One or two monitors? Opinons requested –

I know that I will need a new video card

What is the exact make/model of your current video card?

If it has two outputs, you should be fine.

—
Regards

John Waller

Hi Ron,

Similar situation here as you…I went from a 19" Iiyama CRT, to adding a smaller 17" Samsung LCD alongside it for a while as a PS tool/palette workspace, to my current configuration <http://ambress.com/pc/ps_desk.jpg> where a 24" BenQ LCD is now my primary monitor with the 19" CRT secondary. I’m quite happy with my dual-DVI XFX GeForce 7600GT 256MB graphics card, as the dual DVI allows use of current digital monitors while a VGA adapter still permits me to use my CRT. So, I’ve still got growth capability to go dual DVI if the need arises. The nVidia-based graphics card driver allows the two monitors to be set up as clones or as single large desktop, according to your need. I suspect most people use a single desktop approach, akin to also what is the native dual-monitor support in Windows XP/Vista. And indeed, setting that up simply using the Windows Display Properties is a breeze…choose the resolution desired for each monitor, specify which is primary and which is the extended desktop/secondary monitor, position them in a window akin to how you have them laid out on your desk, and apply the settings.

While I’m using an nVidia card, ATI-based ones are also good and it may come down to just choosing the one that appeals most to you, in price and features.

Regards,

Daryl

Daryl: That cannot possibly be how your desk normally looks.

Only for photos, ID, only for photos. 🙂

This is mine:

If it is, he’s one sick individual. <g>

Bob

You’ve got a very nice view there John, but for as much as I hate yard work, I’d be afraid of being constantly reminded of other things needing my attention beyond Photoshop. I wish I did have the talent, time, and patience for keeping my yard looking so nice, but in a new neighborhood I’m lucky just to have grass and a bush or two.

Bob, my sickness doesn’t extend beyond the edges of my desktop… where clutter begins <http://ambress.com/pc/pc_room.jpg>. And at least my desktop doesn’t suggest OCD as much as the first photo did! 🙂

Daryl

Thanks for the great photos – the work areas are very inviting. Should I presume that since the photos include dual monitors, that is the general recommendation that is being offered here?

TNX

Ron,

I think the great majority of folks who have used two monitors would strongly encourage going that direction, unless perhaps given the alternative of a nice big widescreen. Personally, but also recognizing that I’m only a PS hobbyist using it maybe 30% of the time I’m at my PC, I often find I am using only my 24" widescreen LCD. When I am using PS, even there I still find that the widescreen is large enough that I’m pretty happy having "everything Photoshop" on that one monitor. Meanwhile, as seen in my first photo, what I enjoy using the 2nd monitor more for is for Bridge, or Thumbs Plus, or maybe a web browser window. I also use the CRT to double-check my colors, since I still tend to consider it the more accurate of the two monitors. But, I calibrated both monitors to a similar luminance and find the colors match quite well with the LCD being perhaps a bit more contrasty.

So, in many ways I think it still comes down to personal choice, how you like to work, etc. Overall, there’s no denying the luxury of a nice, wide LCD that requires little desktop area to support, but CRTs do still have their perks too.

Oh, and I think perhaps another reason why I now favor having my PS workspace all on one monitor is simply because it is so large that I don’t like the wide sweep of my mouse that is required to move the cursor to the secondary monitor. True enough, I could speed up acceleration but I also like the current response of my mouse. A compromise there might be to use my CRT for the image being edited, and arranging my palettes along the left edge of the LCD so that they’re still relatively close to the work area. One can explore many ideas to learn what works best for them.

One idea which struck me as somewhat novel and that a co-worker told me of learning of when he attended a PS workshop about improving your workflow efficiency was this: Set up all palettes to be open on the screen, undocked from one another, and sized and positioned for best use. Then, open your image atop them. I believe the workshop instructor then set up a keyboard shortcut that would toggle the image, presumably between a minimized and maximized view. As he worked with his image, if he needed to perform any sort of palette or toolbox operation, he could quickly toggle the image and have immediate to any palette desired. I’m not so sure how well that approach is adapted to having multiple images open and I still don’t really know if I’d like it, but I did think it sounded interesting to try sometime.

Regards,

Daryl

Once you start using two screens, you’ll feel claustrophiobic with just one.

I have a widescreen at home, and it is nowhere nearly as useful as the two monitors.

I have two widescreen monitors. 🙂

Bob

Unfortunately, for me, the "how to use" two monitors is not clear. )-:

I presume as you drag and drop from the first screen it will just "show up" on the second monitor, that is, no special settings are required?

Actually, the computer thinks you have one big monitor. If you do a screen capture you get a file that shows both halves, with 2048×768 resolution. It is easy to drag palettes, and even different illustrations to a second window.

The goal is to have the art on the left side of the screen, or monitor and the pallets on the right hand side or second monitor.

Yep, that is the best way.

I will dispute someone above saying that two monitors are best, unless you have a widescreen. I have a widescreen at home, and it is nowhere nearly as useful as the two monitors.

I started with two at my college a few years ago, and now the other staff and instructors have either convinced their administrators that they need two also, or they are trying, or they snarl at me with unhidden envy every time the pass me in the hallways.

Braggart. I’ve been told that size doesn’t matter. 🙂

She lied.

Oh no you di’int.

Yes I did.

Don,

I’m not saying a single widescreen is better than two monitors, but rather that perhaps some might find a single widescreen the better alternative for them.

A screen capture of only 2048×768? I get one that is 3520×1200. So small! 😉 Now waiting for Bob to chime in with his even bigger capture size…

"Yep, that is the best way"…careful there, as what is "best" is relative to one’s own working methods. I find that the best also, but some left-handed users may favor their mouse/pen and palettes all on the left, with image on the right.

Ulimately what is "best" is an indiviual choice. 🙂

Daryl

what is "best" is an individual choice.

That reminds me of a thread not a long way from here B)

LOL…yep! Maybe that’s why I was needling Don a little.

Calibrated LaCie e22bIV for the image in the center, calibrated Mitsubishi 17" for the pallets right, calibrated and networked Asus 15.4" laptop for controlling printers through CS2 (and web browsing, emails, DVD movies etc) on left.

Desk in disarray as normal – who would I be kidding if I tidied it up for the shot?

Works for me.

< http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1bov0NodBBGPoe8Vbi X1asRqkM3fw>

My desk, as of last November (more or less the same as now):

< http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1oVrxW5Vaq0kMdma0k TKcVLvDQer>

my work space <http://www.buko.net/office_Panorama1.jpg>