[Software] How to set up the multiple monitor solution

[The GodFather]

 

 

You want a big expansive view of your data, websites, games and apps but can’t afford the more than $1,000 it might cost for a large 4K screen. There’s another way to go big – very big – on a monitor: put together your own dual-monitor display.

By mounting a pair of screens on a special stand, you can combine their abilities, creating an ultra-wide display that will not only make your work and play a lot easier, but will let you stretch out your data. I’ll show you how to do it from start to finish, and give you a few tips and tricks along the way to make the build quicker, easier and anxiety-free.

Don’t be intimidated, this is not a hard project to accomplish and all the tools you’ll need are included with the stand. Let’s start with the parts.

 

 

 

 

1. My first step is to clamp the stand to the desk. I’m using a thin piece of wood to protect the desk’s surface.

 

 

 

 

2. Next, I put the arm onto the base and got the first display ready.
 

 

 

3. Then, I screwed the mounting plate to the back of the display using the included thumbscrews.

 

 

 

4. Once ready, I put the display on the stand’s arm.
 

 

 

5. I finished by hiding the cables in the arm’s cord tray and pressing in the covers that hide the screw holes.

 

 

 

 

6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 with the second screen. The displays should look like a pair of wings.

 

 

 

7. Turn the computer on and plug an HDMI cable into the notebook’s port and the first display, followed by plugging the USB C-to-HDMI-adapter cable into the computer and second display.

 

 

 

8. There’s another way: I plug both screens into the Startech MSTCDP122HD with HDMI cables and then plug it into the USB-C port of the host notebook.

 

 

 

9. Either way, the computer’s Display Settings section now shows both screens. Click on Identify and the screens should display a “1/2” (for the host notebook and the left screen), and a “3” (for the right screen).
 

 

 

10. If they don’t match up with what’s on the computer’s display, reverse the cables. Finish by changing the Multiple Displays to Duplicate.

 

 

 

11. I want to use the notebook with its lid shut, so I go to the Advanced Settings section of the Power & Sleep category and set the system to not turn off when I close the lid.

 

 

 

12. I finish up by connecting the wireless transmitter for the wireless keyboard and mouse.

 

 

It’s a good idea to do some tweaking. Start by adjusting the height and angle of the screens to make them match. Then, set the distance from your chair to roughly two feet. You have two major layout choices: flat or angled. The former provides a long, narrow view of your apps and data, but you might need to refocus your eyes to see the extremities. The latter allows my head to be in the middle of the action, surrounded by two screens. I suggest setting them at roughly a 150-degree angle, which is a nice compromise.

 

Relax and enjoy the show
Now that it’s all done, I love the wide expansive view of my digital world. This project was well worth the time, effort and cost. All told, it’s not only bigger but better than a 42-inch display because, for me, the long narrow 3820 x 1080 resolution provides plenty of room to work with five or six horizontal windows. At a little more than $600 and 45 minutes of my time, the dual-display has transformed my desk and online life.

I frequently use it to play a game of Crusader Kings, while I try to do some work using Word, Excel and a browser window or two. It all fits without feeling crowded, making everything a lot easier.