June 12th, 2007 Multiple Monitor Laptop Guide
Multi-Monitor Laptop Guide |
Multiple monitor systems are no longer anchored to the desktop. Newer laptops with dual-core processors, advanced graphics, and lots of system memory are helping laptops become a viable alternative to desktops in terms of performance. However, most laptops only have one external monitor port, which is just not enough for users who have come to appreciate the advantages of multiple displays. Fortunately, there are options for laptop users who want to run multiple displays. This guide compares the options that are currently available for laptop users who want to use two or more external displays.
|
| CinePort and CinePort Express Laptop Graphics Expansion |
The CinePort and CinePort Express are portable, external expansion systems that connect to your laptop. In terms of features and performance, these devices are unmatched by other external expansion systems for multiple displays. Since these devices add an additional high-end graphics processor to your laptop, you get all of the features of a mainstream graphics processor from NVIDIA or Matrox.
The CinePort uses a standard Type-II CardBus (PCMCIA) to connect an additional graphics processor to your PC. Using the full bandwidth of the expansion slot, the CinePort is the equivalent of adding a desktop PCI graphics card to your laptop. Since the CinePort uses high-end graphics processors from NVIDIA and Matrox, it can deliver the performance that one would expect from a desktop multi-monitor system. However, the limitations of the PCMCIA expansion slot mean that 3D graphics performance is limited. The CinePort is ideal for people who want to have up to five external displays connected to their laptop for 2D applications such as spreadsheets, charts, word processing, e-mail and web browsing.
The CinePort Express uses the newer ExpressCard slot, which means that the CinePort Express can communicate with your laptop at ultra-high speeds. The CinePort Express provides performance equivalent to adding a desktop PCI Express graphics card to your laptop. This increased bandwidth allows the CinePort Express to support 3D acceleration for applications such as CAD and other types of 3D modeling. Like the CinePort, the CinePort Express can also allow your laptop to support up to five external displays at high resolutions.
|
| Port Expansion Systems |
This category includes the DualHead2Go and TripleHead2Go. These devices are designed to allow two or three external displays to connect to one external monitor port on a laptop. Rather the being a true multi-monitor solution, these devices convince the laptop's graphics processor that the two or three external displays are actually a single ultra-widescreen display. The end result is that the external displays form a single desktop.
The advantage of this kind of system is that it is compact and relatively easy to install. However, since the device uses the laptop's graphics processor without adding any additional processing power, some users may experience poor performance as the laptop's graphics is pushed to its limits. Also, multi-management software such as CineMastery will not function properly with these devices because the laptop does not detect the individual displays. Also, these devices are not compatible with all laptops and can't be connected to high resolution displays.
|
| USB 2.0 Laptop Graphics Expansion |
These devices are designed to allow you to quickly and easily add a monitor via a USB 2.0 expansion port. Unfortunately, these devices over promise and under deliver. The limitations of the USB 2.0 interface mean that only low resolutions are supported with 32-bit color and that performance can become choppy if there is any movement on the screen. Some products are even promising to support multiple displays over a single USB 2.0 port, but the limitations of the USB interface will create a real strain on performance. Although these devices may be tempting because of their convenience and wide compatibility, many users may be disappointed by performance.
|
| Low-end PC Card Laptop Graphics Expansion |
These products use a standard Type-II CardBus (PCMCIA) in order to add a low-end graphics processor to a laptop. Since this particular port was specifically designed to allow hardware to be added to a laptop, performance is not limited in the same way as with USB 2.0 expansion devices. These products can support one or two external displays, typically with resolutions up to 1280x1024 (which is the standard resolution on a 17” display.)
These devices can offer decent performance for 2D applications on small and medium-sized displays. However, these devices may have compatibility issues with some displays due to the fact that low-end graphics processors often have compatibility issues. Also, be skeptical of claims that one of these devices can support high resolution displays or high definition televisions. Although the device may technically operate the display, you may be sorely disappointed with performance.
|
| Recommended Hardware |
No matter what you use to connect your laptop to external displays, you will have the best experience if you have a laptop that can handle running several programs at once. Consider going with a dual-core laptop with at least 2GB of RAM. And as anyone who uses a lot of 3D programs probably already knows, the more RAM the better for 3D applications.
The CinePort requires a Type-II CardBus slot, which is standard on mid-range and higher-end Laptops.
The CinePort Express requires an ExpressCard/34 or ExpressCard/54 slot which can be found on most mid-range and high-end laptops currently in production.
|
February 23rd, 2007 Multiple Monitors on Microsoft Office
MS Office on Multiple Monitors
Microsoft Office 2003 has a number of features that take advantage of multiple displays. In this guide we will show you how to get the most out of Microsoft Office 2003 when using multiple displays, and show you some tricks that we have learned over the years. Many of these tips can be applied to other versions of Microsoft Office.
Outlook |
 |
 Outlook is an extremely useful program in part because it bundles several applications into one interface. However, having a calendar, e-mail client, contact manager, task manager, and more all in one can make it difficult to access all of the information you need at the same time. Having multiple displays greatly improves your ability to view all of your Outlook information at once. If you simply
- right-click one of the Outlook programs in the Navigation Pane
- select “Open in New Window”

Simultaneously View Your Outlook Calendar and Email.
A new window of that program will open and can be managed independently. For example, if you want to have your e-mail always open on one of your displays, simply right-click “Mail” and select “Open in New Window. You can then move your e-mail to the desired display while still being able manage your calendar, contacts, and tasks.
Word |
 |
Microsoft Word is flexible when it comes to using it with multiple displays. You can open as many instances of the program as you want and arrange all of the windows separately. Having two displays in portrait mode can be particularly useful for comparing two documents side-by-side. One feature of Word that works particularly well with large documents allows you to view and edit separate parts of the same document at once. Simply click “Window” and then “New Window.” A new window of the same document will open, which makes it easier to read and edit large documents.
 Easily Synthesize Data from Multiple Sources
Excel |
 |
Using Excel with two or more displays is almost always preferable to using it with a single display. Chances are that when you are using Excel you’re inputting data from a source document into a spreadsheet, or you are managing a large set of data within a spreadsheet. There are several ways you can use Excel with multiple displays.
First, you can simply have Excel open on one display and the documents you are using with Excel on other displays. For example, you could have an Excel spreadsheet open on one display and sales figures open on another display.

Acrobat, Excel and Word all on the Same Workspace
Second, you can simply maximize Excel to spread across multiple displays. For example, if you are using a large spreadsheet, you can maximize it across two widescreen displays.
 1 Spreadsheet Spanned across 2 Displays
Third, my favorite, if you have 2 documents open simultaneously on excel you can click "Window >> Compare Side By Side with...". Excel will automatically position and maximize each spreadsheet on its own display. You have to have Excel spanning both monitors for this to work. Unfortunately, this method only works for 2 documents. The next feature shows you how to quickly and easily compare more than 2 spreadsheet across multiple monitors.
 Quickly Compare Side by Side
Fourth, you can open multiple instances of Excel in order to work on multiple spreadsheets at the same time. Normally when you open multiple documents within Excel, all of the spreadsheets stay within the same window. However, it is sometimes helpful to open multiple instances of Excel with independent windows, particularly when you are using Excel with multiple displays. If you want to open an independent instance of Excel, simply hold down the “Shift” button while selecting the Excel program shortcut.
 2 Separate Excel Documents Opened Simultaneously Duo 19D in Portrait Mode
PowerPoint |
 |
Working on PowerPoint presentations is easier with a secondary display.
First, you can view the slideshow as you are creating it by clicking “View > Slideshow.”
A preview of the slideshow you are creating will appear in one of your secondary displays. As you make changes to the PowerPoint presentation on your primary display, those changes will be reflected on the preview.
You can also make giving presentations easier with dual displays by enabling the Presenter View. The Presenter View allows you to view notes and other information to help you while you’re giving your presentation, while the audience only sees the slideshow. To enable Presenter View, go to the Slide Show menu and select “Set Up Show.” Under Multiple Monitors, select the Show Presenter View box. You can then select which display will show the presentation. When you select “View Show,” one display will show the presentation, while the other display that is running PowerPoint will show notes, total run time, and other helpful information.
 PowerPoint In Presenter View
With some inexpensive add-ons to PowerPoint, you can get even more out of using PowerPoint with multiple displays. For example, you can use a program like PowerViewer or Sunday Star to display multiple PowerPoint presentations simultaneously, which turns PowerPoint into a great program for running a display wall. If your graphics card allows your displays to go into Mirror Mode, you can show the same presentation on two or more displays. Using a mirrored presentation can be useful in large rooms where it might not be easy for everyone to view a single display.
|
January 29th, 2007
We’ve put together the five biggest reasons we think most people should give a multi display system a try. We at CineMassive Displays have written this guide in order to help you understand why we firmly believe in the advantages of a multi display system for anyone who uses their computer as an important work tool.
You may have seen someone with more than one computer display on their desk before. Perhaps it was someone trading stocks, monitoring a computer network, or editing videos. Although those are great uses for multiple displays, most people can benefit from the advantages of having more than one display.
We’ll explore these five reasons to use multiple monitors:
|
1. A Meaningful Return On Investment
I bet you can count on one hand the number of times an investment in a computer upgrade produced a real return on investment. Products that claim to make your system run faster or using your computer easier and more enjoyable often provide some marginal benefits, but are often not worth the investment.
We believe that having multiple displays is one of those precious few upgrades that will make a substantial, long-term improvement to the way you use your computer. Don’t believe us? Then listen to the words of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates:
“If you look at this office, there isn't much paper in it. On my desk I have three screens, synchronized to form a single desktop. I can drag items from one screen to the next. Once you have that large display area, you'll never go back, because it has a direct impact on productivity. ” -How I Work: Bill Gates
Productivity is simply a measure of how much work you can do in a given amount of time. Having multiple displays increases productivity by decreasing the time it takes to do basic tasks such as running a web search while working on a document, comparing two sources of information, or watching a streaming video on one screen while using the other screen as a work space. Here is a short list of ten things that are easier to do with two or more displays:
- Copying information between documents
- Running multiple web searches
- Keeping track of various communication programs at once (e-mail, IM, Skype)
- Simultaneously viewing e-mail and included attachments or web links
- Moving information from a source to a spreadsheet
- Simultaneously editing and previewing in real-time a website, presentation, or image
- Monitoring multiple streams of information in real-time
- Watching streaming video such as a newscast on one screen while working on another screen
- Simultaneously running multiple productivity applications such as Word, Outlook, and Excel
- Having a video conference with two or more people
Anecdotal evidence can tell us a lot, but an independent scientific study can tell us even more. Here is what one such study had to say about using multiple displays:
“The evidence suggests a 16 percent savings in time for the same level of production. Over a year’s time, one would save $3,840 in labor costs at a $12 per hour clerical wage. ” - Productivity and Multi-Screen Displays
Few other computer upgrades can demonstrate such a concrete return on investment. |
|
2. Once You Try It, You’ll Never Go Back
The most common reaction our customers have after setting up their CineMassive Display is that they can’t imagine ever going back to having a single display. That reaction is the highest compliment our customers can pay us because it says that we have provided them with a product that has truly improved their lives. Here are just a few examples of this kind of reaction from a few CineMassive Displays customers:
“Before I got dual displays I though it was a bit of an extravagance. Now I feel that multiple displays ought to be standard!”
-Amram, Newton, MA
“The Duo I ordered has completely changed the way I can use my computer - screens swing in and out on arms that I can position the way I want. And having multiple monitors has made using a computer easier in ways I never thought possible.”
-Kathleen, Alexandria, VA
“Besides the quality of the displays, the simple fact that there are 3 of them makes everything I do easier. When I work at a desk I intuitively organize my workspace into piles. Now I can do the same with my computer. Finally. Photoshop in the middle, the website on the left, 800x magnified on the right. Everything just feels fluid and perfectly coordinated. These have made work fun!”
-Shari Torkelson
We’re not surprised by this reaction because we’ve been using multiple displays for years. The only thing that surprises us is that more people aren’t using multiple displays. If you work in an office, your computer has probably replaced your desk as your primary work space. It used to be that as paper started to pile up and documents started to become disorganized, you would simply invest in a bigger desk and a few file cabinets. So what do you do now as Windows become cramped, files and folders start to fill up the desktop, and you start to lose track of all of the various programs you have running? Get a bigger desk, and in today’s digital office that means getting a CineMassive Display. |
|
3. Guaranteed To Work With Existing Hardware
With the availability of a wide variety of graphics cards and external graphics solutions, most systems capable of running Windows XP or Windows Vista are capable of running at least two or three 17” or 19” displays. Rapid increases in processing power mean that you are probably running more and more programs simultaneously, but you have to fit ever increasing numbers of windows into one small, cramped display. But what if you want to stop perfecting your skills at rapidly minimizing and maximizing windows? Chances are that you can use your existing system to run two or three displays, and with a minor upgrade you can add even more displays.
We don’t expect you to know all about your computer and how to get it to run two, three, or ten displays; that’s what we’re here for. We’ll back up our expertise with a unique, industry-leading guarantee:
We guarantee that if your system passes our free compatibility check for the CineMassive Display you buy, the display will work with your system or your money back.
You won’t find that guarantee anywhere else. Let us worry about creating the right multi display system for you and your computer, so you can worry about more important things. |
|
4. Save Yourself A Lot Of Headaches
Ever had so many programs open at once that they can’t all fit on the taskbar? Constantly minimizing and maximizing programs is a total waste of time, and keeping track of all of your open files can be a constant frustration.
Having multiple displays can prevent this frustration from ever happening again. CineMassive Displays’ CineMastery program extends the Windows taskbar to all displays and can easily be configured to only show the programs that are running on the associated display.
CineMastery does much more than simply extend the taskbar. It is a powerful tool to allow you to get the most out of using multiple displays. Here are a few more things you can do with CineMastery:
- Move programs between displays in just one or two clicks.
- create display profiles for everyone who uses the system.
- Create shortcuts that allow you to manage where individual programs appear, and much more.
Using CineMastery with CineMassive Displays can make managing multiple applications much easier and less stressful.
|
|
5. Enjoy Using Your Computer
We’ve spent all this time talking to you about the practical advantages of using a multi display system from CineMassive Displays. Now we would like to tell you about how much we and our customers enjoy using our products. You don’t have to listen to us, just listen to our customers.
“My CineMassive Display completely changed the way I do business. I had no idea what I was missing, how cramped and congested my works space was until I made the upgrade. For years I had been working on a spacious 6 foot by 3 foot mahogany desk. Why not enjoy that same spaciousness on my computer, the thing I use during about 90% of my time in the office???”
-Adam Gruenwald
“I own a small business with 12 employees. I bought everyone new 19"CineMassive displays a few months ago and I still get an emphatic 'thank you!' everyday.”
-Bruce Takahashi
“I had been looking for a way to use three widescreen displays on my laptop system because I knew it would help me keep track of all of my communications, sales forms, and all the other programs I use throughout the day. I found CineMassive Displays and they took me through the whole process, and showed me how to set up a multi monitor laptop. Now that I have everything I want to get the same configuration for my home system.”
-John, Nortel
Having the right multiple display set-up is like going from a tiny little school desk to having big, roomy professional workspace with all of the drawers and surface area you need to stay organized and work effectively. Once you stop wasting time and energy stuffing everything into one little display, you realize that there is a much better way to use your computer.
|
|
Sources
|
|
|
|

 |
|
Questions? Call Toll-Free: 1.800.792.5975
Our expert multiple monitor customer service representatives are Available by phone Monday through
Friday from 9am to 7pm.
|
|