Dual Monitr question(s)

[brandofamily]

OK, my monitor died the other night (Samsung 226BW) so I went out and bought a Samsung 2333sw. When I registered the new monitor I found out that the old/dead monitor was still under the 3 year warrenty and Samsung has fixed it (it will be back on Tuesday). So now I want to set up dual monitors I have dual graphics cards (both are ATI Catalyst) and they both support dual monitors. So I guess I could run 4 monitors.
Now I have a few questions.

Can I use different background and screen saver settings for each monitor?

Can I calibrate each separately?

I have Monaco Optix unit that works fine for one monitor, but I'm not sure about doing a dual set up.
Also, should I be using the Catalyst setting screen or the monitor setting screen for brightness and contrast?

The Catalyst screen shows a Gamma setting of 1.0. I'm on a PC and the Optix manual states the PC standard setting for Gamma is 2.2. If I set Gamma at 2.2 the screen background image gets very bright and pixelated. (does not really matter if I set brightness and contrast 1st or Gamma 1st.... it looks horrid at 2.2.)

Thanks

[Iota]

Originally Posted by brandofamily

OK, my monitor died the other night (Samsung 226BW) so I went out and bought a Samsung 2333sw. When I registered the new monitor I found out that the old/dead monitor was still under the 3 year warrenty and Samsung has fixed it (it will be back on Tuesday). So now I want to set up dual monitors I have dual graphics cards (both are ATI Catalyst) and they both support dual monitors. So I guess I could run 4 monitors.
Now I have a few questions.

Can I use different background and screen saver settings for each monitor?

Can I calibrate each separately?

I have Monaco Optix unit that works fine for one monitor, but I'm not sure about doing a dual set up.
Also, should I be using the Catalyst setting screen or the monitor setting screen for brightness and contrast?

The Catalyst screen shows a Gamma setting of 1.0. I'm on a PC and the Optix manual states the PC standard setting for Gamma is 2.2. If I set Gamma at 2.2 the screen background image gets very bright and pixelated. (does not really matter if I set brightness and contrast 1st or Gamma 1st.... it looks horrid at 2.2.)

Thanks

I can't comment on screen calibration, but I can on the screensaver, background, etc. The answer is yes--with a 3rd party tool. Check out UltraMon . I consider it essential for Dual displays. Specifically, it makes sending windows from one display to another extremely easy. I have a video wall in my office with 6 32" monitors controlled by 3 dual-head cards and managed by UltraMon. It allows you set separate backgrounds, and even splits up your task bar such that only the applications on Monitor 'X' show on task bar 'X'. There's a free trial that uninstalls nicely if you don't like it, but I highly recommend it.

-Iota

[timk519]

Originally Posted by Iota

I have a video wall in my office with 6 32" monitors controlled by 3 dual-head cards and managed by UltraMon.

What do you do that needs that many monitors?

[ivar]

Originally Posted by brandofamily

Can I calibrate each separately?

I have a dual monitor setup (albeit an imac with another screen) and I just got the Spyder3Elite. Calibrating both monitors is no problem at all. You can even have it match the brightness so both screens look exactly alike. I'm sure that other calibration tools can do the same.

[brandofamily]

Originally Posted by ivar

I have a dual monitor setup (albeit an imac with another screen) and I just got the Spyder3Elite. Calibrating both monitors is no problem at all. You can even have it match the brightness so both screens look exactly alike. I'm sure that other calibration tools can do the same.

Thanks. I ended up buying the same Spyder 3 Elite unit. I had to find it on ebay, as most of my normal shops were out of stock.
I had no luck with matching the old monitor w/ the new one. The old must have been quite tired or just did not have enough range. I boxed up the old one and bought a 2nd Samsung 2333sw to match the one I got the other day.
Not the best for editting, but not bad and price was good...

[Newsy]

oh never mind me.... didn't read the OP in depth. Dang this skim reading....

Noted this...

"So now I want to set up dual monitors I have dual graphics cards (both are ATI Catalyst) and they both support dual monitors. So I guess I could run 4 monitors."

I'm not so sure the older ATI cards supported two unique LUT's on one card.

Just make sure you have one monitor to each video card and that you have the OS sorted out to manage the LUT's of each video card. You should have a uniquely named profile saved for each unique monitor.

Vista?

.

[tijoseph]

I haave two monitors, not both the same but one is the same as yours. a 226bw.

I use the huey pro for calibration. It only works on one monitor. I have checked their customer support and they have verified this even though it says it can do both. It may have something to do with Vista?

[BradfordBenn]

Originally Posted by timk519

What do you do that needs that many monitors?

I can tell you that at times, like when multitasking it can come in handy. When I was testing a bug on software at work, I had literally four displays on my desk...

1. Windows XP
2. Windows Vista
3. Macbook Pro
4. Windows XP Tablet

I have gotten a little smarter and now do the XP as a dual monitor and then remote desktop to the other machines, and I can put a remote desktop on the second monitor. However for seeing many things all at once, I have not found a better way.

I want a four output system
Dual Screen
Projector (big enough that I can multiscreen remote desktops on it, plus easier to do training)
Cool Big Touch/Tablet Screen
Why does my boss say to me, "Wish in one hand... sneeze in the other see which one is fuller at the end of the day" when I ask for it. (Yes that is the clean version)

On the other side, I am interested in the Dual calibration approach. I think I might have to look at one of those.