plan to use my Powerbook G4 as my computer and I have an external monitor laying around. I have the connection to use an external monitor for my laptop but will I be able to use the laptop screen and the monitor like every1 has described or that won't work? Is there a way to make it work w/o the card w/ multiple inputs? thanks again!
 
Why stop at two? Three is good :D
Luckily I've run out of desk space so I can go no further.



The setup is more for general use (I did it before I got into all this DAW stuff), but it is helpful for music; when mixing I have the edit window on one screen then the mixer stretched across the other two.
 
I can't seem to get more than 2 working in windows. If someone can explain how, that would be helpful. I've heard of 3rd-party software that can do it, but there's a bit of a trick to it.
 
If I remember correctly, Windows XP and Vista natively support up to 16 monitors (Windows 2000 may also).

With XP you can just bung in all the graphics cards you have in some big mess and it should work. In Vista however you must have graphics cards using the same driver (so two Nvidia cards would work) in order for them to function properly (3d accelleration, etc).

You shouldn't need any extra software for the actual setup. Ultramon is good for extending your taskbar though.
 
Every instance I've seen, they just throw more video cards in the PC and windows recognizes them and adds them as displays. My 1st dual monitor setup was a video card integrated on the mobo, and a crappy 4mb pci card from the 90's. It worked,
 
mattr said:
If I remember correctly, Windows XP and Vista natively support up to 16 monitors (Windows 2000 may also).

With XP you can just bung in all the graphics cards you have in some big mess and it should work. In Vista however you must have graphics cards using the same driver (so two Nvidia cards would work) in order for them to function properly (3d accelleration, etc).

You shouldn't need any extra software for the actual setup. Ultramon is good for extending your taskbar though.
Click to expand...

Okay I'll have to give this a go. Maybe I was having that problem because they weren't similar drivers. Thanks
 
I have mine split across two screens simply because when I run cubase I can edit on one screen and mix off the other screen and not have to flip back and forth between them (like thebigcheese said).

Of course you can also surf the net on one screen and watch porn on the other screen too LOL

Now on another interesting note....hmmm 16 screens. I'd be crazy enough to try that and mount them all on the wall (when money would allow for that that is LOL)...eh but it'd probably eat up WAYYYY too many system resources.
 
I used to run dual monitors. I recently bought a Acer 22" wide screen (1680 x 1050) and like it better than two 1280 x 1024 screens. Since I have the desk space I'm really tempted to run TWO 22" screens. At $220 (CompUSA) they are cheap enough.
 
Edited due to dribbling eroneous bullshit.
 
Last edited:
so I hooked an external monitor up to my laptop and when I hit f7 the screen is on both the external and laptop screen but its the samething instead of acting as 1 large screen. How do I fix this? It's also a lot larger on the external monitor- do I just have to make some changed on my laptop preferences or how do I fix this? thanks!


never mind - figured it out
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top