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Using multiple displays with Windows XP Pro

Hi,

I need to have two displays accessible at the same time, and I've seen how this is possible with a laptop, but I don't know how to do this with a desktop version of XP. Is this a feature which comes with a different video driver? I hope to have one display be a regular display and one be a touch screen.

Thanks for the help.

Bob

slavania

You will need to install an extra video card into your pc and then you'll be able to extend your desktop onto both monitors. I've never done it for touch screens though, but I'm sure you'll still have to put in an extra video card.

ba272

ASKER

Do you mean you need to have two video cards? Or do you mean I'll need to buy a new card which supports two monitors?

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J-A-L

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J-A-L

I didn't mean I... I mean't 1.... hehe.
I would take the old video card out and put in a nice new Radeon 9550 for example with 2 video outputs (dual head)

Jeff

kode99

As suggested many video cards now have dual monitor support. Almost all recent ATI cards do support dual display and the retail box ones should have a DVI->VGA adapter.

You will also want to install the manufacturer's software. For ATI it is Hydravision,
http://www.ati.com/products/hydravision/

nView for NVidia,
http://www.nvidia.com/object/feature_nview.html

The software from these manufacturers work great and will be very simple to configure. Using two different cards could be a bit more trouble to set up, different drivers etc. but it will work as the functionality is supported by XP.

I have used both ATI and nVidia and find them to be quite similar. If you are only doing office type stuff even an older card will do just fine.

Also Jeff you might want to read this,
https://www.experts-exchange.com/help.jsp#hi106