Multiple Monitors: What, Why, and How
What is Multi-Monitor Support? Starting with Windows XP, all Windows operating systems have included native support for multiple monitors. This feature can be used to mirror your desktop display or to extend the display to another monitor. Mirroring merely duplicates your desktop on a second monitor or projector, like you would use to share what is on your desktop, such as a slide show, with an audience. Mirroring is not particularly useful in the office setting, except for training purposes. Extending your desktop to another monitor (or more) provides vastly increased desktop space to simultaneously view applications you need to run, such as word processing software, a web browser, email program, practice management software, and time/billing/accounting applications. At the most basic level, the user will have a word processing program such as Microsoft Word open on one display and an email program such as Microsoft Outlook open on the other display, eliminating the need to toggle back and forth between open windows to view information or work in each program.
Complementing operating system support for multiple monitors have been improvements in law office technology. In the last decade, most law firms replaced clunky and space consuming CRT (picture tube) monitors with sleeker and more energy efficient LCD displays. The narrow depth of these displays freed desktop space and made it physically possible to have more than one monitor on a typical desk or workstation. More recently, computers have come equipped with display adapters capable of sending a signal to more than one monitor. If that capability is not standard on a computer of fairly recent vintage, it can be added without too much bother or expense. There are even plug-and-play USB to video adapters that can add multiple monitor capability to any computer with a USB 2.0 port (which includes all recent models), although often with some sacrifice in multimedia performance on the second monitor. Also, with more lawyers using notebook computers as a primary or secondary computer, multiple monitor usage is made easier because nearly all notebook computers include an output for an external monitor to be used in addition to the built-in screen.
Why Use Multiple Monitors? Whether we like it or not, our days our filled with multi-tasking activities. While we talk on the phone with clients or opposing counsel, we may need to check email while also reviewing a document related to that telephone conversation. While we draft a contract or brief, we may need to reference research or documents stored in our document management system, or view two versions of the same document side by side in views large enough to actually read. While we enter time into our time/billing software, we may need to review our incoming and outgoing emails to fully capture all the work done for a particular client on a given day. This is much easier if all the information we need is visible on screen at one time without having to drag and resize windows, tab between open windows, or constantly minimize and restore applications. Multiple monitors greatly reduces the time spent managing how information is displayed on your screen and lets you spend that time doing productive work.
Don’t just take our word for it. Eight years ago, Microsoft’s research showed that using two monitors instead of one could increase productivity by 9 to 50 percent. Research at the University of Utah commissioned by NEC revealed that users with dual 20-inch monitors completed tasks 44% faster than users with a single 18-inch monitor. Not surprisingly, efficiency increased with screen space, whether implemented using a single large widescreen display or smaller dual widescreen monitors. This was also confirmed by HP research showing 6 to 63 percent productivity gains by using either dual monitors or very large single monitors.
How Do I Implement Multiple Monitors? The simplest way to move to a multiple monitor desktop is to make sure any new computer you buy has built-in multiple monitor support. If you use a notebook or netbook computer, you already have dual monitor support if you include the built-in display. Plug a second monitor into the video output port and you are all set, but for making a few adjustments using Windows’ built-in utility or software from your computer’s manufacturer.
For a desktop computer, multiple-monitor support usually means a dual-head video adapter installed inside the computer case. A dual-head configuration utilizes a video card that supports two discrete outputs, one for each monitor. You may also opt for two discrete video cards, and sometimes even an integrated motherboard video socket plus a second video card installed in an expansion slot.
If your computer did not come with multiple monitor capability, it is fairly simple to add a second single or dual-head video card to your computer. However, doing so involves opening the case and installing the new video card in an expansion slot on the motherboard (main circuit board). That is followed by installation of the required software (known as “drivers”) to operate the card. Discrete dual-head video cards typically provide the best performance. Unless you are interested in high-end gaming on your computer, a discrete dual-head video card suitable for office use can cost as little as $35 to $50. As with any technology upgrade, if you have questions, need recommendations on what to buy, or want us to handle the upgrade for you, contact your Affinity Consulting Group office.
The simplest way to upgrade your computer to multiple monitor capability is to add a USB 2.0 to video (VGA or DVI) adapter. These small devices, costing between $50 and $100 depending on resolution and the type of video output port, sacrifice a bit in terms of multimedia video performance. Most users will find the performance to be adequate for working with text, which is the typical law office use. A Google or Bing search for “USB to video” will produce a long list of available products from a variety of vendors. There are user or expert reviews available on-line for many of these products. We’ve had good experience with the $70 eVGA UV Plus USB video adapter.
If you have a notebook PC and want to add the ability to use a third monitor (in addition to the built-in display and a display connected to the notebook’s video output), Toshiba’s dynadock line of USB notebook docking stations receives good reviews. These devices replace traditional docking stations by letting you plug all of your desktop peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, external hard drive, etc.), into your notebook PC using a single USB 2.0 connection. These devices work with all brands of notebook PCs, not just Toshiba’s notebooks, giving them an advantage over traditional proprietary docking stations. When you buy a new computer, you won’t need to junk your expensive docking station. A dynadock will work with any new PC with a USB 2.0 port.
Once your computer is equipped to handle multiple monitors, your next step is to purchase the monitors or use monitors you already have. Nearly all new monitors are in the widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio used by HDTV. Older monitors featured a 4:3 aspect ratio like an old standard definition television. For word processing and office type applications, vertical measurement can be more important than diagonal measurement when determining size requirements. A 19 inch 4:3 monitor was fine for general office use. However, you will want a 22 inch widescreen monitor to take the place of a 19 inch 4:3 monitor in order to provide comparable vertical height for word processing. Your shopping should start with 22 inch class widescreen monitors (many of which are actually 21.5 inches). If you have the money and space, you may want to move up to a 24 inch model. If you shop carefully, a 22 inch widescreen monitor can be purchased for $200 or less.
If your work is primarily with word processing documents where screen height trumps width, consider buying at least one monitor that can pivot from landscape to portrait mode. Most pivoting monitors come with screen rotation software. If not, recent versions of Windows have built-in screen-rotation support or download a free copy of iRotate. Monitors with pivoting stands are not as common as non-pivoting models, but remain available from manufacturers such as Acer, HP, NEC, Samsung, and ViewSonic. A combination of one monitor in portrait orientation and the other in landscape orientation may be especially useful in law offices.
Make sure the monitor you buy will match the type of output used by your computer’s video card. If your computer outputs in analog VGA format, don’t buy a monitor with only a DVI or HDMI digital input. Fortunately, the majority of monitors have both VGA and DVI inputs, with an increasing number also offering HDMI to match newer video cards. When you have a choice, use a digital connection (DVI or HDMI). If you can’t, don’t fret. Many displays look almost as good using the analog VGA connection.
While it is not absolutely necessary to use two or more identical monitors, doing so can make moving from screen to screen a smoother experience. But most of the benefits of multiple monitors can be realized even if you use monitors from different manufacturers or of different sizes. The task of managing multiple identical or different monitors can be made easier by the use of a specialized utility such as UltraMon, which costs $40 for a single license with discounts for larger quantities.
Is There an Alternative to Multiple Monitors? No other arrangement will provide the benefits of using two or more monitors with your computer. However, if you don’t have the space for side by side monitors or don’t want to add another video card to your computer, consider one very large monitor, perhaps 25.5 inches or larger. Managing space on a single large monitor can be more difficult than on two smaller monitors. For that reason, consider seeking assistance from software designed for that purpose. One such program is the freeware Winsplit Revolution. It allows you to virtually divide your screen into several parts: halves, thirds, fourths, etc. This will provide some of the benefits of multiple monitors on a single large screen.
As always, if you have questions about upgrading your workspace to multiple monitors, or would like us to handle the job for you, contact your Affinity Consulting Group office. We are happy to help your find the right technology to improve your productivity and profitability.
