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Multi-screen vs. single big.

BarnacleGrim

Well-known member
What do you guys prefer?

There's really a limit how big the screen can be and still be usable, depending on the desk depth. So one might be better off with two or more in a row. It seems like a lot of gamers and movie buffs use HDTVs as computer screens, which is perfect for that use, but very poor for things like photography, or any application that takes up a lot of screen real estate (resolution being the key). Multi display rigs are pretty common in shipping, where you have loading software, technical manuals, control consoles, alarm systems, CCTV, etc. all in a row. When I got my LaCie photon20vision it was considered a big screen, but lately I've been thinking to myself that if I ever see another matching photon20vision and it's not too expensive I'll buy it. As an added bonus it would be easier to focus on the job if one screen is dedicated to that and another is dedicated to browsing, email, etc.

 

Osgeld

Banned
back in 2000 when I got my 20 inch lcd (yea that was cheap but it still looks wonderful) I thought I was done with multiple screens

linux virtual desktops help that a lot, but there are still times when I am sitting here thinking about how I can cram another screen on here (its a small desk), on the flip side my wife has a pretty decent large DVI widescreen monitor, and its nearly like having 2 next to each other so space is a consideration

before I went lcd only, I had a 19 inch viewsonic as my "real color, good picture, high res" screen and some random crap 14-15 inch crt to do nothing else but hold the toolboxes out of my way

 

Paralel

Well-known member
I can't really see using anything more than the 21" I have now. Even that seems like too much. It fills my entire forward visual field from where I am sitting.

The lines between "Large Desktop Monitor" & "Small Family-Sized Television" seem to be getting quite blurred.

One of my friends was looking at a 32" widescreen monitor recently. I thought that was excessive. My main TV is a 32"!

 

~Coxy

Leader, Tactical Ops Unit
I prefer multiple screens. They are typically cheaper than a single larger screen, they support workflows like fullscreen games, and they work better with the Windows way of doing things (ie. mostly running maximised apps).

I have 2x20" (1680x1050 each) at home and 2x19" (unfortunately only 1280x1024 each) at work.

 

Unknown_K

Well-known member
I would rather have one huge screen then multiple small ones. I work my apps full screen and it is very easy in Windows using a Microsoft optical to just press the scroller down and jump between apps. The only time I liked multiple monitors was when I was using Photoshop on a 68K mac when the pallete is on one monitor and your work is on the other. I also use dual monitors for video editing.

Currently I kind of like the 19" LCD I have, it is only 1280x1024 but I like the text size compared to my old Sony 19" CRT that did 1600x1200. Widescreens just don't do it for me for a PC monitor.

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
I've always been a multiple screen type (CRTs Rule!) and have continued the trend with LCDs. I have three different multiscreen setups at home, my favorite is two Graphics Quality 21" CRTs, one of which is in Portrait Mode!

At work use a Linux based, thin-client terminal, running a .txt based database with a terribly overloaded server. :p

It was much better back when I was a Kitchen Cabinet Designer there, I had a "real" computer back then, but who ever heard of a $5k CAD seat with the same freakin' 15" CRT as the thin-clients? MoronicManagement!

 

Charlieman

Well-known member
Give me two monitors at work, please. One for "business" (Outlook, Helpdesk software) and one for "tech" (various consoles, web searches). Your mileage may be different according to the virtualisation and terminals where you work.

At home -- for writing, photo editing, web browsing -- a wide screen works better.

 

jwmcfarlin

Well-known member
Multiple monitors here. You can turn off the ones you're not using, you can use them in different configurations, that sort of thing.

Best,

John

 

beachycove

Well-known member
I just now bought on eBay a Radeon 7500 (32MB; ADC and VGA) to upgrade my G4 Cube from the stock ATI video card presently in it to something that can handle dual monitors (the original cannot). In fact, one seller has them available so cheaply right now, along with that eBay rarity of shipping at cost to boot, that I bought two of them so as to have one spare (having fried a Radeon 7500 in a Cube once before). I did have a 64MB GeForce 4MX earmarked for this use, but it is a much more difficult thing to install in a Cube than a 7500, which just slots in, and the parts for the hack would likely have cost more than both 7500 cards did, shipped. So that suits me; I am not a gamer, and I get Quartz Extreme this way in X.4.

As I have taken to using the Cube regularly for a major new writing project that will likely take a couple of years to complete, I have decided that I could make good use of more screen real estate than my 17" Studio Display affords. As it happens, there is a 20" Radius Greyscale sitting there just next to the Cube, begging to display text once more.

So with the Radeon 7500 and a dual display setup, we'd have a marriage of the old and new. Now, if only I could find a keyboard as good as my Extended II for the thing, or one of those ADB-to-USB adapters. Hmm....

I suppose this could be said to be another peripherals question — or alternatively a peripheral question! — so here goes: Do you suppose there is enough power from the Cube's underside USB ports to power a small (say, 60mm) fan that I could use to push a air up through the machine's venting system rather than having to rely on convection alone? USB is 12v, isn't it? I have numerous small case fans that I could press into service, and they can't consume much current. Ideally, it would just be a matter of sacrificing a USB cable and making use of the obvious wiring connection.

 

~Coxy

Leader, Tactical Ops Unit
iMates appear regularly on eBay from what I've seen, and aren't *too* expensive.

USB is 5V, and generally only delivers 100 mA unless a device asks for more power. I don't think this will be enough power to start turning even a small 12V fan, but it could be worth a shot.

Personally I would much rather go for a larger 120 or 140 mm fan undervolted to 5V off a beefier external power supply. This is likely to be both quieter and provide much more air movement.

 

beachycove

Well-known member
Ah, 5v it is, but the Cube's speakers demanded higher Amps; 4A output is possible.

All the same, maybe I'll see about using an external ps. Thanks.

 

geeko

Well-known member
for the fan just use a fan from a laptop stand, those are meant to be run from usb (they probably already have the usb connector attached.) is not, firewire supplies 12volts, so you could use a fan powered off that.

 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Triplets ROCK! :approve:

In order to match what three mid-sized monitors, tangentially angled to the user, can display effectively, a single large LCD would suffer severe angle of view related brightness falloff toward the edges.

Until the day that someone develops and markets an arced or a Spherical-Segment LCD Display Triplets will continue to rule.

However if both smaller side LCDs are in portrait orientation with a matched height widescreen center LCD or all three of equally sized Triplets are portrait swivel capable, this configuration will continue to rule over the aforementioned LCD developments.

IMHO, of course! :eek:)

 
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