Two monitor setup..

I just brought myself two new monitors which i'd like to hook up together with dual-screen. I think i need a new graphics card, i only have one VGA plugin right now, but im wondering if theres anything that i can get to extend it to two plugins? or would i just have to get a new graphics card..

I'm sort of confusing myself with this so hope it makes sense

edit: i've just found a 'VGA splitter', anyone have any thoughts? Think this would work?

 

If you want to have two different full sized screens, and your VGA card only has one output, according to my understanding, you will need to get a new graphics card.

 

Thanks for the reply, and yeah your right.. i just went down to the shop and they said the same thing (i'm not good with hardware)

 

Sure. I'm not the best either, but I'm working on it. Doing a 2 monitor setup is currently actually relatively easy, as there are a lot of vga/dvi cards out there with one output for each, due to the market changing over from VGA to DVI, I have on on the current work box I'm using, and am doing a 2 monitor setup with a dvi to vga converter.

 

Oh cool, well i got the two monitors here will go hunting for a graphics card tomorrow i suppose

 

I’ve been wanting to do this for some time now. How does this work exactly??? Will each screen display the same or does each only show a portion of the desktop? What are the advantages of having two screens??

 

http://daggle.com/060223-231233.html

 

Link below shows you what its like.

I think it looks sort of cool but its handy because you can drag windows over to the other screen etc etc

 

With two outputs you can do one of the following:

Get them both to show the same thing (why would you want too though?)
Stretch one desktop across both, so that a maximized window will show across both (usually annoying with that gap in the middle)
Extend your desktop onto both, so that if you maximize a window it fills one monitor, but nothing in the other.

As for a splitter, I doubt it. For one thing, see the above problem with stretching your desktop. For another, a splitter normally sends the same signal from one source to two different output devices (like an audio splitter you'd plug into a CD player with, then hear the same music on two different sets of head phones). This also weakens the signal and can increase noise on the output devices.

 

I need this!!! I already have a 19” flat screen monitor now I only two more and a better graphics card

 

lol i just got a 17" & 15", looking good though. Just need to get a new graphics card now lol

 

*snickers* I'm replacing my old honking huge normal ratio CRT. I'm hoping I can pipe TV into it too, and get the old CRT TV off my desk, making a bit more room.

 

You might want to give eBay a try. I bought my latest card second hand and it was a pretty decent buy. With LCD prices going down I’m sure I can pick up to more monitors like the one I have for around 400 Euros.

 

Its done quite often by traders who need to follow prices and charts on different markets. I would love to have this set up as well, if only because I could use one for gaming.

 

<.< >.> And you have what kind of guarantee that it will be in working order when you get it?

 

I'd like to do this too.. any more info?

 

Most cards come with both VGA and DVI-D anyway, so they are dual monitor capable by default. I have a GF6600GT at home, currently running a 20.1inch benq TFT and a 19 inch Phillips CRT.

Really great for those times when you want to watch a movie and work at the same time

 

Yeah, well my original card only had VGA slot but i have it up and running now