I don't know what I would do without my dual monitor setup. Windows XP allows the use of two monitors acting as one. In other words, I have two monitors in front of me, and my mouse will "jump" from one monitor to the next.

I can open an Excel file on the left while surfing the 'net on the right. It is a BOON to productivity, eyesight, and my techie sensibilities.

In the past, you needed to have a special graphics card with two video outs attached. Now (with XP), you simply need to install a second graphics card (CHEAP), and reconfigure the screen layout.

Anyone go for three?

 

We're not doing it yet, but we're talking about it in the office. Our tax software allows us to (on Windows XP) view the input screen on one monitor and the forms screen on the other. It would be nice to try. I think it would be more efficient to see both views at once instead of switching back and forth.

 

It's addicting. Further, the price of 17" flat monitors is down in the $200's now, which means that you can have a truly awesome system.

 

Of course, you could buy just one of the new Apple 30 inch monitors....

 

Anyone for TWO 30" monitors...?

Did I mention that it's addicting?

 

Couldn't live without them.

 

Who needs two? My fifty inch DLP monitor works just fine. It was a lot more expensive than simply buying glasses, but it's a lot more fun.

 

How do you set this up?

My computer has only one AGP slot, so if I install another graphics card it would have to be in a PCI slot. Does XP accept this? How do you set up the dual screen facility in XP? How does the keyboard/mouse know which display to input to?

No doubt this is all set out in a Microsoft Help topic somewhere, but I cannot locate it, so can some kind person point the way?

 

Try this:

Start
My Computer
Control Panel
Appearance & Themes
Display
Settings (tab)

You should be able to see in Settings that there is an option for multiple monitors. If you install the second graphics card, XP will recognize it and you're in business!

The mouse is neat--it will glide from one screen to the next, as if it were one screen. You can also move documents from one screen to another, simply by "dragging and dropping".