On Sun, 09 Feb 2003 12:04:33 GMT, Geiger <nospam@nono.com> wrote:

>

>I have used dual monitors in two ways: 1. with a single card having two

>video outputs (i.e. dual-headed card), and 2. with two cards each having

>a video output.

>

>In 1. the desktop stretches across the two monitors. Using a

>dual-headed card used to be the only solution in getting dual-monitor to

>work in NT (i.e. pre-Windows 2000). Not sure if this limitation has

>been lifted with new service packs.

>

>In 2. you assign a primary display which receives console pop-up

>messages. The desktop is confined to the primary display.

>

>In either case you can move or stretch any window across the two

>monitors. However, maximizing a window would make it occupy two

>monitors in setup #1, whereas in #2 the window would occupy only the

>primary monitor.

>

>There are also some caveats with a two-card setup in 2: some programs

>such as DVD player and games would only display on the primary display.

> I never had the chance to find out how setup #1 worked when playing a

>DVD movie, but I sure hope the movie is not split between two monitors.

>

>Finally, I don't think there's a right way or wrong way to implement

>dual monitors; I think each has its pros and cons. I personally prefer

>a 2-card setup since I don't like to see pop-up screens split between

>two monitors.

>

>As to running MDI applications to take advantage of dual monitors:

>simply stretch the main window across both monitors so it becomes your

>"desktop", and voila, you can move your subwindows anywhere on your two

>monitors.

>

>My US$ 0.02.

And my US $0.02 worth...;-)

We have built many a computer, and using either

a single dual-head video card or a pair of

"mono-head" cards, the set-up has been easy with

Win98, Win98SE, and Win2k. Once set up, any program

will stretch out over the dual monitors, though

some few things work only in the primary monitor

(boot info, hardware overlay with Canopus Raptor).

Dual-head cards can be set up so that menus appear

in one monitor or the other (but can be manually

moved to either), without appearing split in the

middle. For video editing, I think a dual-monitor

set-up is essential for efficient use of screen

area (see: www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/premiere.htm,

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/multi-camera.htm, and

www.David-Ruether-Photography.com/multi-camera2.htm for

some dual-17" and a dual 17"-19" Premiere layouts).