Advice about dual monitor, "newbie" friendly WMs

Need some advice:
Just got another monitor for my laptop (a samsung 23.5'' 2333sw), and I'm trying to tweak my monitor setup. What are the best panels/windowmanagers for dual monitors? Like right now I'm using compiz + tint2 and when I change workspaces, both monitors change workspaces. When I open a program, it appears in the taskbar on both monitors. I'd like them to be more independant (but still be able to share windows between them, so separate xorg files are out). Awesome kept things separate automatically, which brings me to my next question....
I don't want to use awesome (although it handles dual monitors exactly how I like, with no tweaking) because I'm having extended family stay over for a few weeks and I'd like to make my computer as user friendly as possible (part of me wants to do some linux converting). I'm talking totally mouse-based. OSX-esque dock, the works. Guys have any advice for the best window manager/apps to appeal to windows/mac users? Not that I want to make a windows clone. I just want something inviting, intuitive, with a low learning curve.
Part of me is thinking of maybe just tweaking awesome so it includes titlebars, is always floating, and has a dock. Since it handles dual monitors well right now, this might be the path of least resistance.
Thoughts?

That's a very interesting topic. The program lxrandr is able to control the behaviour of plugged monitors but obviously it is only able to display the same content on both screens.
so are there some lightweight programs that can differ between the content like e.g. gnome is able?
Last edited by orschiro (2009-06-06 21:06:40)

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Question about dual-monitor setup - advanced dock + PCIe card

I just got a Z60t at work. I had been using a dual monitor setup, but it doesn't look like my current config is going to fly w/ the new machine. Anyway, here's what I've got:
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Gary -- don't turn on the OS Display Mirroring. Turn it off.
You want Aperture to control how it uses your dual monitors. (You do not want the OS to determine it.)
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Want advice on dual monitor options for touchsmart for IQ 770

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You should be able to use a USB display adapter:
http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q=usb+display+adapter&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=Dtj4SbKGM9zKjAe4sbHKDA&s...
... an HP employee expressing his own opinion.
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If I upgrade, the only Apple option available is the dual 27" setup, (now glossy, which is quite different than the Matte 23"- I am told) Seems like huge desktop real estate. And I am still in Eye-One territory !

Thanks for the info. I am aware of the variables in my monitor/calibration setup and in my post. I admit calibration is and has been a constant thread of frustration in my work flow.
As new products appear on the market I try to find out how well they integrate with existing systems and how well people like using them. Since It is very important for me to get accurate results with monitor calibration, and since I have spent some dollars over the years trying to get there (not always successfully) - I keep looking.
There is always a dynamic weak link one's system. IE, when my dual displays were brand new, the choice of the calibration hardware was not as detrimental. Now that they are getting older I need to determine whether better hardware, like the color munki which you mention, will suffice and I can hold on to the existing displays for a while longer, or whether, regardless of the calibration hardware itself, I need to bite the bullet here and go for new Monitors ( a whole other ball game ).
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Question about dual monitors - view stretching across both screens

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Monitor Profile incorrect on Dual Monitor Setup

Hello,
I've searched the forums and I can't find an answer to my problem. I've read about dual monitor setups in Windows and how to set the defaults and whatnot, but it doesn't seem to fix my problem.
I am running on an nVidia GeForce 8600M GT, Windows 7 x64, Photoshop CS4 x64. I calibrated my main display (Dell Vostro 1700) as well as the attached monitor (ASUS VK246H) using Datacolor Spyder3Elite. Both monitor profiles seem to load just fine. I've also went into Windows' color manager and set the system defaults for each monitor respectively. The problem I'm having is that if I were to load Photoshop on the 2nd monitor, Photoshop only uses the main display's color profile (Vostro 1700) and not the ASUS VK246H profile. What could be going wrong?
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function(){return A.apply(null,[this].concat($A(arguments)))}
Chris Cox wrote:
What if the image is in between two monitors?
The piece on each display is corrected for the display it is on.
Is it supposed to work that way? Because it doesn't. Not with Photoshop CS5 x64 at least.
As a test I intentionally misconfigured the profile for my Monitor #1 (left) so that it's REALLY OBVIOUS which profile is being used. When set this way, on Monitor #1 red colors will appear pale orange.
An open document, floating in a window:
If COMPLETELY displayed on Monitor #1, Photoshop will use the Monitor #1 profile.
If even 1 pixel of the edge of the image is moved onto Monitor #2, it will use the Monitor #2 profile on the entire image.
See for yourself:
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What is the best way to setup up dual monitors with a laptop? I have different screens at home and at work and would like to be able to switch between them and having no second monitor.
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Hi
it's an interesting idea but I don't think it's possible. You can set up two user accounts and use fast user switching to switch between them, but I don't see how both accounts can be used simultaneously. For a start there's no way for the computer and OS to know which keyboard, mouse and monitor are being used by each user.

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Hey Guys, need some advice for a semi-switcher friend.
I have a business associate who has asked me the following questions and wanted some advice from the mac forum.
My friend's background is as professional web site developer. He is currently using Windows XP with dual monitors.
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Here are his questions:
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There is one factor you might want to pass on to your semi-switcher friend in his consideration of a mac system.
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It's not a major issue, but for a pro used to simple and quick navigation off on the secondary display, having to navigate over to the top of the primary display to do something instead of quick flick up and done, there can be a small degree of frustration and a slight impact on workflow.
I hasten to add that with those I have seen make this very transition, the effects were short lived, but it leads to the thought that where the Mac is concerned, it might be marginally better to go for a single widescreen display than dual head.

Question about HP 110-414 Dual Monitor

HP site says the 110-414 supports dual monitor and it looks like it does. But what adapter do I need? I bought a Passive DVI-D adapter no go. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Jim

Hello @BigPoppa67,
I understand that you are looking to setup a second monitor on your HP 110-414 Desktop PC running Windows 8. I am providing you with an HP Support document: Using Two or More Monitors with One Computer (Windows 8), which will walk you through setting up the second monitor.
I hope this helps. Thank you for posting on the HP Forums. Have a great day!
Please click the "Thumbs Up" on the bottom right of this post to say thank you if you appreciate the support I provide!
Also be sure to mark my post as “Accept as Solution" if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others who face the same challenge find the same solution.
Dunidar
I work on behalf of HP
Find out a bit more about me by checking out my profile!
"Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong." ~ Donald Porter

Being clear about what we mean by 'dual monitors'...

Yes, I know it sounds pretty obvious. But bear with me, please.
I've received a very helpful response to my earlier question about getting dual monitors to work with that mac mini that's sitting on the shelf waiting for me. But now I have another doubt; with 'dual monitors' does that mean I can see two different apps at once?
I work with two apps open all the time, because I need to refer to one whilst working in the other. So the dual screen approach is imperative for me, otherwise I'm constantly switching between those apps.
What I want is to (use Spaces to) open my two apps, and have one visible on one monitor, and the other on the other. Just like in Windows (sorry...)
What I DON'T need is to simply make my desktop larger so that it spans the width of two screens. (Or do I? Would this enable me to have two apps visible too?)
Please forgive my mac newbiness and tell me if this is possible. I can't wait to buy this thing.
Thanks for being here.
Jeff

Based on your previous post, I gather you intend to connect two displays via one per each of the offered ports on the back of the mini. This is supported, and should support mirrored (two of the same) or a spanned desktop. The spanning in the way Macs do it is similar to how you've seen in Windows, where the Taskbar doesn't necessarily extend across both monitors. You wouldn't really want or need your Dock extending across both monitors.
I am not aware of using dual monitors with one Space on each, but there really wouldn't be much point - you probably don't want two Docks and Menu bars with differing content on each. You can just as easily have two applications running and place one window on one display and one on the other - that works fine, just like it does in a similar Windows situation. The only time that gets peculiar is when you minimize an application, as it goes back to the Dock on the main monitor. If the application is on the secondary monitor, this means it zips back to the primary. If you are planning to use two applications at once, you probably won't be minimizing them all that often.

Msi R7770 power edition 1GD5/OC dual monitor advice

Hi guys
I'm hoping someone can assist me. I have the msi r7770 graphic card installed on my pc. I would like to set up my first dual monitor display, but I am unsure what cables I need to connect two screens with and which two of the three ports on the graphics card to use.
Can anybody offer me some advice.
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ok the card has 3 ports! any 2 of the 3 in combination should be perfectly capable of outputting a dual monitor setup!
DVI-I - thats the blue one and has digital and analogue pins
HDMI - Standard HDMI connector
Display Port - High Bandwidth Display signal output
usually with a card like that the best way to hook up 2 screens is 1 to the DVI-I and one to the HDMI port but if one of your monitors has a display port in on it use a display port cable as that port has much higher signal output bandwidth!
its hard to say what the best way is unless we know what monitors your planning to use?

Considering buying a Mac Mini but I need to know about support for dual monitors using DVI connectors.

I have a couple of DVI monitors and I'm looking to replace my Windows desktop with a Mac Mini. I found an article that says it supports dual monitors with Thunderbolt, but I can't find any discussion of using it with existing monitor, or running multiple DVI displays off a single Thunderbolt port.
Has anyone done this? If so, what's the best way to achieve it?

Yes, the Mac Mini has both an HDMI and Thunderbolt/MiniDisplay Port and supports dual displays in either Mirroring or Extended Desktop Mode.
It ships with an HDMI to DVI adapter that you can use for one DVI Display.
For the second DVI display you will need to buy a > Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter and plug that into the Thunderbolt/MiniDisplay Port.
see the spec's > Mac mini - Buy Mac mini Desktop Computers

[SOLVED] Dual monitors and raid - linux newb

Hi
I'm raginaot and I'll probably be asking a lot of dumb questions here in the near future
I just decided to say goodbye to windows for a while. Been wasting too much time gaming and it was either - switch to linux or - sell my computer and move to the desert. I'm gonna try the former first and see how it goes.
I managed to install arch and get gnome up and running with the help of the most awesome linux install guide I have ever seen and I installed the xf86-video-ati driver package but I'm having trouble getting it to recognise my 2 monitors.
I'll list my hardware specs before I go any further:
CPU: i7 920
RAM: 12GB (3x4) Mushkin Silverline 1333MHz
Motherboard: Gigabyte EX58-UD3R (rev 1.6)
GPU: ATI HD5870 1GB
Souncard: Auzentech X-fi forte
Monitors: Samsung 2693HM and Samsung 226BW
now the monitors seem to be stuck in mirrored mode, both showing the same image at 1280*1024 resolution
when I try to set them both to on and their native resolutions (1920*1200 and 1680*1050) in the display settings I get a message that says:
"the selected configuration for displays could not be applied
required virtual size does not fit available size: requested=(3600, 1200), minimum=(320, 200), maximum=(1920, 1920"
But when I unplug the 22" display, I can set the 26" to native res just fine and vice versa.
Now to the second issue...
I have 2 1TB drives in raid0, but in fdisk -l they appear as 2 seperate 1TB drives instead of 1 big 2TB like they're supposed to (see output below).
I guess I have to mount them in some special way, but I have no idea how. The raid worked right away in linux mint.
fdisk wrote:
Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000203804160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x1c7fba32
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 13 102400 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb2 13 34421 276377600 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb3 34421 243202 1677035520 7 HPFS/NTFS
Disk /dev/sdc: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xb876c595
Disk /dev/sdc doesn't contain a valid partition table
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by raginaot (2010-11-24 03:29:46)

Bregol wrote:
Glad you were able to figure out the RAID part - I can't really help you with that. As far as the dual monitor setup, I would suspect that you will need to do some stuff with the xorg config to get it working. I would say that xorg.log would be the first thing to look at - to see what is limiting the modes available to X. Maybe post the xorg.log and your x configuration
My post in this thread might give a bit of background on how X comes up with what resolutions it lets you choose.
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=101547
thanks
I pasted the xorg logs here: Xorg log 0: http://pastebin.com/tHPqWVaw and Xorg log 1: http://pastebin.com/nPhdpCE0
and here is the xorg.conf in /etc/X11 (hope that's the right file..)
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "X.org Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection
Section "Files"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/misc/"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/TTF/"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/OTF/"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/Type1/"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi/"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi/"
EndSection
Section "Module"
Load "record"
Load "glx"
Load "extmod"
Load "dri"
Load "dri2"
Load "dbe"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
EndSection
Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
#DisplaySize 470 300 # mm
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "SAM"
ModelName "SyncMaster"
HorizSync 30.0 - 81.0
VertRefresh 56.0 - 75.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection
Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
### Values: : integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz",
### <percent>: "<f>%"
### [arg]: arg optional
#Option "NoAccel" # [<bool>]
#Option "SWcursor" # [<bool>]
#Option "Dac6Bit" # [<bool>]
#Option "Dac8Bit" # [<bool>]
#Option "BusType" # [<str>]
#Option "CPPIOMode" # [<bool>]
#Option "CPusecTimeout" # 
#Option "AGPMode" # 
#Option "AGPFastWrite" # [<bool>]
#Option "AGPSize" # 
#Option "GARTSize" # 
#Option "RingSize" # 
#Option "BufferSize" # 
#Option "EnableDepthMoves" # [<bool>]
#Option "EnablePageFlip" # [<bool>]
#Option "NoBackBuffer" # [<bool>]
#Option "DMAForXv" # [<bool>]
#Option "FBTexPercent" # 
#Option "DepthBits" # 
#Option "PCIAPERSize" # 
#Option "AccelDFS" # [<bool>]
#Option "IgnoreEDID" # [<bool>]
#Option "CustomEDID" # [<str>]
#Option "DisplayPriority" # [<str>]
#Option "PanelSize" # [<str>]
#Option "ForceMinDotClock" # <freq>
#Option "ColorTiling" # [<bool>]
#Option "VideoKey" # 
#Option "RageTheatreCrystal" # 
#Option "RageTheatreTunerPort" # 
#Option "RageTheatreCompositePort" # 
#Option "RageTheatreSVideoPort" # 
#Option "TunerType" # 
#Option "RageTheatreMicrocPath" # <str>
#Option "RageTheatreMicrocType" # <str>
#Option "ScalerWidth" # 
#Option "RenderAccel" # [<bool>]
#Option "SubPixelOrder" # [<str>]
#Option "ClockGating" # [<bool>]
#Option "VGAAccess" # [<bool>]
#Option "ReverseDDC" # [<bool>]
#Option "LVDSProbePLL" # [<bool>]
#Option "AccelMethod" # <str>
#Option "DRI" # [<bool>]
#Option "ConnectorTable" # <str>
#Option "DefaultConnectorTable" # [<bool>]
#Option "DefaultTMDSPLL" # [<bool>]
#Option "TVDACLoadDetect" # [<bool>]
#Option "ForceTVOut" # [<bool>]
#Option "TVStandard" # <str>
#Option "IgnoreLidStatus" # [<bool>]
#Option "DefaultTVDACAdj" # [<bool>]
#Option "Int10" # [<bool>]
#Option "EXAVSync" # [<bool>]
#Option "ATOMTVOut" # [<bool>]
#Option "R4xxATOM" # [<bool>]
#Option "ForceLowPowerMode" # [<bool>]
#Option "DynamicPM" # [<bool>]
#Option "NewPLL" # [<bool>]
#Option "ZaphodHeads" # <str>
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "radeon"
BusID "PCI:3:0:0"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 1
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 4
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 8
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 15
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection
Not sure what to look for here...
The "#DisplaySize 470 300" line looks like something.
I only have the 26" screen plugged in at the moment, if that matters. Does the xorg log change it self when I plug in another screen?

Advice about dual monitor, "newbie" friendly WMs

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