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Using multiple monitors and productivity

Nick

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Do you use more than one monitor? My desktop at home that I work at primarily has two displays. I find it really improves workflow for things like video editing, coding, or photgraphy work.

I have a 24" display and a 19" display side by side. Normally I "work" on the 24" display and use the 19" one for reference or video. For example, if I'm learning a new skill I will keep the training video on the right monitor and then work on the left monitor.

I was just thinking about this as I was in the middle of doing a color calibration on my screens. Yeah, slow morning :lol:
 

gmcunni

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at my desk i have 2nd display. laptop and monitor next to each other with USB keyboard and mouse.
 

Rushski

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At work I have a 24" (widescreen) and 20' (4x3 ratio). Very handy for drawing on the bigger screen and having my reference material on the smaller screen. Very handy and does make us more efficient.

Though it does take up valuable desk real estate.
 

kickstand

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At my last job, I had 3 19" wide-screen monitors. Shortly before I left, they gave me an old workstation and 2 22" wide-screen monitors for home (they were getting rid of them). My wife wondered why we needed 2 monitors at home, but I think she really likes it now. I can't imagine not having at least 2 monitors now.

When I started the new gig, all I had was a laptop. A nice Lenovo T420, but when you're used to 3 19" monitors lining your desk, it was very hard to get used to. They have since given me a standard HP 19" monitor that I use with the laptop screen. I hate the way they line up, though. I'd much rather have 2 19" monitors and not use the laptop screen.
 

Nick

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actuallly in my office i have a 19" monitor and I connect my laptop to it as well. There, I typically keep my email up one display and work on the other.
 

soposkier

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I have one 27" monitor, but wish I had two, even if they were smaller. Would be nice when working with multiple drawings in AutoCAD or when going between CAD and excel
 

TheBEast

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I have 2 x 19" monitors at work and can't live without them! I currently have 2 Dell 19" monitors at home that I'd like to hook-up together. Can anyone point me in the right direction for the correct cable I need? The monitors are probably 4-5 yr old flat panels from Dell. Just not sure if any ol splitter cable for the monitors will work or if I need something else.
 

kickstand

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I have 2 x 19" monitors at work and can't live without them! I currently have 2 Dell 19" monitors at home that I'd like to hook-up together. Can anyone point me in the right direction for the correct cable I need? The monitors are probably 4-5 yr old flat panels from Dell. Just not sure if any ol splitter cable for the monitors will work or if I need something else.

You may need a new video card, if the current one can't handle dual monitors. If it can, then you should only need a splitter, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-DMS-59-Splitter-Monitor-Adapter/dp/B003EHCPWM

I can't recall if my workstation at home has a dual monitor card (1 card, each monitor plugs into its own port) or if I'm using a splitter. I'm leaning towards the splitter.
 

hammer

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No, but for work I run VNCViewer to display a networked machine and it's a pain to switch back and forth between windows. Beats the alternative.
 

bvibert

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I recently got a laptop to replace my desktop at work. It came with a docking station that supports 2 monitors and a 23" widescreen. I put my old 19" 4:3 at the second monitor. I'm still getting used to make use of having two, but it's come in very handy a few times.


monitors by Brian Vibert, on Flickr
 

Glenn

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I have two 19"'s at work along with the privacy screens. I think the darn screens cost more than the monitors. After getting the second monitor, life got easier. I'm always togging between two docs/window/ect. Having them both next to each other is a huge help.
 

billski

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You may need a new video card, if the current one can't handle dual monitors. If it can, then you should only need a splitter, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-DMS-59-Splitter-Monitor-Adapter/dp/B003EHCPWM

I can't recall if my workstation at home has a dual monitor card (1 card, each monitor plugs into its own port) or if I'm using a splitter. I'm leaning towards the splitter.

for my laptop, I got a DVI to USB adapter. Perfect for office work.

Only issue is when I get home my notebook gets a bit confused over different monitors, different resolutions.

Major productivity booster for someone who easily has 40+ windows at once, including several huge ppt, xls and outlook files large enough to put a lunar lander on. 8)
 

MR. evil

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At work I have a 24" (widescreen) and 20' (4x3 ratio). Very handy for drawing on the bigger screen and having my reference material on the smaller screen. Very handy and does make us more efficient.

Though it does take up valuable desk real estate.

I have a 28" in wide screen set up on a fancy monitor arm that I use for drawing (architecture) and I use my laptop screen for email & reference material. I sometime also drag over some of the many properties dialog boxes in the drafting software (the stay open all the time) to my laptop monitor freeing up more realestate on the big screen for drawing.
 

Geoff

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I use a 15.6" laptop and never bother with an external monitor. I have an HDMI cable so I can dump it to my 50" plasma if I feel so compelled but that's usually more of a substitute for a projector when I want to show somebody something on my machine.
 

bvibert

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I use the big screen for surfing AZ, and the other screen for everything else... :lol:
 

andyzee

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I find it very productive;

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