Printable View
I am going out today to buy a new monitor and I am wondering if I can use both monitors at the same time BUT with something different on each of them. My vid card supports two monitors so I am guessing I will plug one into the DVI port and the other into the normal port. The question is will it be possible to have a game or video playing on one monitor and something like email or internet on the other? I am using Windows XP pro.
Yes, you can extend your desktop on 2 ore more displays, and even arrange their virtual position. In display properties your second monitor will appear in the Settings tab, you can tick the box "Extend my desktop on this monitor" and drag it around to match its arrangement on your desk. You can then drag windows from one screen to another and use them separately. Maximize will maximize a window on its own display, not stretch it over both. I don't think the video card can handle switching to 3D mode for a game on one display and keeping 2D for the other for e-mail and web browsing, though. You can play videos or watch TV while working, though.
Ok that makes sense. I guess I will have to give it a try and see how well it works. THX for the info.
You're welcome. I do this all the time with my laptop, its 14" isn't big enough for the amount of information I need to work with, so I hook up a 20" which saves me a lot of scrolling around :D
I've been running a dual monitor setup for years. Once you've used one you'd never want to go back to a single monitor :)
Yeah I can Def see the benefits!
Guys I finally bought my second monitor today and have it all hooked up. I went into the display properties and set up both monitors. I can run my mouse over from one monitor to the other one but I can't get any display on the second monitor besides the desctop picture...with no icons. If I copy a shortcut icon from the main monitor to the second monitor I can see the icon on the second monitor but if I click on it the program just opens on my main screen instead of the second screen. I must be missing something or doing something wrong here??
That's the way it's supposed to work, you only get the Taskbar on the main monitor. As you've found, icons can be placed anywhere. As to where programs open, most will remember their last position and will open on the second monitor if that's where you left it. Other apps, unfortunately, insist on opening on the main monitor, and there's nothing that you can do about it :(
On the second monitor--do you have the "Extend my Windows Desktop onto this monitor" box checked?
Also, you needn't copy an icon from monitor 1 to monitor 2 - just drag-&-drop it does the trick.
Ok thanks all I got it all sorted....I think I thought it would work a bit different but it all makes sense now. Is there any way to have whatever is on the first screen play on the second screen at the same time?
Yes, you can go into Display Properties>Settings, and uncheck "Extend my Windows desktop to this monitor" on the secondary unit. You'll then get the primary monitor desktop on both, with the taskbar on each monitor as well.