Software for running two monitors with LR?

[Greg D]

I recently got a second monitor to use with Lightroom, but my current computer doesn't support two monitors (running Windows Vista 64-bit).  Can anyone recommend software for this purpose?  I understand Windows 7 & 8 include dual-monitor support, but would prefer to avoid the upgrade expense for now. Thanks for any advice!
-Greg

[Simon Garrett]

You just need a video card that supports two monitors.  Most do, and you don't need an expensive one for Lightroom - it doesn't make use of the graphics processor in the way games do (or Photoshop does). 

A GEForce GT 610 is about £30 / $40, and is plenty powerful enough.  Just make sure the card supports two monitors, with the connectors you need for your monitor (e.g. VGA, HDMI or DVI). 

PS - are you sure your PC doesn't support two monitors already?  Most I've seen since even Windows XP days have dual monitor support. 

[Greg D]

Only have one connector on my video card.  When I connect both monitors via a splitter the monitors simply mirror.  I use this arrangement on my computer at work, but it has software for configuring the monitors separately.  So I guess my best solution is a new video card.

[PhotoEcosse]

Only have one connector on my video card. 

What about on your motherboard?

I don't use a video card at all - the on-board video on my motherboard is more than adequate for photo-processing and I run two 27" Dell Ultrasharps from it. If you can connect two monitors, you don't need any special software - Lightroom already has dual monitor support.

[Greg D]

What about on your motherboard?

I don't use a video card at all - the on-board video on my motherboard is more than adequate for photo-processing and I run two 27" Dell Ultrasharps from it. If you can connect two monitors, you don't need any special software - Lightroom already has dual monitor support.

Okay, I guess I misspoke (I'm pretty hardware-illiterate).  On-baord video is what I have, but it has only one VGA port.  As I said, I tried connecting both monitors throught a splitter, hoping Lightroom would take care of the rest, but they just showed the same thing.  When I opened a second window in LR it opened in the same monitor (that is, both monitors).  It occurs to me that this route (i.e. the splitter) may not work anyway, because I presume it wouldn't let me calibrate the monitors separately.  ?

[PhotoEcosse]

I'm pretty sure the splitter won't work. If I understand that correctly, it would simply send toe same signal to each monitor.

It may be that a new video card is the only way - but are you sure that the rest of your hardware is up to the demands you are about to place on it? Computers are now so cheap, compared to 25 years ago, that sometimes a complete upgrade is the optimum answer, rather than simply replacing a few components that are not well matched to the remainder of the system.

[jjj]

As I said, I tried connecting both monitors throught a splitter, hoping Lightroom would take care of the rest, but they just showed the same thing.  When I opened a second window in LR it opened in the same monitor (that is, both monitors).  It occurs to me that this route (i.e. the splitter) may not work anyway, because I presume it wouldn't let me calibrate the monitors separately.  ?

Did you go into Windows Control Panel/Display Settings where you tweak monitor set up and arrangement?

It may mirror by default when two monitors are attached, not done it in a long while and can't test it here at moment. But it is likely be that the splitter you used can only duplicate the signal.

[Greg D]

Did you go into Windows Control Panel/Display Settings where you tweak monitor set up and arrangement?
It may mirror by default when two monitors are attached, not done it in a long while and can't test it here at moment. But it is likely be that the splitter you used can only duplicate the signal.

Tried this, but it doesn't show the option of multiple monitors - I don't think that came along with Windows Vista.  Looking like a new card.....

[jjj]

Your single graphics output is almost certainly the issue. I used to run multiple monitors on XP no problem - in fact it was far better than OSX can manage over a decade later!


Dual monitors is a much more productive way of working, but some dual monitor managing software is better than others. The programme that came with the ATI card I first tried was shocking beyond belief, made 2 screens less useful than one. I swapped to an nVidia card and the software that it used was very good. What made the ATI experience even more painful was that to get support I had to login, but as I hadn't registered yet I couldn't login and to register, you had to log in. Duh! Didn't seem they wanted to be bothered with after sales.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I ran dual monitors on Vista, but I had to get a display card with two outputs to do it.
Now I'm on Windows 7 64, and the display card that came with the newer PC has dual outputs.
So look into a new display card at least.