Using 2 monitors at once

[mike(]

How do I use a second monitor or display like a plasma with my computer. Do you need an extra video card or what? Thanks for your help.

[Maximiliam]

If you have a graphics card with two monitor outputs (dvi) or if you have a tv-out connection, then you can hook it up to a TV. If you only have one output then you need to buy another graphics card or change your exsisting graphics card to one that have two monitor outputs.

Just hook up one of the dvi/vga/tv out graphics ports to your plasma. You might have to change some settings like cloning or extend desktop in Windows (right click on your desktop and select properties (also known as personalize), make sure you are in, or click on display settings then select advanced settings and go into your Nvidia or ATI control panel).

[ronallandottk]

Virtually all video cards nowadays come with at least two video out connectors, either two analog, two digital, one of each, and possibly an additional S-connector.

If your video card is fairly new, it's probably safe to assume it has an extra video connector. Just plug in an extra monitor (you may or may not need an analog-DVI/DVI-analog adapter) and the adapter driver will do the rest. You can configure it to mirror your desktop, or extend your desktop.

If your video card only has one connector, the easiest way is to buy a new one with two connectors. Even cheap low-end video cards can be bought with two video out connectors.

[Maximiliam]

For absolutely best picture use DVI or DVI to HDMI. Don't forget the sound. If you want to use the speakers in your plasma for the sound, then you need to integrate the sound in the hdmi signal. There are a few graphics card on the market that will do that for you or you have to run the sound thru your sound system or even use the exsisting computer speakers.