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Accent on Computers to the rescue! 203-625-7575.
July 13, 2007
Expanding Your View
Dear Larry,
Can I set up two monitors to make one giant Windows
desktop?
L. L.
Dear L. L.,
Indeed you can. Multiple monitors will have an immediate and
positive impact on the way you use your computer. With a Windows desktop that’s
twice as large (if not larger), you can run multiple programs simultaneously and
have both Windows maximized and in constant view. For example, imagine running
Outlook on one monitor at all times while you use your second monitor for other
tasks.
The first thing you need is more than one video connection on
your PC. A computer with a better-than-average video card probably already
offers this. Your existing monitor connects to your computer either via a blue
analog port or a white digital port. If you see a second video port (blue or
white) immediately adjacent to your present connection, it probably means your
computer is ready to connect a second monitor. If not, you’ll either need to
purchase a dual-port video card or install a second video card into a free slot
on your computer. Of these two choices, the former would be the easier way to
go.
Once you have the right video card(s) properly installed,
you’ll need a second monitor. Ideally, the two monitors will be identical or at
least similar in nature so that they’ll line up with one another when placed
side-by-side, but this is not a requirement. If your monitors come with both
analog and digital connections, you can connect one to the analog port on the
back of your computer and the other to the digital port. If both monitors are
analog only, you’ll need to purchase an analog-to-digital converter plug
(available at Staples or Radio Shack).
Now that you have two monitors set up and connected, the final
step is to inform Windows about this new arrangement. If you’re running Windows
XP, right-click a blank portion of your Windows desktop and click Properties,
Settings. With Windows Vista, right-click the desktop and click Personalize,
Display Settings.
Here, you should see monitor 1 enabled and monitor 2 disabled.
Start by clicking on monitor 2, then set its resolution to match that of monitor
1. As you change the resolution, the monitor image will change size and shape;
ideally, you want monitors 1 and 2 to match. Next, click the checkbox labeled
“Extend the desktop onto this monitor.” If you want monitor 2 to be your main
monitor, check the appropriate box. (The main monitor is where the logon screen
will appear and where most programs will initially open.) Finally, if you so
desire, you can click and drag monitors 1 and 2 to indicate how you want them
positioned in front of you. For example, if you want monitor 2 to your left,
simply drag it to the left of monitor 1.
If the idea of having multiple monitors is appealing to you,
but the task of doing it seems daunting, call me or another computer
professional to set it up for you. And immediately start doubling your pleasure
when sitting in front of your PC.
This is Larry Schneider, logging off.
