What is involved hooking up dual monitor?

I use multiple programs when working on my computer (I work on my home pc). I happen to have an extra monitor and am considering going dual screen in an attempt to make that work easier. What is involved in hooking this up and making it work correctly? There is only one monitor port on the back so I assume there must be an adapter or spliter of some type involved.

I have windows XP home edition and from what I think I am reading it supports dualview and I think I understand how to set that part of it up, I'm just not getting the actual hard wiring I guess.

At some point I will be adding a second PC with a KVM? switch if that makes a difference. Work will be providing my pc so I wont have to use my personal one anymore for work purposes but I don't want two keyboards etc. I do understand that part.

Does anyone work like this. Like? Dislike?

Thanks

Andrea

 

I love using dual monitors, makes working on webpages and whatnot so much more easier. Anyway, all you need is two monitors and a video card that supports dual monitor feature, which pretty much every video card on the market has this features now-a-days. Depending on whether or not you're a gamer or work with 3D will dictate what card we'd recommend. The KMV switch can be added easily to a dual monitor setup, as that doesn't really have much effect but I don't think you'll have access to both monitors with both computers unless the KMV supports that which I haven't seen any that do.

 

You need a seperate video card for each monitor (if your mother board support onboard it has to be the secondary display). I'm not sure if XP Home supports it or not, I know Pro does (up to 10 displays in fact). A KVM will allow you to use one Keyboard/Mouse and monitor between 2 (or more) PC's.

 

Actualy you can use a dual head video card. Most new cards are dual headed....One DVI and on VGA (or 2 DVI and no VGA) you can use adapters to convert them to w/e you whant.....

 

I run Dual Monitors & use a KVM switch.

I gotta say: It Kicks A##

I have three PC's connected full time to my 8 port KVM.
All three share a 21" CRT, Logitec keyboard & HP mouse.
One of the three is Dual Monitor setup using a Samsung 19" 930b LCD.
My PC that is Dual monitor is also Triple boot system running W2k pro, Xp Home, and XP Pro each OS is instaled on it own partition.

Ive been running Dual Monitors & using a KVM for atleast a couple of years
Setting up one is simple!
If ya need? I have a AGP Dual head video card for sale :
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=81905
You can buy 2 port KVM for about $20 & up

 

How do you tell if your video card supports dual output?

 

it will have two video outputs one the back (1 dvi and 1 vga, or 2 dvi)

 

I think a simple way is to right click on Desktop select Properties then Settings tab and click than down arrow next to Displays. Mine indicates my primary device 1. LG Monitor and the option for a secondary display device (a second monitor). I have one DVI and one VGA output for my vid card. Hope this helps.

 

XP Home supports up to 10 monitors, just like Pro does.

 

Why is that Display Properties shows the monitors at different sizes? The resolutions must be different, but why?

 

"The resolutions must be different, but why?"

You answered you're own question. The two boxes in display properties get sized based solely on pixel size. The computer doesn't know what size your monitor is, it just knows how many pixels it has.