Dual monitors question

[matthewgilchris]

My new graphics card has a VGA and a DVI port so I was thinking using the VGA>DVI adaptor I got with it for free I could hook up my old monitor to my system as well yes and have dual monitors? I haven't actually installed the card yet since I am awaiting a new PSU but it would work yes? LCD monitor with VGA and the old CRT with a VGA>DVI adaptor onto the DVI port on the back of the graphics card. It would work right?

Can anyone recommend a free (if you get them free) program for managing dual monitors?

And leading on from there....say if I got a new monitor to replace my old one. It's a 15 inch CRT and I have a 17 inch LCD. The LCD would be my gaming monitor and the CRT for music programs etc to be open.

Say if I got a new bigger widescreen monitor and my 17 inch one became the monitor for back round stuff and the big one became my gaming one. You know when you watch a widescreen movie on a square monitor it's in letterbox format? If you get a widescreen monitor then does the video properly full the screen without messing about the aspect ratio and making it look weird?

Sort of like this:

Thanks for any help,

 

[EricB]

it won't size up right. your driver will let you hook both monitors up at the same time. it's best to use the same size monitor

 

[matthewgilchris]

What do you mean by "it won't size up right." ?

 

[b1gapl]

If you're watching a widescreen movie, of course it will display correctly, on a widescreen monitor.

 

[BlueHeaven]

What type of video card do you have. Does it support duel display? Just cause it has 2 ports (DVI/VGA) doesn't mean it has the ablitity to do a dual display. Check the cards description.

If it supports them, then the drivers from you video card plus XP/Vista will manage the displays just fine, no need for another program, just set dual displays in the properties and select what type of display you want (individual displays, one huge horizotal display, or vertical).

I currently run dual displays with 2 very different monitors (a LCD widescreen and an old CRT). Its best to set it up as two seperate displays unless the monitors are identical is size and resolution, else you'll be in for an eye sore.

As for the aspect ratio, it depends on what you are watching. Windows media player doesn't let you do much in the way of changing the aspect ratio of videos, but media player classic (open source software, free) does. So you can actually fill up the entire screen with out the black bars ontop. But normally when you play a dvd or whatever with out fixing it, you still get the black ontop, just not as much.

 

[EricB]

if you have a widescreen monitor, the other one will chop the side of the video off and parts of the top and bottom on some movies.

what card do you have?

 

[matthewgilchris]

I know about being able to change the aspect ratio but it makes the video look horrible.

I have a ATI X1650 Pro