[manu08]

Ok these are my specs.

Alienware desktop PC
3.00 GHz with HT
1GB RAM DDR 400MHz (2x512MB) (OCZ4001024ELDCGE-K)
128MB GeForce FX 5700 Ultra
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2
80GB HDD, 7200Rpm
17" LCD Monitor
DVD-ROM
CD-Writer

What do I want to do ? Well, hmm..I currently have one monitor. I wanna buy another monitor and connect it to the same graphics card, so basically then I'll have like two monitors connected to one pc, in other words having a dual display.
But that is only the "not-complex" part. Would it be possible for me to have it as two different screens. Like I'm playing a game on one monitor and on the other I can see my desktop. So while I'm playing the game the mouse and keyboard are collaborated with that monitor but as I move the mouse from that monitor onto the other they get collaborated with that monitor & then I'll only be controlling that monitor while the other monitor like just doesn't get a response. Anyone get what I'm trying to say ?

[Advertisements]

all of that is possible...if your video card has dual monitor support that should all be easy to set up...by the picture i got of the card...it has svideo, vga, and dvi outputs...so if you get another monitor you could get a nice lcd with dvi connections...if you don't you will need a dvi to vga converter (easy to get and not expensive)....than all you have to do is hook up the n ew monitor and set your display settings for dual monitors...there's a setting that allows you to bridge the desktop across multiple screens so that you can drag programs over to the other monitor...and some graphix card driver programs have an ability to let you have two fully operation desktops...as when you bridge the desktop...you still only have the start menu on the primary monitor..where as with the other kind of setup...you can have a start menu on both monitors

[dsenette]

all of that is possible...if your video card has dual monitor support that should all be easy to set up...by the picture i got of the card...it has svideo, vga, and dvi outputs...so if you get another monitor you could get a nice lcd with dvi connections...if you don't you will need a dvi to vga converter (easy to get and not expensive)....than all you have to do is hook up the n ew monitor and set your display settings for dual monitors...there's a setting that allows you to bridge the desktop across multiple screens so that you can drag programs over to the other monitor...and some graphix card driver programs have an ability to let you have two fully operation desktops...as when you bridge the desktop...you still only have the start menu on the primary monitor..where as with the other kind of setup...you can have a start menu on both monitors

[manu08]

Ok well to start with how can I find out if my video card supports dual monitor. Btw the connections on my card are 1 DVI (which I'm using), 1 Analog & 1 S-Video. I have another spair analog CRT monitor which I could use to experiment all this stuff I want to try out first & then if all goes well I can buy a decent LCD monitor.
I will need a lot of help throughout the process & I would greatly appreciate as much support as you can provide.

Thanks dsenette

[dsenette]

well....if it's got two ports..then it supports dual monitors...(i forgot to take that "if your video card has dual monitor support that should all be easy to set up" part out)....and that "analog" is the VGA port (it's blue on the inside) soo just hook up that old crt to the vga port....then right click on your desktop...do properties...then advanced...let me know what comes up (better yet...post a screen shot if you can)

[manu08]

Connected the second monitor and well I've attached the screenshot of what I think you're looking for. Please let me know how to proceed.

Attached Thumbnails

• 

[dsenette]

perfect let me give you the rundown of those settings
single display - duh
clone - same thing on both monitors
horizontal span- your desktop spans across the monitors in a horizontal lfashion...in that if you set the second monitor on the side of the first monitor..you can drag things from the first monitor off the side into the second monitor

vertical span...same as above...but the drag goes up and down

[manu08]

I just tried out horizontal span. Hmmm, not exactly what I was looking for but close. The problem with horizontal span is I won't be able to play games. My monitors are about 10 - 12 cm apart and that well while playing a game could get very very annoying so, is there any other solution ?
How about what you said about

..where as with the other kind of setup...you can have a start menu on both monitors

how would that be done ?

[dsenette]

you'll have to check out the website for your graphx card on that one....