topic Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs? in Installation & update

A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 16:43:38 GMT

I need to upgrade a workstation and was wondering what would work best. I 've always used a dual screen set up but I see those Dell 24" wides are pretty nice. I can also get 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs for about the same price as a single 24" wide LCD.
Not sure how Archicad works on a single wide screen.

Any takers?

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Dwight — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 18:08:58 GMT

You really need the larger area rather than the single screen. I have never been happy with ArchiCAD on a single screen. Two years ago, I went for the 30" cinema display and it is a nightmare managing all of ArchiCAD's little boxes. Somehow, with two smaller displays like I had before, it was easier.

I know that this is not rational, perhaps I need counselling.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 15:15:36 GMT

Your 30" display is a nightmare?

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 15:23:33 GMT

I have a 24" monitor that works well. I always imagine that just a bit more real estate would be better though. A 19" on the side... A 30"...

Two 20" dells are equal to one 30" dell so maybe the two 20" monitors would work best. I have never worked much with 2 monitors. Having all pallettes on one seems ideal but I don't like looking at the double bezels in the center. Maybe centering monitor w/ workspace and secondary pallette monitor somewhat to the side...

Mmmm, decisions.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Dwight — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 15:25:52 GMT

Not the display - managing ArchiCAD on a single display has been a nightmare for me.

It is a matter of laziness.

For instance, with two displays, you put the floor plan view on one display and mess about with the other.

When you confime your floor plan to one-half of a 30" display, you always feel short changed. And palettes cover the rest of it.

I am a palette junkie. So I put up too many palettes.

Even though the 30" has plenty of pixels, things expand to fill it. I want another one. But that introduces bouncy-doggy-in-the-back-window syndrome. Like carpool tunnel syndrome in the neck.

The display is fantastic for movies and such - especially photo editing. Can't beat it.

I have concluded that the best choice for ArchiCAD is really two 23" cinema displays. I would do it this way next time.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Chazz — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 14:02:00 GMT

g.h.design wrote:
I have never worked much with 2 monitors. Having all pallettes on one seems ideal but I don't like looking at the double bezels in the center....

I've been a multiple monitor guy since the mid 90's. Support for monitor arrays was an early (and to my mind, huge) Mac OS advantage. And, I have to say, you get very used to the bezels -in fact they disappear after a while. Fortunately, the screens are getting bigger and the bezels smaller.

But I'm surprised this conversation seems to have settled on a discussion of "one big screen or two smaller screens". Why not 3 or 5 screens? More is always better and I think multiple monitors is the cheapest productivity boost after RAM. I posted this to another related topic but here is a look at the ultimate in this approach.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Dwight — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:41:26 GMT

If you have the graphics cards and connections to do it, that is cool.

How would it be wired?

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Chazz — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:53:55 GMT

Dwight wrote:
If you have the graphics cards and connections to do it, that is cool.

How would it be wired?

Most AGPish cards support 2 DVI connections (or one DVI and one VGA) but my understanding is that going this route effectively cuts the VRAM available to each screen in half. Thus, more cards is better. I use the AGP for one screen and a PCI card for the the second screen.

Used to be that you needed all these extra PCI cards for various things (faster network, drive controllers, etc) but these days, for most people (and maybe Mac people most of all --almost everything is on the motherboard), the slots just sit empty. I say fill' 'em with graphics cards.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Dwight — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:59:13 GMT

I know what you mean. However, my G5 has three slots, and when you put the 256 Mb card in there, its fan housing interferes with the second slot. This card can drive 2 - 30" displays. You could find a second, smaller card for the third slot. But that's it on a Mac.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

KeesW — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 14:05:43 GMT

I've just bought a 24" Dell and it is stupendously good. Had to upgrade from a trusty (6 year old) 21" trinitron type monitor because I am getting a straight desk, rather than a corner type workstation, and the 21" won't fit.

What is so good about it? It is extremely clear and sharp. It can show a full sized (100%) A3 sheet - and have space around the top and sides for palettes. I've checked dual screens and larger ones but was always loosing my curser in the real-estate! I think that this new one is big enough to have a plan plus a number of views, all at a useful scale, open at the same time. In any case, a large 30" screen wouldn't fit on my new desk.

I also understand that PC's don't handle the scrolling between multiple screens as well as Macs. Maybe multiple screens are something that one has to get used to - Dwight obviously has - and some of us might not do so.

KeesW

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Brad Elliott — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 04:17:35 GMT

I'm a big fan of asymmetry. I like one big monitor and one smaller one. I currently am running my 15" powerbook and my 24" Dell and am pretty happy with that combination. I don't think the palette monitor has to be as big as the display monitor.

Though I am thinking of going to a 17" powerbook or possibly even a 20" iMac (more computer, way less money, still reasonably portable) since my current problem is that clients keep asking my to bring the 24" monitor for presentations. But that's another topic.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Dwight — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 04:36:08 GMT

I know what you mean. The larger displays seem preferable to lousy projectors in dark rooms. My dream presentation is like that scene in "Dune" where the drug-addled, big-head space distorter creature boss swoops into the room all at once.

I'd love a 30" display on a cart with a UPS. Just swoop right in.

In "Dune" when the drug addled space distorter leaves, his helpers, led [uncredited] by the late, great actor Vincent Schiavelli, use vacuum brooms to sweep up precious moisture.

I often feel that due to my excessive "Flop Sweat" in a presentation that some of these toadies could do me well, too.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Dwight — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 04:39:38 GMT

"Dell"?

Did you say "Dell"?

Keep it away from paper. And the cat.

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32550

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Brad Elliott — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 04:52:41 GMT

Or nice projectors in sunlight filled rooms, or rooms with no wall space, or they want a nice presentation in a corner during an event (but they want something bigger than the powerbook. I have also noticed that I have never given a presentation without being plugged in, can't have the computer give out before I do.

Nothing like a nice fire to warm the heart. The price performance can't be beat and the added bonus of multiple A/V inputs. Having compared it to the Apple 23" the Apple is a whisker crisper, maybe. But only DVI on the input. Besides, it bluffs people into thinking I am open minded about platforms.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 06:25:15 GMT

Dwight wrote:
"Dell"?

Did you say "Dell"?

Keep it away from paper. And the cat.

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=32550

I liked the "See also" link: Dell notebook adaptor fault: Not many killed

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Chazz — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:29:10 GMT

Dwight wrote:
My G5 has three slots, and when you put the 256 Mb card in there, its fan housing interferes with the second slot. This card can drive 2 - 30" displays. You could find a second, smaller card for the third slot. But that's it on a Mac.

Au Contraire, Pierre...

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

TomWaltz — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:39:58 GMT

I've been running the Apple 23" for a while now and LOVE it.

I've always dislikes two monitors, mostly for the big double frame down the middle and because only one will have your program toolbar across the top (in Mac)

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Dwight — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:48:27 GMT

Au Contraire, Pierre...

Fair enough.
But for two geez - another laptop computer or an empty box to put in more cards? Hmmmm.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Brad Elliott — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:04:55 GMT

To clarify how I use the two monitors, I run ArchiCAD with all the always on palettes in the 24" Monitor. The 15" has Pop Ups like the Layer window, SEO or Find & Select. But mainly it has my web browser, word documents, photos, and the like showing in it so I can reference the small screen while working in the big one, or vice versa. Like Dwight mentioned when you get to one monitor it gets very hard to "give up" the real estate while on two there is a natural division.

Re: A single Dell 24" wide LCD or 2 x 20.1 wide LCDs?

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 03:20:38 GMT

Ive settled on the Dell 24"and then a second Dell 20.1 as my 3D window/ Mozilla/multitasker screen.
Should give me plenty of real estate.
Ive upgraded video card to the NVidia GF7800 so it should have enough horsepower.

I'll post pics of the rig when I get 'em