How to do this monitor thing in XP

[artmerar]

Hi,

What we need to do is to hook up 2 monitors to 1 computer. The
monitors will be in different rooms, so we do not want to stretch the
desktop, but we want to have the same desktop on 2 screens.......

So, 2 separate monitors displaying the same image. I know I've seen
lots of documentation on this, but they all seem to focus on
stretching the desktop, which is not what we want.

I'm assuming I'll need a video card with dual outputs? Do the
monitors need to be the same?

How is this done?

Thank you!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi,

What we need to do is to hook up 2 monitors to 1 computer. The
monitors will be in different rooms, so we do not want to stretch the
desktop, but we want to have the same desktop on 2 screens.......

So, 2 separate monitors displaying the same image. I know I've seen
lots of documentation on this, but they all seem to focus on
stretching the desktop, which is not what we want.

I'm assuming I'll need a video card with dual outputs? Do the
monitors need to be the same?

How is this done?

Thank you!

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

What we need to do is to hook up 2 monitors to 1 computer. The
monitors will be in different rooms,

I'm not sure what the limit is on the length of a monitor cable, but
you should look into this. If they are in different rooms, you may run
into problems exceeding the limit.

so we do not want to stretch the
desktop, but we want to have the same desktop on 2 screens.......

OK, that's fine.

So, 2 separate monitors displaying the same image. I know I've seen
lots of documentation on this, but they all seem to focus on
stretching the desktop, which is not what we want.

It's essentially the same. Whether to extend the desktop onto the
second monitor is a choice in the dialog box.

I'm assuming I'll need a video card with dual outputs?

No. That's one way to do it, but another way is to have two video
cards.

Do the
monitors need to be the same?

No.

 

[Paul]

Hi,

What we need to do is to hook up 2 monitors to 1 computer. The
monitors will be in different rooms, so we do not want to stretch the
desktop, but we want to have the same desktop on 2 screens.......

So, 2 separate monitors displaying the same image. I know I've seen
lots of documentation on this, but they all seem to focus on
stretching the desktop, which is not what we want.

I'm assuming I'll need a video card with dual outputs? Do the
monitors need to be the same?

How is this done?

Thank you!

This documentation is a bit old, but may illustrate the limitations.

ftp://download.nvidia.com/Windows/91.47/

ftp://download.nvidia.com/Windows/91.47/91.47_ForceWare_nView_User_Guide.pdf

If you go to PDF page 88, you can see a picture of the "clone"
setup dialog. It looks like both displays run at the same
resolution. So you would want displays that look good, if
run at the same resolution.

The Catalyst Control Center, for ATI cards, seems to offer similar functions.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v457/IrishRover/computers/ati_catalyst/radeon08.jpg

Since I have an ATI card, I tried testing a two monitor configuration.
I own one real monitor. I also own a "fake" VGA connector, with 75 ohm
resistors on R, G, and B. When plugged into the video card, that is
detected as a second display.

The Catalyst Control Center behaves a bit like a puzzle. Rather than right click
and selecting some kind of option, you have to drag an icon of the second monitor,
onto a space provided for a second display device. When you do that, a menu appears
where your mouse cursor is positioned. There is an option there to Clone the
two monitors. From that point onward, the display is managed as if there
is only one display. Both displays seem to be sent the same resolution and
color depth. In that case, identical monitors would be good.

I tried a similar experiment with my "TV output faking" connector.
The funny thing is, the TV output option on the ATI card, claims
the output resolution limit is 1024x768 (which is normal). My
main monitor, is 1280x1024 on a 17" LCD. Yet, when I disabled the
TV display and dragged it to the second display box, it offered
to be a clone of the main display. The main display remained at
1280x1024. Which implies, that perhaps the TV output would only show
a portion of the screen as seen in the 17" monitor. (My TV coax is
broken, so I cannot test it right now.)

So, yes, I'd probably look for two monitors with similar native
resolution. Since I own a 1280x1024 LCD monitor, I'd probably look
for a second like it. It could still be physically bigger.
(I could use my 17" 1280x1024 with a 19" 1280x1024 monitor).

If the second monitor had a different resolution, like 1600x1200,
then when cloned, it would in my case be sent a 1280x1024 signal.
That would still work, but the picture would look stretched a bit
on the second monitor.

Dual view allows the two monitors to be independent, but doesn't do
what you want it to do, in terms of the image displayed on both
screens. It is like an extension of the desktop.

HTH,
Paul

 

[M.I.5¾]

I'm not sure what the limit is on the length of a monitor cable, but
you should look into this. If they are in different rooms, you may run
into problems exceeding the limit.

For a VGA cable there is no theoretical limit, but as the distance gets
longer the cable needs to be a higher and higher standard. The effect of
using inadequate cable is that the signal 'drags' in the cable such that
different bits arrive at different times (crap explanation but its the best
I can do at this time of a Friday morning). The visual effect is that of a
poorly defined image with one or more shadows next to it.

For a DVI cable similar considerations apply except that, as it is a digital
interface, there will be no degradation to the image. Once the attenuation
of the cable becomes large enough there will be no image at all.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

For a VGA cable there is no theoretical limit, but as the distance gets
longer the cable needs to be a higher and higher standard. The effect of
using inadequate cable is that the signal 'drags' in the cable such that
different bits arrive at different times (crap explanation but its the best
I can do at this time of a Friday morning). The visual effect is that of a
poorly defined image with one or more shadows next to it.

For a DVI cable similar considerations apply except that, as it is a digital
interface, there will be no degradation to the image. Once the attenuation
of the cable becomes large enough there will be no image at all.

Thanks for the lesson. As I said, I knew nothing about this.

 

[LVTravel]

Along with all the other good advice there are monitor cable splitters that
have an amplifier built into them that increase the "power" to the distant
monitor. My school uses them to run all the projectors in the various
classrooms from the desktops. One desktop output to the computer's monitor
and the amplified output through 100 feet of cable to the projector. Works
great and no signal loss. We use different models of equipment (purchased
at different times) but items like these work well:

http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat_id=509&sku=29550

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=vga+splitter

http://www.cdw.com/shop/search/Resu...o-_-Comp_Acc-_-vga_splitter&SendTecID=9896343

When you look at the specs make sure the the unit supports the resolution
you plan on running and also does extend the range (even though most don't
use the word amplify in the literature.)