Dual 24s or single 30?

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NleahciM

2[H]4U
Joined
Aug 2, 2002
Messages
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Howdy - I'm going to be building a new desktop computer... eventually. In the meantime, I just have a laptop (Dell 600M with 14" XGA screen). I'm holding off on buying the desktop for some specific components to come out - but nothing's stopping me from buying the monitors so I figure I can enjoy them with my laptop for the time being.

So the one thing I haven't decided is if I want to go with dual large monitors, or a single really large monitor. I'm thinking I'd probably do dual 24s or a single 30. At work I have dual 22s at 1600x1200 and that setup works pretty damn well for me - so I'm tempted to just step up the size a bit and call it good. However at home I watch alot of movies... and I'm thinking a single 30 would be good for that. My main uses for this computer (and thus these monitors) are coding, movies, and CAD work (in that order).

Any opinions on what would be the better choice? Also, would my laptop even be able to drive a 30" at any resolution? I'm pretty sure it can't do the full resolution - having only an XGA port.

Thanks!
 
Your laptop can only do 1920 x 1200 res on a 30" lcd such as the Gateway XHD3000. This lcd offers VGA input unlike most of the other 30" which only has Dual Link DVI inputs to connect your pc. However, the 30" will be good for your CAD work especially when you have your desktop pc built. The 2560 x 1600 res will help. You will need a dual link dvi video card to run 2560 x 1600res. Also, I rather watch a movie on a bigger monitor also. However, you can get 2 x 24" lcds at a cheaper cost than 1 x 30".
 
I'd go for the single 30" every time personally. Much better for games films etc..., and for work, absolutely amazing, there's so much space! If you need a dual monitor setup, just get a cheap 19" or something to put along side it.

Seriously, 30" is the way to go on this one, I can't imagine 2 x 24" being better, as you would have to pan your head too much, whereas 30" all fits easily into your field of vision.
 
I am going to chime in here because I am in the same boat and a similar situation at work also, and home. At work I run 2x21.3" monitors and at home I have my laptop with an external monitor hooked up for dual displays.

While the 30" offers a create screen and plenty of room, I cannot see myself giving up having two monitors anytime soon, especially if you love to multi task, and it sounds like you might do that. I have almost thought about picking up one 30" now and then another one month from now, but I think 2x24" is plenty of space for me, and it seems like you maybe also.A great way to test if you would like one over having two, is just work with one of your 22"s at work for a day and see what you think. A 30" is going to be much bigger with more screen space but it will show you what a single monitor will be like again, which I can not live without.
 
I've had a 24" Monitor for over 2 years now. a dell 2405. I was also debating on going 30" or Dual 24's.

I ended up buying another dell 2408 so i went with Dual Screens.

Also look into Ultramon if you get another screen it is very handy with more than 1 screen.

Why dual and not single? Alot of times i like to watch a tv show or what ever on my computer, but i want to surf the internet at the same time or chat on google talk.

It is also incredibly handy while playing RPG games, or wanting a guide or something on the second screen up that you could look at, without having to Alt tab out.
 
I prefer dual monitors to one huge one, I have a 24 & a 20 but would looove a second 24.

I can't see myself using a single 30.
 
NleahciM said:
... My main uses for this computer (and thus these monitors) are coding, movies, and CAD work (in that order).

Any opinions on what would be the better choice? Also, would my laptop even be able to drive a 30" at any resolution? I'm pretty sure it can't do the full resolution - having only an XGA port.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

For coding, absolutely go with 2 or more screens!

While I love the extra workspace of a 30", I would not live without dual monitors for coding.

BTW, since you want the larger screen to also watch movies, what I would do is get a 24" LCD and get a 32" 1080p LCD TV. That way you have a great widesceen hires lcd for coding and a second large (30"+) screen from docs\movies\etc...

PS: I went with a 30 + 2* 20 because I also wanted to game, which is not in your list. Here is what it looks like with my IDE, IE, and email:

DSC01030Custom.jpg


Let us know what you decide to go with.
 
I am going from 2x24s to 1x30. I will still have a 20in side display however. I played around with a 30in at the local Apple store and I just like the feel better even though the total desktop area is less.
 
I asked my mate as he has 2 x 24" and 1 x 30" and he said get 1 x 30" if you can.
 
Hey Speedy,

I have a similar set up to the one you have. I am running the same exact monitors on two 8800gtx (SLI disabled) and using Windows XP Professional 64bit edition. My question is how did you configure the Softh.cfg file? Since the 2007fp monitors are in portrait mode, the only options I changed were the secondary width to 1200 and the secondary height to 1600. I also changed the secondary format to YUV12 (since I am running 2 8800GTX). These are the only options I changed in the cfg file. Is there something else I need to change? When I tried playing Call of Duty 4 the screen was so stretched and I could not move my mouse pointer to the middle screen (dell 30inch). I also tried to configure Race07 but I could not find the directory to dump the softth files since I could not really find the race07 executables. I think this is due to the fact I installed Race07 via online (using Steam) and not offline. I would appreciate any help you can give me. If even at all possible can you send me the CFG file you configured for Race07? Thanks for your help.
 
JLNo2 said:
Hey Speedy,

... I am running the same exact monitors on two 8800gtx (SLI disabled) and using Windows XP Professional 64bit edition.
Click to expand...

I am jealous. I really want that 2nd 8800GTX but they are still too expensive here in Canada.

My question is how did you configure the Softh.cfg file? Since the 2007fp monitors are in portrait mode, the only options I changed were the secondary width to 1200 and the secondary height to 1600. I also changed the secondary format to YUV12 (since I am running 2 8800GTX). These are the only options I changed in the cfg file. Is there something else I need to change? When I tried playing Call of Duty 4 the screen was so stretched and I could not move my mouse pointer to the middle screen (dell 30inch). I also tried to configure Race07 but I could not find the directory to dump the softth files since I could not really find the race07 executables. I think this is due to the fact I installed Race07 via online (using Steam) and not offline. I would appreciate any help you can give me. If even at all possible can you send me the CFG file you configured for Race07? Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

The directory for Race07 is c:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\speedyvv\race 07

SpeedyVV is my user id, so change that for whatever your Steam id is.


Here is the key info for cfg file.

[config]
deviceIDLeft=2
deviceIDright=1
secondaryWidth=1200
secondaryHeight=1600
secondaryRefresh=60
secondaryFormat=RGB16
antialiasing=0
anisotropic=0
borderSize=150
sideExtraWidth=-1360


I dont have COD4 so cant help you there.
 
Thanks for your help bro. I will try it out tonight and let you know what I find. Do not be jealous. You have a sweet enough system. If anything at all I would wait for the 9900 series to come out. Word has it that it is coming out sometime in July. The 8800GTX should drop in price dramatically. I will add you in Steam. Thanks!
 
1x30" + 1x24". That way, you can have a massive screen for work and movies, and a secondary one for simultaneous email and internet.

If that does not sound appealing, definetly go with the 30" - the resolution is really something :D
 
Hey Speedy,

I copied and pasted the exact configurations under Config and the game still shows up on the middle screen. I also adjusted the resolution in Race07 and for the 8800GTX with softth I changed it to 2560x1600 and for the other two 8800GTX
I selected 1200x1600. For some reason whenever I click ok and switch back and forth from the softth 8800gtx to the two regular 8800gtx the resolution settings do not stay. I also end up only playing on the main middle screen. Here is how my cfg file is configured. I must be leaving something out.

;
; SoftTH configuration file
; by Kegetys <kegetys[ät]dnainternet.net>
;

[config]

deviceIDLeft=2
deviceIDright=1
secondaryWidth=1200
secondaryHeight=1600
secondaryRefresh=60
secondaryFormat=RGB16
antialiasing=0
anisotropic=0
borderSize=150
sideExtraWidth=-1360
noHotkeys=0

[Direct3D]
;cylindicalCorretionAngle=0
hideNondefaultDevices=0
forceHorizontalFOV=0
forceResolutionWidth=0
forceResolutionHeight=0
force16bitDepth=0
sleepBeforeRead=2
useMultihead=1
delayedPresent=0
swapOrder=0
autoSquash=0
d3d8dll=auto

[hooks]
doHooking=1
doScaleMouseCoordinates=0
doScaleFromLeftScreen=0
doScaleWindowRects=0
mouseXoffset=auto

; Triplehead screenmodes to add to resolutions list (width multiplied by 3 and border added)
; Must be last in this file
[modes]
640x480x60
640x480x75
640x480x85
800x600x60
800x600x75
800x600x85
1024x768x60
1024x768x75
1024x768x85
1280x960x60
1280x960x75
1280x960x85
1280x1024x60
1280x1024x75
1280x1024x85
1600x1200x60
1600x1200x75
1600x1200x85
 
I just made this decision and I couldn't be happier. I ended up going with 2 x 24".

This allows me to watch movies in full HD on one monitor while having an entire 1920X1200 monitor to either surf the web or do whatever other computer stuff I want. Also, I plan on installing a TV tuner to watch on the second monitor as well. Additionally, I also have my Xbox360 hooked up.
 
JLNo2 said:
Hey Speedy,

I copied and pasted the exact configurations under Config and the game still shows up on the middle screen. I also adjusted the resolution in Race07 and for the 8800GTX with softth I changed it to 2560x1600 and for the other two 8800GTX
I selected 1200x1600. For some reason whenever I click ok and switch back and forth from the softth 8800gtx to the two regular 8800gtx the resolution settings do not stay. I also end up only playing on the main middle screen. Here is how my cfg file is configured. I must be leaving something out.
Click to expand...

Sorry JLNo2, I left out a key piece of info.

In the last section ([modes]) had the following line:
2560x1600x60

I have altered you cfg file below to include that last line.

When you do that the Race07 Configurator you will see the 5260x1600 32 bit res

Something like this and select OK. BTW, you dont need to change the other cards just the 8800GTX with softTH like in the picture below and click ok.

Race07cfg.jpg


Mine says 5160x1600 cause my borderSize is only 100.

One last thing, is if your left or right monitor are swaped you might need to play with or swapt the IDs

deviceIDLeft=1
deviceIDright=2

Good luck.

If it does not work PM me or send me your email and I will help ya.

;
; SoftTH configuration file
; by Kegetys <kegetys[ät]dnainternet.net>
;

[config]

deviceIDLeft=2
deviceIDright=1
secondaryWidth=1200
secondaryHeight=1600
secondaryRefresh=60
secondaryFormat=RGB16
antialiasing=0
anisotropic=0
borderSize=150
sideExtraWidth=-1360
noHotkeys=0

[Direct3D]
;cylindicalCorretionAngle=0
hideNondefaultDevices=0
forceHorizontalFOV=0
forceResolutionWidth=0
forceResolutionHeight=0
force16bitDepth=0
sleepBeforeRead=2
useMultihead=1
delayedPresent=0
swapOrder=0
autoSquash=0
d3d8dll=auto

[hooks]
doHooking=1
doScaleMouseCoordinates=0
doScaleFromLeftScreen=0
doScaleWindowRects=0
mouseXoffset=auto

; Triplehead screenmodes to add to resolutions list (width multiplied by 3 and border added)
; Must be last in this file
[modes]
640x480x60
640x480x75
640x480x85
800x600x60
800x600x75
800x600x85
1024x768x60
1024x768x75
1024x768x85
1280x960x60
1280x960x75
1280x960x85
1280x1024x60
1280x1024x75
1280x1024x85
1600x1200x60
1600x1200x75
1600x1200x85
2560x1600x60
Click to expand...
 
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