Configure Different Wallpaper on Dual Monitors

The Screenshot displays how to setup different wallpaper on each of the monitors. Just launch the MurGeeMon software, select monitor and then finally select the wallpaper and the selected wallpaper will set onto the monitor. The Software presents wallpaper selection and navigation in a way similar to Windows 7. In case you do have a dual monitor wallpaper big enough to span both the monitors, just check the Single Wallpaper checkbox and the selected wallpaper will be displayed on both the monitors.

For every Wallpaper, the software allows to specify whether you wish to display the wallpaper in stretch mode, tile mode or you want the wallpaper to be just displayed in the center of the monitor. Having different wallpapers on dual monitors was never so easy and fun to have. The Software also allows to specify a custom folder location with wallpapers in it and the selected folder’s wallpapers will be displayed as like any other windows folder locations. You will be also presented with number of wallpapers found at the selected location in the status bar of the software.

Dual monitor cards support splitting video signals to go across two monitors instead of one.  This can be useful for Designers,  Engineers,  and Computer users who can benefit from a bigger viewing area. You may find a dual monitor card which supports one standard VGA output and one DVI output (which provides a higher resolution output for Monitors). The price range vary depending on the chip in the graphics card, in built memory and may other such technical specification.

Slot type for the Dual Monitor Graphics Card:

Graphics Card can have any of the three different types of slots. The type of slot determine what type of slot (AGP, PCI or PCI Express) would be required in the motherboard of a desktop computer to insret the dual monitor graphics card.

Given below types of slots in the motherboard have different shape and often you would find type of the clot printer on the motherboard near the slot to identify the slot type. In case you can have a look at the motherboard of a desktop computer, look closely at the motherboard and you may find slot type writen on the motherboard, which depends onthe manufacturer or have a look at the manual supplied with the board.

• PCI Slots are often white slots of your Motherboard.
• AGP Slots are often brown connectors slot which are four times the bandwidth over PCI.  AGP video cards are now designed to work only with the AGP 2.0 and 3.0.
• PCI Express slot are often shortened to PCI slot designed to replace AGP slots and have larger amount of bandwidth resulting in improvement in system performance.

Please do try to find the slot type written on the motherboard before making a decision and if pssible verify your finding with the manual of the motherboard.

Connector Ports for Dual Monitor Cards:

• DB-15 VGA/SVGA connector commonly used for standard output to an analog monitor.
• S-Video output to connect a Television.
• DVI connectors are typically used to connect digital screen monitors. DVI connector types can be of three different types such as DVI-D (Digital), DVI-A (Analog), DVI-I (Integrated Digital/Analog).
• DisplayPort is the latest port type available for getting digital display out of the graphica card.

In case you are planning to buy a Dual Monitor Card, the port type available in the selected graphics card is one of the important thing to note. In case your dual monitor graphics card has one VGA and one DVI output and you have two monitors with VGA port available, you would need a DVI to VGA converteras well to connect your dual monitors to the graphics card.

Few Dual Monitor Graphics Cards:

Given below are few dual head / dual monitor graphics cards.  In case you are planning to buy adual head graphics card, do some research on cost / tchnical specifications and only then place your order to get the best dual monitor graphics card according to your current / future needs.

• Matrox Millennium G450 Dual Head (32 MB).
• Jaton NVIDIA Ge Force FX5200 Dual VGA Video Card.
• Zotac NVIDIA Ge Force 7200GS VGA-DVI Video Card.
• Matrox Millennium P650 64 MB Graphics Card.
• ATI RADEON RX300SE-TD128E.

A dual monitor setup can also be seen as an arrangement where you can connect and use two monitors independently with one computer-processing unit.  Adding second monitor to a computer can seriously boost work or business productivity. In case you do have an extra monitor available, in order to go with the dual monitor setup,  with your desktop computer, you would need a dual head Graphics Card or in case you want to connect your second monitor with your laptop, look for already available display output. In case you do have another available display output from your laptop, just connect your external monitor to the extra available display output, in case you do not have an another display output available, a display modem with usb connection can be a quick and easy choice.

Benefits of Dual Monitor Setup

• In case you do work on many applications simultaneously, a dual monitor setup can be helpful to view multiple window content without switching between windows.
• Dual Monitor setup with a rotatable monitor can be helpful to view a long document without scrolling.
• In case you do need to keep an eye on news / stock news, you can view news on one monitor and do your work on the other monitor.
• There can be many other benefits, just imagine having dual monitors connected to you computer / laptop, extending your work area in a configurable manner.

How to Setup Dual Monitor Setup

Softwre Requirements:

This article talks about only Windows Operating System and in case you do have Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7, this is all you would need to go ahead with your dual monitor setup. Third party dual monitor softwares (e.g MurGeeMon) can be of help as well and can be useful to provide more easier ways to control yourdual monitors and use them efficiently.

Hardware Requirements for Desktop Computer:

• Desktop Computer with dual head graphics card or in board dual graphics output in your motherboard.
• Dual Monitors (attached or seperate).
• Connectors / Wires to connect monitors to your computer.

Hardware Requirements for Laptop Computer:

• Laptop with extra display output port or a Laptop and suitable display modem (e.g USB Display Modem, etc).
• An extra Monitor, in case the extra monitor is big in size, it can give you wide viewing area and good resolution.
• Depending on the available monitor type and the display output of your laptop, you might need a converter (e.g DVI to VGA, DisplayPort to VGA, etc).

Once you do have the required hardware connected to your desktop or laptop computer, and do have the compatible operating system (Note : This article discusses only Windows Opearting System, other operating systems may support dual monitor setup as well, but the are no discussed here) all you would need is go to the display settings and help the os to detect the extra monitor connected (may be by clicking the detect button (or any other relavent button).

In case you do have all the things in place such as required hardware installed / configured with corresponding device drivers (if not detected, configured and installed automatically by the operating system), dual monitor supported os, etc) for your dual monitor setup, you should be ready to explore the world benefits / advantages of dual monitors.