| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Windows7 side-by-side display Thread poster: Tina Vonhof (X)
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Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 23:59
Dutch to English
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I'm in the process of buying a new computer and was planning to get 2 (19" or 20") monitors. When I told him that I need to be able to display PDFs and Word documents side by side, he told me that in Windows 7 and 8 you can do this on one monitor. He suggested that I buy one large (minimum 24") monitor instead. This would be cheaper and would take up less space on my fairly small desk.
I would like some advice from anyone who is working this way. My main questions are: 1) are you ha... See more I'm in the process of buying a new computer and was planning to get 2 (19" or 20") monitors. When I told him that I need to be able to display PDFs and Word documents side by side, he told me that in Windows 7 and 8 you can do this on one monitor. He suggested that I buy one large (minimum 24") monitor instead. This would be cheaper and would take up less space on my fairly small desk.
I would like some advice from anyone who is working this way. My main questions are: 1) are you happy with it? What are the pros and cons? and 2) can I then still enlarge the view (to see better) or will it be larger to begin with? ▲ Collapse
| | | | | 2 x 19" > 1 x 24" | Feb 5, 2013 |
To display two or more windows at the same time, you need actual physical screen area, and two 19" monitors will give you more than a single 24" one. You'd probably have to look for a 27-30" one. If your most important concern is desk space, you may well go for that; on the other hand, two monitors give you a greater flexibility. I've already written here on the forums about an arrangement I really like - instead of two identical monitors side by side, I use a smaller notebook (with the screen ~... See more To display two or more windows at the same time, you need actual physical screen area, and two 19" monitors will give you more than a single 24" one. You'd probably have to look for a 27-30" one. If your most important concern is desk space, you may well go for that; on the other hand, two monitors give you a greater flexibility. I've already written here on the forums about an arrangement I really like - instead of two identical monitors side by side, I use a smaller notebook (with the screen ~40 cm from my eyes) and a bigger external monitor that is above and behind the notebook (about 1 m from me). This way, I keep refocusing my eyes back and forth, which noticeably reduces the eye strain. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | 24" isn't big enough... | Feb 5, 2013 |
Hi Tina,
It is indeed very easy in Windows 7 to have two windows (e.g., Word, PDF, internet) open at the same time. You just drag the top bar of the program in question to the side and it automatically expands to fill exactly half of the screen.
And I actually have a 24" monitor now that I hoped to be able to use for this very purpose (Word on one side, internet on other), but they're just not big enough.
I see Anton has just said exactly what I was goin... See more Hi Tina,
It is indeed very easy in Windows 7 to have two windows (e.g., Word, PDF, internet) open at the same time. You just drag the top bar of the program in question to the side and it automatically expands to fill exactly half of the screen.
And I actually have a 24" monitor now that I hoped to be able to use for this very purpose (Word on one side, internet on other), but they're just not big enough.
I see Anton has just said exactly what I was going to say. If I was going to buy my desktop again, I would either buy 2 smaller monitors or go up to a 27". ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 07:59
Spanish to English
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| Two better than one | Feb 5, 2013 |
I prefer to use 2 computers when I need to have 2 screens, so I just use a laptop alongside my main PC. It doesn't happen very often.
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Rolf Keller
Germany
Local time: 07:59
English to German
| Buy 2 monitors | Feb 5, 2013 |
Tina Vonhof wrote:
he told me that in Windows 7 and 8 you can do this on one monitor.
You can do this with older Windows versions as well.
If you have only one 24" screen, a side-by-side view of 2 windows means that the width of both the windows is extremely limited. Thus, you'd have to set the character size to a very low value. Although this is possible, it is IMHO not a good solution for text workers - but perhaps recommended by eye or headache specialists.
And: Note that with 2 screens you can use the Maximize button to maximize a window on "its own" screen - a very handy feature. With only one monitor you'll often have to fiddle & re-adjust both windows.
So, if your desk is large enough, buy 2 monitors. But be sure not to buy 2 wide-screen monitors (16:9), instead buy a 16:10 or (better) 4:3 model. Except if you want to watch TV or use certain computer games.
Don't query dealers about what you need. Dealers have no experience regarding your work. Often they try to sell just those things that bring them maximum profit (this does not necessarily mean maximum income).
| | | | | Don't forget about pivoting | Feb 5, 2013 |
One more important point I forgot to mention: if you buy two monitors, choose the models that can be pivoted into portrait orientation, which is very handy for viewing a full page.
In fact, in my arrangement (see above), the rear monitor is in the portrait mode.
| | | | Emma Goldsmith 
Spain
Local time: 07:59
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
A new feature I've seen is an LG monitor with "Dual package" which means that you can split it in half for two different devices (e.g. PC and Xbox). Not useful for a work set-up, but interesting all the same.
I use two monitors and agree with everyone else here that 24" would be too small. I have a 15" laptop connected to an external 20" monitor. It works great for me.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 07:59
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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| Yes for pivoting | Feb 5, 2013 |
Anton Konashenok wrote:
If you buy two monitors, choose the models that can be pivoted into portrait orientation, which is very handy for viewing a full page.
I have only one monitor, but it is mostly in portrait position. I only switch to landscape orientation when I need to check a wide Excel sheet or when I want to check things side by side. My monitor's resolution is 1080 wide and 1920 tall. Not all monitors can physically pivot (even if they have software that can pivot the screen). If I had to have two monitors, I'd get another of the same size and put both of them in portrait position.
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Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 23:59
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you all for your suggestions! It really helps to have this input. Instead of buying another monitor, what I am considering now is to keep my current (19") monitor and then take my time to look for a good laptop. This will end up costing a bit more but that way I will have a second screen when I need it plus the convenience of being more mobile.
| | | | Lianne van de Ven
United States
Local time: 01:59
Member (2008)
English to Dutch
+ ...
| the more, the better | Feb 5, 2013 |
I would go for 2 monitors, as large as your budget and desk can take.
I just upgraded and actually have two systems running right now, with a total of 3 screens: my favorite 24" (1900x1200) Dell 2407WFP, and two cheaper ones, a 20" (1680x1050), and 17" (1280x1024).
It's a total of 587 in² of screen space... and I really like it.
Left monitor (20"): translation software and dictionaries
Center (24"): browser and all other software (including music)
Ri... See more I would go for 2 monitors, as large as your budget and desk can take.
I just upgraded and actually have two systems running right now, with a total of 3 screens: my favorite 24" (1900x1200) Dell 2407WFP, and two cheaper ones, a 20" (1680x1050), and 17" (1280x1024).
It's a total of 587 in² of screen space... and I really like it.
Left monitor (20"): translation software and dictionaries
Center (24"): browser and all other software (including music)
Right (17") (2nd system): reference documents, original document
I use my old system (vista) for software that is not taken by windows 7 (such as my voip adapter for telephone). And it is a backup setup. I keep my laptop separate for relaxing elsewhere in the house, for travel, sometimes for translating, occasionally as an additional monitor (ppt sources).
I just got a monitor (hdmi connection for my new pc) that is actually a tv but they said it would also work as a monitor (Best Buy's brand Insignia). I don't like it, it must be poor quality, there are white edges all around the letters on a darker background, the letters turn red if you use too much color, etc.). Avoid low quality monitors, they get you a headache. So this goes back to the store and I reconnected the old one with a vga to hdmi adapter from amazon).
I guess I don't like clutter.
I am still a fairly slow translator, though ▲ Collapse
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A 27" monitor seems to equal two 18" portrait mode monitors. My typical work set up on a 27" 2560x1440 monitor (not running Windows of course): http://www.screencast.com/t/bKr4N8SM (the picture is too big to embed it - 20 MB - and if I resize it, you "won't get the picture")
Cheers,
Hans
| | | | Steven Segaert
Estonia
Local time: 08:59
Member (2012)
English to Dutch
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I personally have two screens (23 inch), but most of the time use only one. The reason for this is that I find it less strenuous to fit two windows on one screen than to have change focus between two screens all the time. For the same reason, my CAT tool usually occupies about 2/3 of the screen (which is where my eyes end up when I look up from the keyboard), with the reference document usually on the other third.
Sometimes I use a second screen to keep a browser or other materials... See more I personally have two screens (23 inch), but most of the time use only one. The reason for this is that I find it less strenuous to fit two windows on one screen than to have change focus between two screens all the time. For the same reason, my CAT tool usually occupies about 2/3 of the screen (which is where my eyes end up when I look up from the keyboard), with the reference document usually on the other third.
Sometimes I use a second screen to keep a browser or other materials open for searches. Sometimes however I find it easier to switch to the browser in the same screen using alt+tab - again, instead of having to turn my head (as silly as that may sound). And sometimes it is indeed almost necessary to have both screens active - most often when using excel documents.
Setup depends on the job you are doing, and it is good to have flexibility. My screens are Dells, 23 inch, that indeed swivel in just about whatever position you want them. At about 175 a piece, they weren't overly expensive.
Importantly, they have a resolution (1920 x 1080) that is supported by my video card and that allows me to use the whole screen real estate without trouble. I would say that this is the most crucial part of the decision: make sure your screen and your computer play nice together. I simply took my laptop to the shop and asked if I could hook it up to the screen I was considering. Which also mean that I immediately know if it had the right connectors for me... ▲ Collapse
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Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 23:59
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER | @Steven and Anton | Feb 6, 2013 |
Thank you Steven, those are valid points. Indeed I am a little worried about having to turn my head or having to move it up and down. I have graded bifocal lenses that leave only a fairly narrow area to look at the monitor. A relatively small screen is easier to oversee than a very large one.
Anton, I do like the setup you mention, a larger monitor farther away with a laptop in front. That might work very well for me. Thank you for that suggestion.
| | | | Rolf Keller
Germany
Local time: 07:59
English to German
| Why graded lenses? | Feb 6, 2013 |
Tina Vonhof wrote:
I have graded bifocal lenses
I would never use such lenses at my workplace. Why? I want to have an optimal view. So I use lenses that fit exactly to the distance between my eyes and my screens. This pair of glasses is rather cheap (light-weighted plastics, no antireflex coating, simple frame).
When I leave my house I put on a second pair of glasses (true glass, antireflex). These glasses are rather expensive because I need high-refractive ones, otherwise they would be very thick at the edge.
| | | | Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 23:59
Dutch to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I tried that but I didn't like it because a) then I can't read anything close by (like a dictionary), and b) if I get up to make some coffee or whatever and I forget to change glasses, everything looks fuzzy. I am quite used to the graded lenses, in fact I like them a lot. It just means that the monitor needs to be in the right position, a bit farther away and lower than most people have theirs.
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