 |
|
|
|
June 16, 2006
Dear CNET members,
Happy Friday, everyone! Right now, I'm really regretting that I recycled my perfectly good 19-inch CRT monitor when I upgraded to a LCD flat screen. Before Steve's question was presented in the newsletter--on using two monitors on one PC--I never really gave much thought to using that old monitor for more screen real estate. Shoot! Oh well, no crying over spilled milk. But for those of you who still have that extra monitor sitting around, before you chuck it, keep in mind that this week's topic may come in handy. So to get you started on this possibility, I present to you Paul's winning answer. We have many other great recommendations from our members in the discussion thread, so please check them out. For those of you who are already running two or more monitors on your computer, share some photos of your setup and tell us how you are currently running this. Any advice you can offer would be wonderful! Take care and have a great weekend!
|
|
Member Question of the Week
I have a question about using two monitors at the same time. Recently we bought a 19-inch flat monitor, but we still like our bulky Dell Trinitron 19-incher, and it still works great. A friend of ours said he saw on TV that people had set up their PC using two monitors at the same time and, for example, are able to drag an Excel spreadsheet to display along with another PowerPoint slide from each monitor. Can you tell us, is it possible for newbies like us to do this, and how and what type of wire do we need to link these two monitors together; plus, how do we set XP's OS to do it? Thanks.
Submitted by:
Steve N. of Fairfax, Virginia
Hi Steve, it is possible to use two monitors and hopefully this will help you.
1. First you must consider the power usage of using two monitors. If you are not concerned about this, then you can move on.
2. Do you have room for two monitors; do you have a power strip or a free outlet to plug into near by?
3. Do you have the correct hardware?
What you need...and assuming you don't have a dual-capable graphics card installed...You will need a few things before getting started: one, a free AGP (accelerated graphics port) or PCI (peripheral component interface slot) on the motherboard. The reason for this is that you need an open slot to plug in a graphics card that will support dual-monitor hookups...
Submitted by:
Paul K. of Gladstone, Michigan
For
Paul's
efforts, we're sending him his choice of any
Help.com Learning CD.
Community Buzz
 Each week we take a look at topics discussed in the forums.
Best regards and enjoy!
Most of us know that heat can be dangerous to computer processors or motherboards, but something quite often overlooked for heat issues are hard drives--as CNET member rlb2250 found out with failed hard drives. So what's the best solution to keep those hard drives running cool? Check out the recommendations by some of our members, and if you have anything to add, let's hear it.
More from PC hardware forum
Is Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 beta safe?
Since the release of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7 beta to the public, some people have encountered no problems at all, yet some beg to differ as they experience a heap of issues. With so many people on the fence about this IE 7 beta, CNET member Maggie6243 wants to know if it is safe to use. So if you're an IE 7 user, tell us honestly what your experience has been like so that our member can make the best decision to try it out or not.
More from the Browsers forum
Which CPU and why?
CNET member rbul is confused over all the CPUs on the market--he's seen ads for motherboards with a variety of CPUs such as 478, 754, 775, and 939. And he would like to know what these numbers mean and which ones to avoid. Do you find yourself just as confused? If so, check out this thread for some clarification, and if you have other questions related to this topic, post them right here.
More from Windows XP forum
FYI: end of support, Microsoft's
Service Pack 1
If you still running Microsoft software that's still currently on Service Pack 1, you may want to check out the FYI that our forum moderator, Donna Buenaventura alerted us to.
More from Virus & Security alerts forum
Mac nugget: Popular Mac discussions
More from the Mac OS forum
|
|
Check out next week's question:
Whenever I play any music CDs (store bought) on my computer drive, it sounds like an old phonograph record, full of pops, snaps, and crackles. Not terrible, but enough to be quite annoying. I know it's not the CDs themselves, as they play fine on other CD players. Is this a hardware or software problem? If you have any ideas as to what could be causing this, could you please list the possible causes, so I can troubleshoot these areas? Thanks.
--Submitted by:
Robert A.
If you have the answer,
e-mail us at messageboards@cnet.com.
If we choose your response, you'll get a
free Help.com CD.
Have a question?
• Multimedia
• Internet Security
• Digital Cameras
|
• PC Upgrading
• PC Troubleshooting
• Digital Music
|
| Member Profile of the Week |
 |
User name: Ironman918
Location: United States
Member since:
May 30, 2006
|
|
|
About me: I'm what you would call a "tech junkie." Whenever I am in a tech store, I have to mess around with...
(read more)
Each week we feature a CNET member who contributes to our community. Fill out your profile to get a chance to be featured in our newsletter and get a free CNET t-shirt!
|
Simple question, simple answer
Help your fellow members
This week on CNET
Windows Vista
CNET has the latest news and reviews on all things Vista. We've rounded up everything you need to know about Microsoft's new OS: what's new; how it will affect your system, your gaming, and your other software; and whether it will be more secure. Read more
|
|
Click here to see full answer
