Who uses Dual Monitors???

I had a setup on my laptop and a CRT using old ME, just as a trial, and it worked. Now I really want to try again, but with my tower PC using Win XP Pro, without SP2, so far. Right now, I use the onboard video card and the board has a single AGP slot that I'm not using right now.

I guess the question is, after reading some down side articles recently, I want to know is it worth the trouble, and are there a lot of problems? For instance, I've now read that the onboard card won't work, the AGP card would take over and you end up back with one monitor. I've also read that some programs won't work at all with duals. Sounds weird to me, but I don't know. What do I need, and what do I need to know about using them with Win XP Pro? :)

Hi, I am using two monitors in a Windows XP Pro environment with two video cards, one AGP and one PCI.
The only problem I had while setting it up, where only one monitor would work was because Adobe Cue was installed.
Could only figure it out because I read that the two monitors would not worked together if Adobe Type Manager was installed, so I tried with Cue and solved the problem.
All of the other Adobe software works just fine, like the Macromedia stuff, also have tried 3D Studio and it works without any troubles at all.
Hope it helps, and good luck setting it up.

Appreciate it. Adobe products was one of the problems, but I've lost the link. That sounds familiar though.

I've heard there are cards with two outlets on them. And read that 1 AGP and 1 PCI card worked OK too.

Thanks. I'm still shopping around. :)

I have an integrated card that came with my computer, and i threw my old card in aswell and it works fine. The only problem i had was i had to turn off the hibranate thing but that wasn't all that important anyways. It wooks great for me. Only other problem is my desk is too small.

I prefer 2 monitors. It really helps with development--graphics, code, flash, et. al.--when you can put your workspace on one monitor and the zillions of other toolbars on the other monitor. It gives you a lot more space to work with.

I've used both the AGP/PCI and the dual port card options. Right now I am using the latter. I'm using a ATI Radeon 9000 Pro; it's a great 3d card for playing games on it, and it has a VGA and DVI port on the back that you can use for dual monitors. If both of your monitors use VGA plugs, like a CRT monitor, than you can get converters for a few bucks to convert the DVI port to a VGA port.

The only apps I've ever had trouble with are ones that confine the toolbars to the window. Old Director did this before DirectorMX. The window would maximize to one monitor, and the toolbars would be constrained to that window. I could still place the window on either monitor, though.

Never had any problems with Adobe TypeManager, either.

I just ordered these two cards, mostly because the specs said they both work in dual monitor configurations. I'm not too worried about gaming or 3D. I primarily want it for the space onscreen and using Photoshop and Flash.

Connect3D Radeon 7000 / 64MB DDR / AGP / VGA / DVI /TV Out / Video Card (C261-6005)

PowerColor Radeon 7000 / 64MB DDR / PCI / VGA / DVI / TV Out / Video Card (P262-1002)

i use dual monitors i have a 17" on my radeon 9800 pro AIW, and a 15" crappy secondary monitor on a voodoo 3 2000

and with my radeon if i want i can hook it up to a TV as well and use 3 monitors..

How does it look on a TV screen? I would imagine it's pixelated?

I started using dual monitors about a year back, probably the single best thing I've ever done to this machine.

I don't have anything special, primary monitor is a 19" crt and the secondary placed to its left is an old 17" crt using a PCI slot.

It really is fantastic though, in Flash I have all my actions, alignment, color mixer, swatches, transform info panels on the left screen keeping plenty of room on the primary just for the stage and timeline.

The only downside is sometimes a game won't like the dual monitors but I hardly play pc games anyway so no biggie for me.

I would actually hate to go back to one screem now, think I'd cry!

yeah it is pretty pixely, but i only used it to watch videos and such on it and had my music playing on it with a visualizer, was kinda cool.

I have a Geforce FX 5200 and it comes with 3slots, one normal, one DVI and one for TV. Then I also got a DVI to Normal plug that I use to run 2 screens. works perfectly :D

Photoshop on 1 screen After Effect on the other.

Photoshop / Dreamweaver

Premiere / Photoshop / Tv-output


more screens = more space to see

Hey guys, I appreciate all the responses. I just checked my order, and it already shipped. with any luck, it will be here tomorrow or Monday at the latest. :)

Now, what do I need to know to set it up? What kind of paces is windows going to put me through, and what do I need to watch for? After putting in the cards, I assume I will have to drop by the BIOS and reset something. Is there some settings in XP I need to make?

I didn't have to do anything like that, stuck the PCI card in, installed the drivers then when it was done, right click on desktop/settings and voila..a new monitor to enable.

took 5 mins, you shouldn't have to mess around under the hood too much.

I think I will have to go into BIOS at least, cause I use an Intel board, and I'm using the on-board monitor outlet, the built in Video card. I think I will at least have to take it off that. I'm more worried about ending up with none of the slots working and no monitor to go back in and set it right. LOL. I ordered two cards, because I heard a lot about on-board video just not working when converting to duals. Something about the card in the AGP slot taking over. Anyway, they are already paid for and on the way. Can't wait. I'll get a pic and post it when I'm done. :)

just make sure you download the latest driver from the vendors website.

Good point, although, I got in the habit of doing that anyway. I know the docs on one of them says it comes with drivers.

Man, I am stoked. I keep peeking out the window hoping to see a truck outside. :D

I use 2 monitors with agp and pci on xp.
after installing both graphic cards, boot up and go into the bios;
on one of the pages there should be a "init display" or similar, set this to pci first.
then boot to windows, go to display properties, settings, click
on either of the monitors and one or the other should say "extend my windows desktop onto this monitor", tick the box and that should be that :).

hope that helps.

i use dual monitors... but i have avid, so i need to.

Got a question. After installing both cards, should I leave one monitor on the onboard video outlet when I restart? It just seems logical that I would, since until I get into BIOS, to change the setting, one monitor would have to work off something. Now my brain is in a knot trying to visualize that. :)

I still have hopes the truck will get here today yet. :D

if you are using standard monitors with standard monitor plugs
(the d type 14 pin ones) you can plug in both cards and monitors, boot, do the bios thing, and xp will recognise both monitors.
your pci will boot first, with the xp display etc, and when windows has started it will swop to the agp monitor, probably the pci monitor will display a flashing cursor only, in the top left hand corner.
when you tick the extend desktop thing and do apply etc it should all work.:)
you may of course have to install the new drivers for the cards but xp will prompt you.

This is all great help, thanks. :)

Unfortunately, it's closing in on Noon here, and the brown truck hasn't shown up yet. Looks like Monday. :(

Concerning the pci over AGP cards. The new monitor is the one I want to use as the primary, because it'll be new, and it's a slightly better quality than the one I already have. Which card is going to end up being the primary? I mean, will the AGP sort of take over? I don't want to force one over the other if there is a natural windows, [or motherboard], preference. :)

by default the agp will be the primary monitor.
hmm bit of a short answer..
anyway i hope your cards come soon and best of luck
(though you should'nt need it)!
oh and by the way the secondary monitor should sit to the right of
the primary, cos dragging and dropping is very disorientating otherwise:eek:
you will find also that windows will remember which monitor is which so when you drag an app or page or pic whatever onto the second monitor it will remember it when you open it next time, which imho is damn cool:)

I have a machine that has an onboard. Yes, when you put in your AGP card, BIOS will use the AGP and disable the onboard. It should do it automatically, so I doubt you will have to change a thing.

Once that happens the onboard is no longer used. The plug won't even be powered, so don't bother plugging anything in to it.

Once you put your AGP in, plug your monitor in to it, and you're good to go. You can also plug the PCI card in at the same time. BIOS will still do its thing and make the AGP your primary card.

As someone mentioned, you will need to enable the second display through the settings tab in Display properties (Available through the control panel, or right click->properties on the desktop). One of the monitors will have that greyed-out disabled look. Click it, and then click the checkbox that says "Extend my display to this monitor" or something to that effect. Click OK and you're done.

Houston, we have a problem. :(

Quote:

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Click it, and then click the checkbox that says "Extend my display to this monitor" or something to that effect. Click OK and you're done.

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Yeah, I did that, it went black for a minute, then came back with the box unchecked and the second monitor is still in sleep mode. It's turned on, but blacked out. It's like it won't take.

I have both cards installed. The AGP is the primary. And there is an option in BIOS to set one or the other, and set it for AGP.

set pci first in the bios.

I was just reading the help thing for dual monitors. It said that the pci card has to be set in the 0 or 1 slot, the furthest ones from the agp slots.

I'll try the bios thing first, but I bet I have to move the card.

Well, I have two monitors now, but as soon as I try and open a program, like Flash, the computer restarts. :(

I haven't moved the card yet, just set it in BIOS.

Here's what I've learned.

1. On an Intel ATX board, the number 1 PCI slot is the top one, closest to the AGP slot. The PCI card has to go in that to work.

2. You have to go into BIOS to set the PCI card to be the Primary. Setting the AGP to Primary seems to work, but none of the high RAM programs like Flash, Premier, Camtasia Studio, etc. will work. They will crash Win XP PRo when you try and open them. I really do mean crash, like old W95 crashed, go dead, restart, the whole bundle.

3. After BIOS, you have to go into Settings, select the Secondary monitor and check the "Extend my desktop onto this monitor" button. Click Apply and OK. The screen goes black, then comes back on and your good to go. Sort of. If you happen to reboot for any reason, you will have to do this again. For some reason, the settings don't seem to take permenantly.

4. The secondary monitor, in this case, the one on the AGP card, [which to me, seems to be the better card], is not as sharp or as clear as the primary. I mean, it is washed out looking. Dramatically washed out. Text and fine lines are fuzzy and the colors are really weak. I've tried resetting the properties, which you can do from Settings/Advanced, but it doesn't seem to help much.

If anyone has had the same problems, or knows of a fix, I'm listening.

Is your version of XP legit?

I've never heard of anyone having so many problems with a dual setup... its normally just plugin and go.

Yup, it's legit. In fact, that's another story in itself. I live with my brother, and he uses this computer the very few times he needs to go online, and he had put his copy of XP Pro on it. I wanted it all to be in my name, come the time I move away, so I just bought a copy about a month ago. Talk about lost data and headaches galore. I can tell you, you can't just install over an old copy. Although, his copy installed over my old W98 SE just fine.

So yes, this is legit and registered.

Searched the knowledge base?

Yes, and Google. My eyes are burning from reading so much about this. The closest thing to a fix I can see is to get an adapter and try and run it off one card. Cause I've tried every other thing that's been suggested. Just bites big time that so many others can make it work on 2 cards with no problems, and mine won't. The cards are even the same brand and models. :mad:

Did you install the drivers for the monitors (and latest drivers for the cards)?

Sounds obvious, but people don't always install the monitor drivers (I presume you're using TFT here) :)

I did install the drivers from the CD that came with the new monitor. And since the last post, I have tried installing the drivers for the older monitor from the CD. But they are for up to W2000 only. So I searched and downloaded for updated drivers and am about to install them now.

All the drivers for the cards are in and updated, BTW. Everything else I can think of is up to snuff. And I appreciate someone walking through this with me. :)

I'll be back.

<edit>

No change. But right now, that's not the big problem. I want to fix the crashing unless I redo all the steps of extening windows to the second monitor. After any reboot, unless I uncheck it, save and recheck the extend to both monitors box, it crashes bad when I try and open Flash.

Also, when I do that, it doesn't remember the state of previous settings. Like opening a new window in the second monitor.

You need to do that, and then restart, before you open Flash. For some reason WXP only likes to save the desktop settings like that when you log out.

What make/model are each of your cards?

One more thing. You say you have an Intel board. Go to the Intel site and make sure you have the latest drivers for your board and latest firmware revision for your BIOS. There's probably an update to your AGP chipset, which will cure the fuzziness.

These are the cardss:

Connect3D Radeon 7000 / 64MB DDR / AGP / VGA / DVI /TV Out / Video Card (C261-6005)

PowerColor Radeon 7000 / 64MB DDR / PCI / VGA / DVI / TV Out / Video Card (P262-1002)

They are all updated, as is my BIOS and everything else it's possible to update, as of 3 or 4 weeks ago.

I also had the thought to check the extend to both monitors thing, Apply/Save and reboot. Didn't help. For whatever reason, if I reboot again, I have to uncheck/apply and then do it all again to reapply the extended monitors before I can open flash.

And, I found the CD for my older monitor and reinstalled the drivers for that. I got back some of the color, but not like when it plays alone. It didn't help the crash problem at all.

As I said in my previous post all my troubles were due to the fact that I had Adobe Cue installed, so maybe some other software is causing you all this trouble.
I know that uninstalling and installing software can be tedious (and not the most techy solution) but it could be an alternative way to go.
Also lost color and sharpness in my old monitor, something that was driving me crazy because I knew that it didn't look that bad before, so I asked a technician that lives in my building if he could help me with it. And he did, but he had to open the case and tweak something called "flyback" if i remember the name correctly, which increased the brightness of it. He gave me an explanation that involved hertz and the voltage of the monitor, but I was completely lost by then, still the monitor displays much better now than it did before i had the two of them running.

Well, hope you can get it right.

w00t - got it. I should have known. It was the card driver. Apparently, I got the wrong one. So I checked around and downloaded and installed the latest driver for this card. Since both cards are essentially the same, Radeon 7000 series, one driver seems to cover both of them, or the other driver I installed was for one card, this got the other one, not sure. At any rate, the restart business is fixed. What a relief. :)

The secondary monitor still looks a bit washed out, but it is better than it was. I can live with it, and will probably edit the color later.

Thanks to all who helped. It's really appreciated.

Now, what do I do with it? LOL. I mean I know the obvious, but is there any neet things you've found you can do with duals that you want to share? :D