Dual or Single Monitor

[Vimeous]

We're running two twin monitor setups at home and I have a big single at work.
My gf runs her video-editing so twin-screens is vital to give space for the preview, timeline, clips and various other effects windows.
For me I originally did my web-editing on one with the preview + IRC on the other so I could keep in contact with the mod team and work at the same time. Nowadays I find it useful for referential surfing where I keep various windows in the usual manner on one monitor while I have the comparison window on the other.

I'm still not happy the screens are only capable of 1280x1024, especially for the film editing, but there are no good-value 19" TFT's capable of 1600x1200.

For work I could really do with twin's (current 1600x1200 on a 19" CRT) so I can keep track of my servers, monitor user usage and do my usual admin work but I got far more important things to get sorted first!

[darrensen]

1 is enough for me. All i do is play games and general surfing. If i wanna check my mail i'd do it as soon as my pc boots. The only benifit for me having 2 TFT's would be the monitoring of my pc temps.

[0iD]

2 19" Hansol 930D's @ home. 'Just' enough deskspace to accomodate both.
One is hooked up to the KVM so i can switch to my (pc with no purpose) shuttle.

[tiggerai]

If you are a special boy and have more than two then just vote yes.

Just asking as I've got hooked on it

I am a very special boy... as I'm a girl.
I'd like more than 2, but can't afford at the moment.
Dual It will have to be, plus my laptop on the go at the moment.

Dual Monitors makes it so much easier to develop code for a start.

[Dougal]

I had a 17" CRT and my 17" TV (TV for itunes)

then a 17" CRT and 19" TFT

Now I am down to the 19" TFT as I am at home. But projector is coming smoothly should be finished by the first week of august.

[sybrows]

I just scored two 19" Iiyama visionmaster 450's from work so have them on my desk. Take up a hell of a lot of room, but quite a laugh when Playing M$ flight simulator. useful for doing multiple tasks n'all.
BrOw

[nichomach]

Dual at work - makes work so much easier. Single at home; no requirement for dual.

[Matt1eD]

I'm still not happy the screens are only capable of 1280x1024, especially for the film editing, but there are no good-value 19" TFT's capable of 1600x1200.

For work I could really do with twin's (current 1600x1200 on a 19" CRT) so I can keep track of my servers, monitor user usage and do my usual admin work but I got far more important things to get sorted first!

I used to run 1600 × 1200 on one of my 17" it was great

Have that monitor to my mum though... twas a flat CRT, really good quality

[Atomic]

Work #1: Laptop: 15" TFT (1280x1024)
Work #2: 24" Widescreen TFT (1920x1200)

Home: 20" Widescreen TFT at home (1680x1050)

(Used to have dual 17" TFTs at home but prefer a single widescreen now)

[Butcher]

But the 2 aren't related. What can 2 monitors do that 1 can't?

Display 2 full screen windows?

[nichomach]

But the 2 aren't related. What can 2 monitors do that 1 can't?

I often run lengthy database updates on one screen while keeping my mail client open and working in a document on another. Trust me, it saves a crapload of time, and makes my job a lot easier. Same goes for running network monitoring apps, stuff like that. Trust me, it helps.

[Mike Fishcake]

I use two.

Reasons?

- Copying and pasting from one document is so much easier.
- I have email open in one window and other applications in another.
- Can also have an excel spreadsheet stretched across 2 monitors. (cheaper than one huge widescreen)
- comparing prices from 2 different manufacturers websites

Of course I can work without it, it's not necessary, but it makes stuff easier!!

[rox0r]

Used to have three 21" CRTs, then had dual via 21" CRT and 19" TFT and now down to a single 19" TFT.

Gave it up when I sat and looked at how much I'd spent just to open my email on a seperate screen and have download monitor thingies. Nice, but ultimately just fell prey to willy waving syndrome and have come back down to earth.

Was always in the "can't live without dual screen now" camp but meh, one's enough now

[Lee H]

One for email? Does the other monitor not display emails or somet lol.

I see no point in having more than 1 monitor for 99% of people.

Seriously - never knock it till you have at least tried it for a few days.

It's great and you'll never want to go back to a single "cluttered" desktop ever again. I have mine setup so my email and music and IM programs are all on the right screen, with games, email, web etc all on the left.

Much easier to use - better productivity ( I just need another TFT for my work desk now )

Dualview support is also great - and having 2 DVB tuners means I can also have 2 channels at the same time ( 1 per display )

[unrealrocks]

Well technically no I don't run a dual monitor, I run 3 (or four if I'm watching a movie).

Seriously Smokey - a friend of mine saw my (back then dual) setup and thought it was a waste of time, he had a spare display so I forced him to set it up, and within the evening he never wanted togo back It's just great, seriously.

[Howard]

I run two, and to be honest I would never go back. I have Outlook on the secondary one running all the time, and something like WMP over the top if I'm playing music or watching a video for example, as well as temporarily moving anything relevant over to the other screen if I'm working on documents or something. As Mike said, copying and pasting is a lot easier as well as general comparisons. I can also have remote desktop / VNC on the other monitor for controlling my server/other workstations as if I was at them!

It's excellent

Alex, your triple-monitor setup is a bit less useful That little monitor doesn't do much that your others can't And the graphics card eats resources


Yeah I've recently got one of my friends into it when he once thought it was pointless.... He would never go back either. Don't knock it till you've tried it