I would like to add a 2nd monitor to my computer and have it double my workspace. I am NOT looking to just have the same image on both screens, but rather have the mouse flow through both as if it is all 1 screen.

I have a 2 year old Dell Dimension, with win XP loaded. I currently have 1 flat screen plugged into the VGA jack on the back of the computer.

If I just buy a second basic PCI video card and a 2nd flatscreen and install them both. Will I end up with both monitors acting as 1 double wide work space?

OR do I need to buy a more expensive PCI video card that already has 2 VGA jacks on it. Then plug both monitors into the new card, to get the desired double work space?


Any thoughts would be helpful.
Thanks Jim

 

I've never tried it with 2 video cards, but I have 2 displays on my system using 1 card.. It can be a hit or miss thing according to:
http://freepctech.com/pc/001/guide_dual_monitors.shtml

 

Thanks for the article, I will try using a 2nd PCI card with 1 VGA port.

Jim

 

I've never gotten it working using an add-in PCI card along with the onboard VGA card, but that doesn't mean it's not possible. Dual-head cards aren't very expensive, and the decent ones even come with utility software to help things work smoothly (for example, maybe you want a certain program to always open in the right-hand monitor, or auto-resize a window so it only fills one screen). Normally to get the new PCI card to work you'll have to disable the onboard one completely.

I have an nVidia card that spans my desktop across two 20" LCD monitors and trust me, you'll get spoiled in a hurry.

 

I have been doing this for many years using relatively inexpensive VGA cards that support dual monitors.
The feature you want to use is extended desktop.
Most cards have one digital and one analog output that just uses an adapter for the digital output if you have two analog monitors.

I am not home and don't remember the model of the one I am using in my main computer but it supports high def TV as well as dual monitor and was only a bit over $100.00.

I am using a single monitor where I am now and really miss the second one.

 

I've been doing it for several years, using an AGP card and a PCI card while running Windows ME. Works for me.

Nashcat

 

here's a link to a cheap card that works great for doing it...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133007