Do you use more than two monitors?

J
Posted By
JMF
Jun 17, 2004
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610
Replies
10
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Closed
I’ve been working with a dual monitor set-up for years and i love it. I’m considering going for a third and want to know if anyone else here uses more than two monitors and if so, if there are any pitfalls or problems I should anticipate.
I realize i’ll need a new video card, for starters and, among other things I am wondering about the cost of a good one.
Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks
John
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RK
Ronald_Keller
Jun 18, 2004
Hi John,

I am using 3 monitors for more than a year now and can’t think of any pitfalls or problems. I have a Matrox Parhelia which supports 3 monitors but only as 1 desktop, which I don’t like. Using this card with only 2 monitors though enables to set those separately. A second graphics card is used for the third monitor.
As far as I know only the primary monitor can be color calibrated so I wouldn’t spend too much money…

Greetings from Belgium

Ronald
H
harrillj
Jun 18, 2004
I went to three monitors about 4 months ago. Love it. I keep the file browser on the left LCD, the image on the middle LCD and the palletes all on the right LCD. I first had the Matrox Parhelia card and as Ronald said, there is one desktop. It can be annoying. I then got the Matrox MMS Quad which has four cards in one PCI card, thus a desktop for each monitor. It is expensive but I found a new one on Ebay for about $380. The Quad new goes for well over $600.

Even with this card though, you can only use one monitor profile. From what I understand, it is a Windows restriction (I could be wrong on this). I calibrated my center monitor and edit and soft proof on that monitor only
MM
Mike_Morrell
Jun 19, 2004
I’m using matrox P750 with three monitors. It is a bit hard to use a program like photoshop across all three monitors because of the amount of real-estate that it covers. But this is not a "problem" really. It just might not add that much more productivity as you might think. The only thing that I do not like about the matrox is that you can only get 1 DVI and 2 analog. I’d like at least 2 DVI outs, three would be better. I’m using two identical flat panel Compaq monitors, both with DVI and they do look a bit different with one DVI and one analog. I use a Hitachi tube as well. If you use more than one monitor type, as I do, you will have an issue with your monitor profile setup over three monitors. This may be the biggest issue for PS users. I have set my Monaco profile for my tube and I do all critical color work with my image contained in this monitor. Color profiling really needs to add a way to profile each monitor for accurate color. I’d be interested in hearing how others have solved this issue.
RK
Ronald_Keller
Jun 19, 2004
John,

You didn’t say what version of Photoshop you have but in case it is CS be aware that you can’t put the file browser on another monitor (as Harrillj describes – this was possible in version 7 and I really miss this feature in CS…). I guess you knew this already because you already have a dual monitor setup but I just wanted to add this information for people who are considering going for more than one monitor…

Regars,

Ronald
JR
Jon Rodman
Jun 20, 2004
Hi John,
I have run as many as three monitors at a time without any problems. If you have PCI slots, it is as simple as installing a plug and play video card and then plugging in the monitor. It should be plug and play. Initially I thought the monitors had to be the same models and the video cards had to be the same, but as it turns out any plug and play PCI video cards will work, and any combination of monitors will work. Video cards can be purchased on eBay for less than $10. I would recommend at least one 21" monitor. I once had two 19" monitors and one 21" monitor hooked up simultaneously. That was a nice setup.

Each monitor can be adjusted individually by right clicking on the desktop, selecting properties, choosing the Settings Tab, and clicking on Monitors / Advanced. The two tabs to look at are Monitor and Adapter. It is simpler than people think and works really well. Windows 98 and newer versions support Multiple Monitors. It really increases productivity. Cheers,
Jon
wrote in message
I’ve been working with a dual monitor set-up for years and i love it. I’m considering going for a third and want to know if anyone else here
uses more than two monitors and if so, if there are any pitfalls or problems I should anticipate.
I realize i’ll need a new video card, for starters and, among other things
I am wondering about the cost of a good one.
Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks
John
P
pboone
Jun 20, 2004
but in case it is CS be aware that you can’t put the file browser on another monitor (as Harrillj describes – this was possible in version 7 and I really miss this feature in CS

You dashed my hopes, Ronald.

I was hoping the 3rd monitor would be the lucky charm.
DM
dave_milbut
Jun 20, 2004
I SO want an option to move the browser to a second (or third) monitor!!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
G
geronimo13
Jun 21, 2004
don’t use the CS filebrowser on the third, limit cs to 2 monitors and use something else on the thirs
H
harrillj
Jun 21, 2004
Just wanted to say that with the Matrox MMS Quad you can get 4 separate DVI connections. With the Parhelia that could not be done. All 3 of my LCDs are through DVI. But…. as I said this is an expensive card unless you can find one on Ebay.
J
JoeMorgan
Jun 22, 2004
I can’t get CS fliebrowser over onto my second monitor by dragging…what am I doing wrong?

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 05:17:16 -0700, wrote:

don’t use the CS filebrowser on the third, limit cs to 2 monitors and use something else on the thirs

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