Dual monitor setup advice?

[jgrabham]

In a couple of weeks I want to set up a dual (or possibly tri at some stage) monitor setup.

I have an on-board geforce 6100,but I dont know if this will work, so Ill probabally buy a 16x PCI-E 8600 to plug my new 20 inch monitor in, and a cheap PCI card for my other monitor.

I want a different keyboard and mouse to control each monitor (so Ill essentially have 2 systems, with only one base unit) do they all have to be USB, or can I have one set PS/2?

Anyway, I dont have a clue how to set this up, what should I be planning to do?

[Sugi]

I wouldn't know how to begin to setup different keyboards and different mouses for each monitor. Youll probably find out it's a waste of space and time. Most likely you'll like one keyboard and one mouse for all of your monitors. Theres no need for multiple keybaords and mouses. I had three monitors once for one tower. It was heaven sent and I couldn't see myself using one monitor ever again.

What do you want to know about multiple monitors? All I can really give to you at this moment is, try to stay away from multiple keyboards and mouse besides from it pointless (at least I would think so). It will probably be a pain in the neck to setup, if possible.

[jgrabham]

I hardly know anything about it, Im still thing about the seperate keyboards and mice, if you think its a bad idea, Ill probably steer clear for now.

[rsambuca]

I agree with Sugi here. Go for the extra monitor, but I really see no reason for the extra inputs. By the way, if you are going to get the 8600, then it can run two monitors without you getting another "cheap PCI card"

[~LoKe]

I agree with Sugi here. Go for the extra monitor, but I really see no reason for the extra inputs. By the way, if you are going to get the 8600, then it can run two monitors without you getting another "cheap PCI card"

Yep. Unless you use an extremely high resolution while gaming.

[Sugi]

Just a small note:
I have played games with multiple monitors and it's awesome. Like let me tell you, if you have any plans on playing video games on multiple monitors, get some nice video cards. Most support for multiple monitors is the base number of three monitors. So, think about that when you are buying your video games.

[BobCFC]

Multiple monitors is easy to set up if you have an NVIDIA card.

There is a control panel that comes with the proprietary graphics drivers try:



sudo nvidia-settings


You have to launch it as root so that it can save the changes to the xorg.conf file.

Basically it's sets up the screen for you so that you never have to touch xorg.conf by hand. Choose TwinView to enable one big desktop spread across both the monitors, you can even tweek the brightness etc.

Then press button to save changes to xorg.conf so it remembers on reboot.

It's very smooth on modern cards.. you can drag video from one monitor to the other while it is playing with NO SLOWDOWN even with wobbly windows. Also you can spin the cubes on compiz fusion set to one big cube across both screens


EDIT: I agree I don't think you will need an extra cheap pci card. Most 8x00 geforce's have two DVI outs and even come with old analogue adapters.

[ljrossi]

I whant to do the same.

The basic idea is that 2 persons can use same computer at same time.That means 2 keyboard 2 moues 2 monitors 1 PC.

It will by nice to share computer ,meanwhile Im surfing and updating my web server, my wife can do her Skypes calls and chats with friends and familiars .

I allready have a new Flat LCD that I use, and a the old monitor setup on same computer. But allthougt the good dual monitors , we fight because getting control of mouse or keyboards

Old UNIX did work in that maners , with one main computer and several consoles.I guess should be posible to do it.

Julian

[boast]

I hope you don't game. :D

[jargs]

I hope you don't game. :D

...Why?

[aeiah]

it is possible to set it up, although it wont be all that simple i wouldnt think. normally to use multiple monitors you set it up in xorg, or with some control panel setting. if you are wanting to use two keyboards and two mice, you will probably have to run two X servers. this may be even more complicated if you're using one graphics card although im not too sure. there was an ask slashdot on this sorta thing a while back. google will find it.

[BobCFC]

Hope this helps ... it's a year old and not ubuntu specific.. but it expains how to run 6 users off a single PC!

Two should be easier lol.

http://linuxgazette.net/124/smith.html


Good luck


EDIT: one thing I will say is ubuntu doesn't use /etc/inittab anymore.... when it talks about that for runlevels look for a tutorial on upstart... which is the new ubuntu replacement for inittab

[ljrossi]

http://blog.chris.tylers.info/index.php?/archives/14-Multiseat-X-Under-X11R6.97.0.html

A mini Tutorial found there, looking at google = Multiseat Linux

[Choc_Salties]

Thanks BobCFC for the nvidia settings thing! i now have 2 screens attached to my rig, with compiz working

Appreciate it!

[bloodrose]

I hope you don't game. :D


...Why?

Simply put, you'd be taxing any system trying to run 2 users while gaming. You can push a system pretty good running both a graphics-intensive game and voice chat client - let alone while someone else is even surfing the Internet, even if you have a Gigabit connection set up. It is possible, though - especially with the dropping prices of decent hardware... But I wouldn't recommend it. To each their own [computer]...

[Jammin80503]

I have a dual monitor setup, and I got it all set up with a program called envy - it was really easy, configures it for you and all that. I'm surprised that no one has mentioned it yet.
get it here - http://albertomilone.com/nvidia_scripts1.html

[herbster]

Been using duals for a while, it couldn't be easier with an Nvidia dual-head card on linux. As mentioned, nvidia-settings gets it going, back that xorg.conf up and you're set.