[Ben]

This message was origionally just a reply to Binke, but it turns out I'd like to share this with all of you, because I think it's something that everyone here who does digital art should know about. Most of you most likely already do, but just in case you don't here it is, it's abbout how to get multi monitors working for your photoshop needs for totally free if you have a spare monitor and video card layin around! Most of you probably already know this, but for those of you that don't, your missing out on simple, yet valuable information. Here it is:

Binke - Actually I have two monitors hooked up to my pc. Stupid me, I just learned you can open a picture up twice and see what you're doing on the second copy as you work with the first one zoomed in. Hmm oh well.

I don't know if you know this, but you don't actually need the G400 to have two indapendent destops on two different screens. Windows98 Has a Multi Monitor Function where if you add a second video card and plug in another monitor, you can "extend" your desktop onto it. This is totally "plug-and-play" meaning you just hook it up, set it up, and ... well it's up!

***Read the following if ya want, it's just a little story as to how I came to figuring out that Windows can do this. It involves two FutureShop employees who don't know jack $hit about this stuff. It's rather funny if I do say so myself.

What I did is I had an old 14" monitor (<-crap) and bought a new 17". I also have a few video cards to add to that, from other upgrades and so on. I just had the old hardware sitting there collecting dust, so I decided to try to use them somehow after seeing a monitor display at the local Future Shop, but they were all the same desktops. The point here is I asked the guy behind the desk if he has a "box" or "splitter" that I can use to "extend" my desktop. He said smartly, "Yes, but it cost about $700 CAN! It's kinda on the pricy side!" Then another guy who acted like he was King $hit of Turd Island walked up and said, "Actually, if you want to do it that bad, you can add the second videocard and monitor and adjust some Windoes registry setting!" Supposidly, this is something which is very difficult to do.

So when I got home, I did a bit of research on the Net, and low and behold I found it. The stupid @sses at Future Shop were totally out of their minds. All you have to do is add the second video card, hook up the monitor to it, start up Windows, which automatically recognizes it, and you're done. Totally free, and totally easy.

Now if I could only replace my 14" with atleast another 17" if not 21"!

Just something I'd like to share with y'all.

later

-BEN

[laminator]

Thanks for your comments on my pic Ben. I totally agree, FUTURE SHOP LICKS MAJOR BAG!

------------------
LaMInatoR

[immi]

Ahhaaahaa.

I worked at future shop as a computer salesman for 8 months, and I tell ya, the majority of the salespeople were about as knowledgeable as a donkey's ass. That place really did suck.
I HATE THEIR FUCKING CSPS-customer service plans(eg. extended warranties, eg. rip-offs)

[Ben]

No problem LaMInatoR.

[Ben]

IMMI - That's pretty funny, it seems like something else happened to me a while back that's also even funnier.

About 3 or so years ago, when 3Dfx first released their cards on the market, I dropped into FutureShop to check out their prices. So I walk in and notice a computer sales rep talking with his friend who was recently either fired, or he quit. How do I know this you ask? Well I overheard their conversation while WAITING for him to pay attention to me. (Being only about 15, he didn't really give 2 shits about me!) Well, I finally asked him, "Pardon me sir, but do you sell 3Dfx Video cards?" The stupid chump turns to me and says, "Yes!" And starts showing me all of these other 3D bullshit cards that are "3D" but not "3Dfx Voodoo Graphics". Let's give him the benifit of the doubt and assume I wan't clear enought because I didn't say "the Voodoo Graphics" part. Okay, then here is the punch line, the guy who was just fired turns to the guy and says, "No! I think he means the new BRAND of video Accellerators!" And I was totally shocked the person who got fired knew more than the guy still working there!

Holy shit, it's like as soon as Future Shop finds out you know something about what you are selling, they fire you because you're "too smart" for Future Shop! They need "the people who know nothing about what they sell!" I'm obviously being sarcastic here!

IMMI - This is probably why you don't work their anymore, you were too smart for FUTURESHOP.

Here's another story...

My Hardrive crashed so I got a program that is supposedly suppose to fix it. It had a fair amount of important school work on it. I took the program home, and bam, it didn't do shit.

The next day I take it back and a smart ass computer sales guy wals up, sorry you can't return an opened box. So then I say pointing at the sticker on the box, "Why is their a sticker on here that says you'll take it back with no questions asked?" He then replies, "Oh, I didn't see that. Anyway, you have to return it to the manufacturer. Then I say, "Hmm...why does the sticker clearly state that FUTURESHOP will take it back, with no questions asked?" Then he says, "Oh, ok." And I end up getting the full refund.

All this trouble for nothing.

Hmm...maybe I'll remember about others..oh well, this is an art forum, not a "Mock Future Shop Forum"! LOL

CYA!

-BEN

[Ben]

One more thing, it was pointed out to me by Loki that this is only supported under Windows 98 and 2000 and NOT 95.

I personally knew this, but some of you may have not.

So just know that WIN95 doesn't support multiple monitors.

Hope I helped those of you that didn't know.

-BEN

[immi]

No, no, lets keep this thread about hating future shop. I'm kind of tired, but tomorow i'l post lots of stories about their stupid asses!

dave

[BooMSticK]

Actually you can do it under NT4.0 as well, but you need 2 graphics cards of the same brand....You cannot combine a voodoo3 with a matrox millenium under NT. either 2 voodoo's or 2 matrox's.

just my two cents...

;P

[DuKEZ]

i knew about windows98 support 2 monitors/video cards already from actually reading that intro crap when u first install it.. anyways i never tried it..

and i do have a spare card and monitor lying around.. but i dont wanna hook em up cause that spare card only does 1024 max at 16k colors and right now im runing 1280x1024 at 16k colors.. and i like it this big :P

im assuming both monitors cards gotta be runing at the same rez/colors?

[This message has been edited by DuKEZ (edited January 13, 2000).]

[B]

as you can see the setup can vary,.

13 in monitor 16M colors 640X480 . 4 meg trident card

20" monitor 16M colors 1024X786 - 32meg Viper 2. openGL, and all dat Mumbo jumbo


B-upgraded 2 weeks ago,.

[Ben]

I too have different setings. You have have both different video cards and different monitors settings.

My little 14" monitor has a resolution of only 800x600 with 16bit colour.

It's not my main monitor, it's just secondary and I currently use it for many handy things like:

1. Obviously, for art to either have the toolbars on a seperate page or the actual picture.

2. Setting a web page on it to "copy" information while I'm word processing my homework. By doing this, I don't have to constantly minimize, maximize, and everything between Wordperfect and the net.

2. If you have a tutorial you're working on, it's excellent to have because you can put the tutorial on it while actually doing it on the other monitor.

3. If you're doing something require two programs at the same time, like working on a webpage, you can have an image viewer to find images on the hard drive on one screen and then incorperate the right image into your webpage.

And so on. I recommend doing it. But it's up to you.

-BEN

[DuKEZ]

yeah i tried it today and found out for myself.. it was pretty cool.. but i didnt keep it.. :P

an odd thing tho is that my graphire taablet didnt work right.. well it only responded on a small area of mointor 1.. i couldnt use the tablet to move the cursor all the way to each edge on screen.. owell i dunno.. after i went back to one monitor it was still the same so i reinstalled its drivers.. and all is well now ;P

[n8]

lol...das pretty funny shtuff....heres a soloution....buy ur stuff online =)

[LeChuck]

Cool! Will it work If my existing video card is AGP and I put in a $20 PCI video card for the second monitor?