Dual Monitors

[Taxizen]

I deciede to have dual monitors.

I remember you guys talked about dual monitors. But, I don't know how to do it.

My computer (pentium dual-core, 64bit system)'s video card (Intel® G33/G31 Express Chipset Family) doesn't support dual card.

What do I need for dual monitors? Which brand is good for my computer?

Any adivice is greatly appreciated.

[Randall]

I deciede to have dual monitors.

I remember you guys talked about dual monitors. But, I don't know how to do it.

My computer (pentium dual-core, 64bit system)'s video card (Intel® G33/G31 Express Chipset Family) doesn't support dual card.

What do I need for dual monitors? Which brand is good for my computer?

Any adivice is greatly appreciated.

I'm not a techie. I think the better way is to have a techie upgrade your system. But a few years ago, I purchased a low priced monitor. I didn't have an extra port on my computer to plug in the 2nd monitor. I purchased an adaptor (Tritan), plugged the monitor into the adaptor, plugged the adaptor into my computer using an available USB port. The adaptor came with software that allows me to use the 2nd monitor as an extension of the 1st, a mirror of the 1st, or even as the primary (with the 1st monitor as the secondary). It has worked well for me. Low cost and I was able to do it myself.

I plan to buy a new system later this year and make sure I have the availability to go with at least two monitors, maybe three.

[Taxizen]

Sorry, I made an error. My computer's video card doesn't support dual monitors.

I heard I can install another graphics card and use both. Or do I have to buy a new graphics card which supports dual monitors?

[Jack from Ohio]

Video cards that support 2 monitors are becoming the standard for add on. Not expensive either. $39-$150 depending on how fast you want them to be.

[Eric]

I deciede to have dual monitors.

I remember you guys talked about dual monitors. But, I don't know how to do it.

My computer (pentium dual-core, 64bit system)'s video card (Intel® G33/G31 Express Chipset Family) doesn't support dual card.

What do I need for dual monitors? Which brand is good for my computer?

Any adivice is greatly appreciated.

My advice would be to have someone open up the computer and see what type of card you should get. It sounds like you probably need a PCI Express video card, but I don't know if you have a PCI Express 16x slot or a 1x slot. Lots of budget systems only have the 1x slots and regular PCI slots.

And if this card is just for work and no games or movie watching, you shouldn't have to spend more than $65 for a good video card.

[MN dhawk]

I used 2 monitors for a couple years and loved it. One of them rotated 90 degrees so there was no need to scroll the tax form. Now I just us a 24" monitor and can see the tax forms for both years ok without scrolling. I noticed that a 22" wasn't quite adequate.

The CPA down stairs used a 32" TV and loved it. It got stolen and he upgraded to 36" and he likes that even better. I can even recognize his ProSeries tax program from outside on the sidewalk.

[Margaret CPA in OH]

When you use a single 24 inch monitor, do you just split the screen? Now I have 2 x 17" and the prior year's program opens on the right screen, current on the left. I have IE always open on the right and my email client on the left, etc. Does a split screen work the same way? The might be the replacement option when one of these goes bye bye!

[JohnH]

The CPA down stairs used a 32" TV and loved it. It got stolen and he upgraded to 36" and he likes that even better. I can even recognize his ProSeries tax program from outside on the sidewalk.

Would that potentially create any sort of privacy issue? :)

[Eric]

When you use a single 24 inch monitor, do you just split the screen?

The nice thing about having separate monitors is to be able to physically split your applications. You can maximize an application in one monitor without it overflowing to the stuff that's on the other.. if you split them up side by side in a single monitor, maximizing one of your windows would make it take up the entire screen. That just seems like it'd be a pain to me.

Also, I'm going to guess that you're running your 17" monitors at 1024x768. Two of them gives you a horizontal space of 2048 pixels. Your average 24" monitor runs at a native resolution of 1920 x 1200, which is actually less horizontal space, but a bit more vertical space.

You can get a 22" monitor and a 19" monitor for about the same price, or maybe just a few more bucks than a single 24"

[Margaret CPA in OH]

The resolution is actually at 800 x 600 so that my aged eyes can see without strain. It can be a bit of a pain having to scroll some things but I manage in order to see easily. And yes, I do split my programs as I described. I wouldn't like to take up the entire screen with one program. Thanks for the information. I think I will stick with what I have!

[Taxizen]

My advice would be to have someone open up the computer and see what type of card you should get. It sounds like you probably need a PCI Express video card, but I don't know if you have a PCI Express 16x slot or a 1x slot. Lots of budget systems only have the 1x slots and regular PCI slots.

And if this card is just for work and no games or movie watching, you shouldn't have to spend more than $65 for a good video card.

Thank you for your kindness to show the type of slots. It helps me to figure out.

[MN dhawk]

When you use a single 24 inch monitor, do you just split the screen? Now I have 2 x 17" and the prior year's program opens on the right screen, current on the left. I have IE always open on the right and my email client on the left, etc. Does a split screen work the same way? The might be the replacement option when one of these goes bye bye!

It's just a bigger screen. The windows reload where I last closed them. The '08 Atx program is on the left and the '07 is on the right.

On thing about dual monitors did drive me crazy. One monitor went bad. I should have bought a replacement immediately but I was busy and just used one. Programs that were used to loading on the missing monitor loaded but I was not able to find them.

[MN dhawk]

Would that potentially create any sort of privacy issue?

I can't read any data but I can recognize the ProSeries home page because I used to use it before ATX.

[Eric]

Thank you for your kindness to show the type of slots. It helps me to figure out.

It's likely that you'll have more than one type of slot. Go with PCI Express 16x if you can. If it's in there, it's always the one on top.

Here's a picture of an actual motherboard. The top one is PCIe 16x, the next two are PCIe 1x, and the other three are just plain PCI. No idea why the last one is red, probably just for looks.

[Catherine]

It's likely that you'll have more than one type of slot. Go with PCI Express 16x if you can. If it's in there, it's always the one on top.

Here's a picture of an actual motherboard. The top one is PCIe 16x, the next two are PCIe 1x, and the other three are just plain PCI. No idea why the last one is red, probably just for looks.

I think the red one is the "plug something in here and we fry ALL your data!!!!" slot.

:P

[TAXBILLY]

Good one C!

taxbilly

[Randall]

It's likely that you'll have more than one type of slot. Go with PCI Express 16x if you can. If it's in there, it's always the one on top.

Here's a picture of an actual motherboard. The top one is PCIe 16x, the next two are PCIe 1x, and the other three are just plain PCI. No idea why the last one is red, probably just for looks.

Wow. This is when I call my techie. I'll try to troubleshoot the software and the paripheral equipment (plug and play stuff). But opening the box, it's all greek to me.