MediaAtlantic UK Technology Centre: Help with a USB to Monitor Adapter for your Computer or Laptop

MediaAtlantic UK Technology Centre: Help with a USB to Monitor Adapter for your Computer or Laptop

Help with a USB to Monitor Adapter for your Computer or Laptop

A great little addition to your system, can make quite a big difference to how you use your PC or Laptop computer!

By adding a USB to VGA or a newer style USB to DVI video adapter, you can now very eaily upgrade your desktop windows pc or windows based laptop to a multi-screen system. They are aimed at anyone who would benefit from such an additional screen and are great for presentations too.

There are a few variants available, and you should make yourself aware of these before proceeding. Computer monitors either come with a 15 pin VGA input or the newer DVI (Digital Video Interface) input. Some displays do come with both, so do check with your monitors before purchasing. If you haven't decided on your monitors just yet, then the DVI would be the better interface to go for, for now and future use.

Also, you need to decide on what size of monitors you intend to use. The more basic USB video adapters will only allow for resolutions up to 1280 x 1024 (Around 17 to 19" Monitors), with more advanced adapters allowing for greater resolutions. Also be aware of widescreen displays, as a 19 inch widescreen displays resolution is greater than that of a standard 19 inch display.

Windows XP and Vista will recognise the USB Video Adapter, and then by editing your desktop settings, you can tell your system how you want to setup your 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th or even 6th display to work. Yes you can add up to a maximum of 6 displays to your pc or laptop!

When you have these connected, simply right click your desktop and bring up your Properties icon > Settings Tab. Then you can select the options from here to allow the configuration of your other screens. Perhaps you want to clone your content, so you see the same image on all screens? Or perhaps you want to drag n drop applications between windows, so you can see multiple windows arcoss your displays? No problem!

Common Applications include:

• Web/Graphics/CAD Designers
• Accountancy
• Training, Support or Sales Order Processing
• Video Editing and Digital Artists
• Simulations and Gaming
• Financial Trading Desks

Related Product Links of Interest:
www.mediaatlantic.com/lcd - LCD Monitor and Complete Multi Screen Kits
www.mediaatlantic.com/ - USB to Monitor Adapters
www.mediaatlantic.com/graphics - Range of Graphics Cards available
www.mediaatlantic.com/cables - LCD Monitor Cables and many more
www.mediaatlantic.com/brackets - LCD Monitor Mounts and Brackets

How to setup a dual, triple or multiscreen LCD desktop display.

Why would I want a 2nd, 3rd or even more Screens on my Computer?

Well, apart from having a desk that resembles mission control, a dual screen or multiple screen desktop will allow you to have more program windows open, at the same time, spread over the number of displays you have. You can then drag and drop your objects, programs between displays too. You can answer multiple queries easily, scan through spreadsheets with ease, be more productive with your design (web/art/cad/design) work, train staff more easily or have an absolute blast on a simulation or game that immerses you into the action!

Common Applications include:

• Web/Graphics/CAD Designers
• Accountancy
• Training, Support or Sales Order Processing
• Video Editing and Digital Artists
• Simulations and Gaming
• Financial Trading Desks
• Or just showing off!

There are a couple of ways you add a further LCD monitor to your computer system, depending on your experience with computers, there is an 'easy way' or 'OK I have to open up my computer case, do I really know what I am doing way'.

The easy way...

A simple device has arrived in the last few years that allows you to add a further monitor connection to your desktop PC or even to your laptop. A USB to Monitor adapter. This device is USB powered, is pretty much plug n play and allows even a novice to benefit from a 2nd (or more) LCD display, on one PC system.

There are a few variants available, and you should make yourself aware of these before proceeding. Computer monitors either come with a 15 pin VGA input or the newer DVI (Digital Video Interface) input. Some displays do come with both, so do check with your monitors before purchasing. If you haven't decided on your monitors just yet, then the DVI would be the better interface to go for, for now and future use.

Also, you need to decide on what size of monitors you intend to use. The more basic USB video adapters will only allow for resolutions up to 1280 x 1024 (Around 17 to 19" Monitors), with more advanced adapters allowing for greater resolutions. Also be aware of widescreen displays, as a 19 inch widescreen displays resolution is greater than that of a standard 19 inch display.

The harder way... (unless you are OK with upgrading your PC)

If you are wanting a multiscreen desktop and intend to use it for high quality desktop work or high end gaming, then you should consider upgrading your computers graphics card. You can consider either, dual VGA (15 pin) outputs, 1 x VGA and 1 x DVI (Digital Video Interface) outputs, Dual DVI outputs or even a DVI and HDMI output from one single card.

When upgrading your graphics card, you will need to check what graphics card options your motherboard supports. Do you have an AGP slot (Advanced Graphics Port) available, are you just using standard PCI slots or does your motherboard cater for the newer PCI-E (PCI Express)?

A vast range of cards on the market with a multitude of options can seem a little overwhelming at first. But check with your computer manual or manufacturer first and see what options you have. Also be careful if you have a thin PC Case, as you system may only accept ‘low profile’cards. A selection are available, but the choice is slightly more limited. The good news is equipment prices really are lower than ever, LCD monitors and graphics cards are very affordable. The bad news could be, you may not have the knowledge to install and setup such a solution as these will need you to open up your computer case and install components to enable you to achieve this.

If in doubt, leave it to an expert and do check your original warranty before opening your computer case, as mistakes could prove expensive!

In both cases

If you want a multi screen setup that is both useful and asthetically easy on the eye, then it would always be beneficial to have the same size displays in use together. Even better, if you are able to use all of the same make, model and colour of monitor. You can then align them together on your desk, wall mount them together or invest in a quality multiscreen desk stand, if your budget allows it. Your eyes will then be able to adjust more easily, as all screens would be of the same, type, size, resolution and frequency.

Once you have used a dual or triple view desktop, you will find it very difficult to go back to a single screen. You really can get more work done with a multi screen desktop!

Related Product Links of Interest:

www.mediaatlantic.com/lcd - LCD Monitor and Complete Multi Screen Kits

http://www.mediaatlantic.com/ - USB to Monitor Adapters

www.mediaatlantic.com/graphics - Range of Graphics Cards available

www.mediaatlantic.com/cables - LCD Monitor Cables and many more
www.mediaatlantic.com/brackets - LCD Monitor Mounts and Brackets