[vcf-midatlantic] OT: One modern PC, two screens

[Martin Flynn]

> On May 19, 2016, at 1:13 PM, Dave McGuire via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic at lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote:
> 
>> On 05/19/2016 09:40 AM, Evan Koblentz via vcf-midatlantic wrote:
>> Starting to think I need a second computer monitor. My PC is 5 years old
>> and only has the one VGA port (no DVI/HDMI), so do I need to get a video
>> card? For those who've done it -- do you find it distracting to have
>> your display spread across two screens? A priority is to spend as little
>> as possible.
> 
>  I've nearly always used two or three displays on my desktop system,
> until fairly recently when I rearranged my main work area and moved to a
> single 24" display.  That was pretty restrictive.  After that, about a
> year ago I moved to a 42" 4K display.  That finally gave me enough
> workspace, but more is always better.  I'm getting closer to moving my
> lab to the new building, so I've been thinking about how my new desk
> arrangement will be set up, and I will probably either add another 4K
> display or at least a smaller "ancillary" display.
> 
>  The biggest issue adjusting to two displays is the "looking in the
> middle" problem.  If they're placed symmetrically, and you're accustomed
> to looking at the middle of one display, well, you see the problem.  So
> you're faced with either learning to split things in half and look back
> and forth, or have one "primary" display and a "secondary" off to one side.
> 
>  Of course that's not an issue if you do three. ;)
> 
>  More desktop real estate can be a tremendous productivity booster,
> whether you get it with more resolution and size on one display or from
> multiple displays.  Either way, do it, and you'll likely immediately see
> the benefits.
> 
>                -Dave
> 
> -- 
> Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
> New Kensington, PA
> 

Evan, take a look at www.n2mo.org.   You could replicate the workstation setup for cheap (less than $125)

It's configured for dual DVI output on HP LA2405wg monitors.

Martin