Monitor Size: Dual 17" Enough?

ORIGINAL: fif4lifefif

Hey, I'm currently using Sonar 4PE on a 15" CRT Monitor. I'm thinking about "taking the plunge" and upgrading to two 17" LCD monitors. Do you guys think that that will be adequate space for editing projects with up to 35 tracks? I don't use a lot of the doodads like per-track EQ (Sonar's, that is.)

Thanks a lot,
-Vince

Well.. it depends on the resolution of each one. It doesn't help much to have two monitors for a single view. It's distracting to have it streached across because of the gap in the center and there is no extra resolution where you need it in the vertical axis. For the track view one big monitor with high resolution would be better. The only cool thing about two monitors is that you can have a second view or a few plugins on the other monitor. By the way if you get LCD monitors get the fastest ones you can find. It's almost as bad as audio latency when you try to do waveform editing in Sound Forge or work on video things get blured and jumpy. Get at least 8ms and 4 if you can find it. I got a dual DVI card (matrox P650) and that helped a little but not much. As soon as I can afford to replace mine I hope 4ms is common. I didn't think that spec was important when I got my dual 19" LCDs but now I wish I had done more research.

If the track view is the main thing you want to see more of get one huge monitor with high resolution. If the vertical resolution is not more then you have now you won't be able to see more things will just get bigger. The idea about size is that you can run a higher resolution and still be able to see the small stuff.

ORIGINAL: Mully

Yo Vince, I've just gone from dual 17" CRTs to dual 19" LCDs at 16ms and the difference is awesomely good. I don't have any refresh lag or similar at 16ms and the clarity is excellent also in native resolution.

Frank is spot on about the resolutions and views etc.

You won't regret the upgrade and I haven't regretted going the extra 2inches for the sake of speed at all.

Cheers!

I think my 19" LCDs are 25ms.. yuck.. Maybe they will make nice gifts for family memebers some day

ORIGINAL: fif4lifefif

ORIGINAL: ohhey
I think my 19" LCDs are 25ms.. yuck.. Maybe they will make nice gifts for family memebers some day

Does co-Sonar owner count as family?

If you have an e-bay account you don't have to be family.. LOL ! However, I'm not ready to replace them yet.

ORIGINAL: Mod Bod

Well.. it depends on the resolution of each one. It doesn't help much to have two monitors for a single view. It's distracting to have it streached across because of the gap in the center

I disagree with this. I strech the views across both of my 21" Dell Trinitrons. Doesn't bother me.

My big problem is not seeing more of the track width but seeing more tracks without the controls being out of frame. So two monitors side by side doesn't help. Maybe I should build a rack so I could stack them and have the video card driver do the extra monitor "above" trick..

I am working with a 17" CRT at 1280x800 for the track view
I also am using a 15" tipped on it's side for other views like the console, plugs, and audio interface DSP, 768x1024

It's workable, and with an LCD you will have more room even at 1280

But, I will be going to dual 19" when I can convnce myself my current monitors are worn out.

check around 19" aren not all that expensive. newgg.com for a base price.

works for me, at 2/3 the price of a pair of 19's (more money for something else)

Fastelder - dual monitor support depends on your OS and your video drivers.
Under W98SE, I can get 2 displays, running at independent resolutions (like 1024x768 on the left, and 1280x1024 on the right). Under W2K, I can get one panoramic view - 2048x768 ( I can also do the dual-independent setting like 98 can). I use a Matrox G-550 dual video card, which is fairly old now.
See if your card will allow 2048x768, or 2560x2048. If so, run HS at full screen. Careful - don't get whiplash!

i sugest... getting a big WXGA...screen....
its a normal LCD:.. but its size folows the 6:9 aspect ratio... instead
of the 4:3.... that we use normally...
BTW
Chek this link..... it will have any LCD combination... or MULTI LCD arrays
for your viewing..pleasure...
LCD ARRAYS

Greets
Rolo.

I like having one for my main sonar view, and another as my effects rack. All the plugin interfaces, control surfaces, help files, recording notes text files and so on are monitor #2.

And you can never have enough monitor space, it seems. Just one of those things where you always wish you could have just one more window be a little bit bigger.

Cheers.

I've been using 2 17" Samsungs for a year or so and really like them. Soon I'm going to build a desk for my DM3200 and am going to get the ergotron LX arms for the monitors. I think 2 are enough for most people...of course more is always better...right?