This seems to be a popular set up in foreign forums - the main monitor is usually calibrated and used for processing, while the secondary is where the tool palettes (and other applications like TV, net browser, etc.) are parked and need not be color-managed.

Out of curiosity, I borrowed my son's 17" LCD and plugged it to the analog port of my video card, while my 20" LCD is running on the same video card's DVI port. After some minor adjustment in display settings (I'm using Windows XP HE with SP2), it worked! The extra real estate available for photo editing is amazing.... actually addicting. I'm now seriously looking at setting up dual monitors.

Anybody using dual monitors on their desktop? Can you share your experience, as well as the pros and cons?

Thanks,

Romy

i use my powerbook's 15" display for my tools, and the office provided me with a 20" apple cinema display. as far as layout and editing goes, it rocks. the only problem is when i need to access tools docked in one side (powerbook's display side) i have to go across the whole real estate of the 20" display. it gets really confusing at first. but you'll get the hang of it.

haven't used it for gaming though.

My PowerBook 12" is connected to a 21" Radius CRT at home. And just like Niño's setup, all the tools, even browser and iChat are on the PowerBook. When I need more screen real estate on the PB, I just hide the tools in Photoshop or use Exposé to conveniently switch between open applications.

Plus, a Wacom tablet helps speed up going from the main screen to the 2nd screen and vice-versa. HTH :)

Dual monitors is a fantastic way to work. works great with a wacom tablet or trackball as well. you need a larger mouse pad if you're using a mouse. less toglling between applications.

The tools in photoshop take way too much real estate on one monitor, and you end up zooming back and forth constantly. your 17" monitor actually becomes an 8" monitor due to all the tools. I've been using it for more than 7 years (used to require special dual headed video cards and cables) and personally i'd rather have two small monitors like 2x15" than one 21" monitor, it might change with a 30" monitor though. haven't tried it.

The evolutionary changes in Photoshop CS2 also takes great advantage of two monitors. no longer are the open files restricted to PS window itself so you could actually be viewing two files at the same time. even two files of the same thing since one can be set at 100% zoom and the other at full view.

Efficiency in theory also increases bec you can browse on one screen while doing photoshop work on another. of course if browsing is not related to what you're doing, inneficiency goes up. ;) but at least the eye dropper from PS works on all other software so now you can pick colors from the web browser as well as ideal sepia toning colors from your reference photographs on the web and use the colors.

Careful though, you'll find it hard working on smaller squarish screens from now on, the 16:9 format screen are actually not too bad.

Thanks for the encouraging info, guys....:)

Any problem so far (aside from getting used to longer pointer travel) when you're running two displays with different screen resolutions?

Romy

tried warcraft III now with the dual monitor setup. whoa, confused state... had to shift it to the 20" ACD.

different resolutions are workable. ideally, you want monitors that are close in size and resolution so your pointer pops up where you expect it to. but i use a 21" @1600x1200 crt and an 15" lcd at 1280x? you just have to get used to where the pointer went. it means i can't split a window in between since the higher resolution will make the window smaller. but it's highly useable.

in regards to calibration, the xrite monaco, calibrated both mointors easily. Resuts are not exact, since there's too much variation in the properties of both monitors, but it's close enough.

different resolutions are workable. ideally, you want monitors that are close in size and resolution so your pointer pops up where you expect it to. but i use a 21" @1600x1200 crt and an 15" lcd at 1280x? you just have to get used to where the pointer went. it means i can't split a window in between since the higher resolution will make the window smaller. but it's highly useable.

in regards to calibration, the xrite monaco, calibrated both mointors easily. Resuts are not exact, since there's too much variation in the properties of both monitors, but it's close enough.

Thanks, Enjoy.

I also use the xRite Monaco - when calibrating, does the OS (WinXP in my case) automatically assign the particular profile to each monitor?

Romy

yes, xrite just assigns the profiles for each monitor during start up on XP.
just drag the calibration to the other monitor and run it again, voila, two profiles!

yes, xrite just assigns the profiles for each monitor during start up on XP.
just drag the calibration to the other monitor and run it again, voila, two profiles!

Many thanks! :)

Used dual monitors in the states, it takes a while getting used to but once you get the hang of it. Currently I don't have much real estate for dual monitors in my workspace, so I got myself a 21" LCD that can rotate to portrait mode, personally I like it better than the dual monitor set-up, especially when working on portrait oriented images.

Thanks everybody for the mostly positive feedback on dual monitors... just got a cheapo 17" LCD (Samsung 740N) as my pallette parking area. This is most probably a 6-bit TN panel, interpolated to 8-bits, for only 16.2 million colors.

It calibrated just fine with the Monaco XRite, and as Enjoy correctly stated, WinXP automatically assigned its color profile. It looks a bit punchier and contrastier than my primary 20" PMVA panel, and of course being a TN, colors shift with a slight change of viewing angle. But that's ok... a pallette and TV tuner park need not be the best in color fidelity.

The extra real estate for processing is a joy to use, and I got used right away to the longer pointer travel. I had to buy a larger mouse pad though...:)

Romy

I have been using dual monitors for more than 7 years now. The feature first came out with Windows 98. Can't imagine going back :(

Currently running dual Dell 24" Lcd's.

Cheers!

@Zandy: Actually used a dual-monitor setup back in '94 with a Mac IIci running System 6 with an Apple 8•24 GC card. The 13" Apple RGB monitor was connected to the GC card, while a 21" b&w 2-page crt display was connected to the IIci's built-in video card. :) It's really a great way to boost productivity working on a dual monitor setup :)

@Zandy: Actually used a dual-monitor setup back in '94 with a Mac IIci running System 6 with an Apple 8•24 GC card. The 13" Apple RGB monitor was connected to the GC card, while a 21" b&w 2-page crt display was connected to the IIci's built-in video card. :) It's really a great way to boost productivity working on a dual monitor setup :)
Cool! I should have known those things always originate from a Mac, they always do :Grin:

Cheers!

Currently running dual Dell 24" Lcd's.
Cheers!

Wow... that must need a large work desk...:)

Romy

Wow... that must need a large work desk...:)

Romy

Doesn't look as large looking from wide angle perspective :Grin:
Taken with a Sigma 10-20mm @ 10mm
http://zandy.smugmug.com/photos/91579627-L.jpg

Wow Zandy, nice workstation. :)

Wow Zandy, nice workstation. :)
Thanks Earl. I spend most of my waking hours sitting there(need to get more sun) :(
Also, I just happen to clean it a few days before so you don't see as much junk :D

Thanks Earl. I spend most of my waking hours sitting there(need to get more sun) :(
Also, I just happen to clean it a few days before so you don't see as much junk :D

My work station is terrible... I dragged the living room long-sofa to make it my chair/bed... Sometimes I'm too exhausted... at least with that set-up I can drop down easily. :)

My work station is terrible... I dragged the living room long-sofa to make it my chair/bed... Sometimes I'm too exhausted... at least with that set-up I can drop down easily. :)

LOL! That wouldn't work for me. Parati siguro ako makakatulog :)

Impressive work screens! When doing PS work in those, it must feel like one is watching a movie... :)

Romy

Doesn't look as large looking from wide angle perspective :Grin:
Taken with a Sigma 10-20mm @ 10mm
http://zandy.smugmug.com/photos/91579627-L.jpg