Dual screen setup for FG 2

[demonsbane]

Hi all,

I'm thinking in acquiring a second monitor for running FG. I saw some Xorn's tutorials regarding module creation (Thanks!) and that suggestion seems to be really good.

At the moment I have a 17" "normal" (non widescreen) 1280x1024 TFT monitor of LG.

What would be your advice for joining a new widescreen monitor with this I already have? My idea is to match the vertical resolution of both screens.

Regards

[Tenian]

In my experience the two monitors really do not have to match. I use a standard monitor and my laptop's widescreen display. The difference in resolution is only an issue if you have a window that spans both screens.

For example on the laptop (left screen) I have the chat window, dice, combat tracker, and map. Essentially this screen matches the "player view".
On the monitor (right screen) I have the story, DM's map (if encounter requires it), and any reference screens (the PHB module, custom items, tokens, etc).

[Sorontar]

Hi all,

I'm thinking in acquiring a second monitor for running FG. I saw some Xorn's tutorials regarding module creation (Thanks!) and that suggestion seems to be really good.

At the moment I have a 17" "normal" (non widescreen) 1280x1024 TFT monitor of LG.

What would be your advice for joining a new widescreen monitor with this I already have? My idea is to match the vertical resolution of both screens.

Regards

Yeah dual tft set up is handy as that real estate allows you to work much quicker.

I went for 3 TFT's to play the MMO EVE and had to match the resolution, the impact it had on FG was a bonus side effect :D

As Tenian says though the screens don't have to match one could be a TFT and the other can be a laptop/CRT whatever.

[demonsbane]

Yeah dual tft set up is handy as that real estate allows you to work much quicker.

I went for 3 TFT's to play the MMO EVE and had to match the resolution, the impact it had on FG was a bonus side effect :D

As Tenian says though the screens don't have to match one could be a TFT and the other can be a laptop/CRT whatever.

Yes, both of you are right, but I want to match resolutions (spanning the desktop), looking for results as these:

https://www.eugee.net/images/fg/module6.jpg
https://www.eugee.net/images/fg/module18.jpg

These screens come from Xorne's Module Tutorial:
"Now I have a 1680x1050 22" widescreen display, too! I've had a LOT more than 9 entries in the combat tracker, too, so that's just more screen chewed up. So let's look at what happens if you have a 19" CRT monitor lying around that you have set to 1280x1024"

[Xorn]

My actual monitors are a 22" widescreen LCD (1680x1050), and a 19" CRT (1280x1024). By keeping their resolutions (vertical) close, when I span my window across both screens (I use Dual View, each screen is a separate desktop) the right screen is just barely shorter than the left. It just works out that the task bar across the bottom is about 25 pixels, so it's almost seamless.

I recommend using DualView, so that maximizing a window just fills one screen.

[demonsbane]

(...) I recommend using DualView, so that maximizing a window just fills one screen.

A-ha! DualView! I think that is the answer I was needing! Thank you, Xorn!

Sorry people, I'm new to the multiple displays technology :o

Regards

EDIT: lol, I was using DualView all the time.

[demonsbane]

Hm... But this is not working for me. I'm going to try to explain myself better, maybe all the difficulty comes from my deficient explanation: currently I have a TFT screen (1280x1024) and a CRT monitor (1024x768). There are no way to making FG 2 work with both of them together because the difference in resolutions. (Yes I can use the CRT monitor for handling PDFs during game and managing files external to Fantasy Grounds.)

Of course I can lower the main display to 1024x768 and so I would have two desktops of 1024x768, but that is a great downgrade. For that reason I was seeking an optimal TFT or LCD widescreen monitor, for more or less matching my current TFT screen (1280x1024).

[Sorontar]

Q:Are you running in windowed mode or full screen?

Personally if it were me I'd burn the CRT as an offering and get the funds together for a 17" to match your other screen ;)

[Xorn]

Q:Are you running in windowed mode or full screen?

Personally if it were me I'd burn the CRT as an offering and get the funds together for a 17" to match your other screen ;)

Hate to say it, but I think I'm going to agree. To make sure I understand, what exactly do you have to work with?

It sounds like a 17" LCD (1280x1024) and a CRT ??" (1024x768). It really depends on how big that CRT is (because you might be able to force it to a higher resolution by turning the refresh rate down). But if the CRT is 3" shorter than the LCD vertically, it's going to feel wonky, regardless.

My 22" widescreen LCD just happens to have the same vertical display size as my 19" CRT. Really you just find two monitors that are roughly the same vertical dimensions, then adjust the resolutions accordingly.

[Tenian]

Woot has a 22" widescreens for sale at $170ish a piece today :)

Buy 2! :)

[Griogre]

Like Xorn said you just need them to be close. I have a 19" LCD and a 19" CRT. My LCD is a 4:3 ratio, not a widescreen so the hight differance is not that big a deal since they are bothing running in 1280x1024 (man it is a pain to find 4:3s which I prefer for my work).

I don't normally drag FG out on the second screen that much but keep a PDF or the DDI Compendium plus my voice software on my second screen.

[demonsbane]

Right now, I have a 17" 1280x1024 TFT and a 13 years old 15" 1024x768 CRT.


But if the CRT is 3" shorter than the LCD vertically, it's going to feel wonky, regardless.

It is ;-D Hence the reason for adquiring another screen (between some other reasons).


My 22" widescreen LCD just happens to have the same vertical display size as my 19" CRT. Really you just find two monitors that are roughly the same vertical dimensions, then adjust the resolutions accordingly.

I think that is what I'm going to do.

The old and small (15") CRT will be used with another old computer what still is running as support :)

Thank you all for your answers.