Dual Monitors

[RickyTick]

Ok, so I'm jumping into the world of dual monitors. I've already made up my mind that I need a second monitor, so I just need to decide what would be the best match for me.

I currently use a 22" Samsung 226BW and want to continue to use this as my main monitor. The dot pitch is 0.282 and the native resolution is 1680 x 1050. I was thinking about a decent 19 or 20 inch as my 2nd monitor, and I'm hoping to spend less the $150 USD.

I'm looking for suggestions on a good monitor, and if you think the second monitor should be the same size as my current one, or something smaller.

A little help please.

[zburns]

Hey Ricky, What are you using the second monitor for? That said, I will through out a few comments. If my use for each monitor is similar, I would try to get exactly the same monitor I was presently using. This means all the specs would be the same. Also means when I look from one monitor to the other monitor, the same images would show up the same size.

If you have a 22" monitor and drop to a 19" but the dot pitch is approx the same, different native resolutions for each monitor, the same image will be larger on the 22" than the 19", unless you adjust one resolution away from the native resolution to apx match image size. If you did that, the sharpness on one monitor would be better than the other and your eyes would pick it up in a heartbeat, and annoy you to no end, maybe.

Biggest advantage for using the same version for all multiple monitors is that "all the specs are the same" and at native resolution on all monitors, all perceptions of images, even if different, will have a "continuity of appearance (contrast, sharpness, color, etc) that will not trick your eyes".

All that said, I have not done it, nor looked at a multiple monitor install, but it should work this way.. I have a Samsung 245 BW, similar to your 22"; I will admit that two of my 24" side by side is a lot of real estate to look at; so what they are individually used for may be a key. I would be interested in other viewpoints.

[RickyTick]

Truth is, I've enrolled in classes at my local college. I have signed up for an AS degree in Web Technologies. Since I already have a 4yr Bachelors degree, I was able to place out of all the lower level classes and sign up for just the core classes in Web Technologies. The great part is that I'm able to take all these classes Online and virtually never step foot on campus.

During my first week of classes, I've found that I have muiltiple windows open at the same time. I'm trying to read one page while typing in another, or watching a tutorial in one screen, and duplicating in on another. So my thought was that a second (inexpensive) monitor would make this much easier. My desk has lots of room, but I don't need to dump a bunch of money into anything elaborate. I'm not opposed to getting a Refurbished monitor from the Dell Outlet.

Just looking for some ideas and suggestions.
Thanks much.

[zburns]

Congrats on what you are doing! Sounds great. I guess my argument in my post applies more to images than just text. Sounds like you are dealing mainly with text. If you have multiple windows open at a time and you are reading them, are you having to use vert and hor scroll bars, and, if so is not using the scroll bars a big distraction?

Seems to me that if I were doing what you looking at, I would prefer two windows per monitor open so that I could see full text at a decent size without having to scroll vert or horizontal, because when I study something, I go "back and forth" all over the page. I am just saying that if you did not want to have to scroll, then you would pick a size that would allow two open windows without any scrolling; that would work for typing also. I am talking normal 8 1/2 x 11 work. I myself just do not know how many open windows in one "defined" monitor area I could stand to have open and not call them distractions. Sounds to me like I could stand only two per monitor if I was having to do combinations of serious reading and typing. Even so with two open windows per monitor, 22" is not that big. I just opened 2 notepad windows on my 24" and they looked like normal pages size wise, close enough. I then added two more, 4 total spaced equally around the monitor -- not enough surface area for me without scrolling -- my perception is that the four windows on my monitor would affect my concentration. They are too small and when I scroll I cover something up, etc.. Enough!!

[RickyTick]

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm faced with. I'm finding myself with 4 or more windows open at any given time. It can get confusing and aggravating clicking back and forth between them. I may just go with another 22" widescreen with the same dot pitch.

[zburns]

You have to start somewhere. I was comfortable with my suggestions for two monitors; putting up two "in effect" 8 1/2 x 11 pages per monitor, having the additional ability to drop additional "minimized" links or pages at the bottom of the monitor all seems like a good "study" desk to me.

One other point, and I do not know how to do this, but if I had a blank 8 1/2 x 11 opening, I would want it "filled" with a medium drab color. A completely empty full page of "even low brightness" white, I would find quite annoying.

[RickyTick]

Thanks for tips Z. Much appreciated.

[The Wise Monkey]

I have three monitors at work - I know it is greedy, but the left one has Outlook open all the time, the right one has our PC request logging system and a web browser open, and the middle one contains anything I'm working on at the moment.

I gave on of my monitors at home to my sister as a moving in present, so I've "just" got my Samsung 22" Rose Black to use now...

[chunkylover53]

I have dual monitors, but just so it looks cool when my matrix screen saver kicks in. ;-). Kidding aside, I use t for game guides while I'm playing, and even a cheap on will do.

[RickyTick]

I went with this one. $20 off, free shipping, and a $20 rebate. Total $149.
It's the same size as my Samsung, same native resolution, and same dot pitch.
What do you think?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16824236050