[CQ-Contest] Size of Dual Monitors

[Steve Bookout]

Hello Dick and others,

Over the last few years, I've gone from 19 inch monitors, up to dual 24 
inch monitors, here at me m/m.  It's not perfect, but I think it's about 
the best I can do.  Although, they are used for m/m, with a second rig 
on the same band, I think the issues would be the same.

Recommend identical monitors.  Don't try and use a 21 and a 24 inch 
monitor, cuz you will NEVER get the resolution to look right.
I have had really good luck with LG monitors.  Color is very rich; 
others not so much.
You will most likely wind up with more video card than you will need.  
It's not like you will need to support any movement on the screen, as a 
'gamer' would.  I would bet the least expensive video card that supports 
two monitors, will be over kill for you needs.
VGA or DVI outputs, or a combination of the two, should be fine. Just 
make sure the monitors you get will hook up to the video card. I think 
all of my latest monitors have both VGA and DVI inputs, and my video 
cards support one of each.
As someone mentioned, you can have them too high.  With left/right space 
limitations, the only place to go is up.
Mine are mounted on a single 'shelf' directly above the rigs.  Not a lot 
of space left when you start adding other equipment like an amp.

Only band I use 2 monitors on the same rig is 80 (third pic) as I run 
several digital receive windows using different receive antennas and 
need the space.  Here my problem is left to right 'whiplash' trying to 
keep up with all the on-screen activity, even though all receive windows 
are on the left monitor.

Some pics.

http://www.nr4m.com/node/148
http://www.nr4m.com/node/144
http://www.nr4m.com/node/139

Good luck.

73 de Steve, NR4M

On 3/17/2014 4:29 AM, Dick Flanagan wrote:
> I need help from the Masters.
>
> I am in the planning stages of a SO2R station.  The center piece will 
> be the two radios and two LED computer displays above the radios.  The 
> displays will be side-by-side and supporting all of the 
> contesting/logging/propagation windows driven by one central 
> contesting computer.  I could be talked into having two computers--one 
> for each display--but I would appreciate if that discussion were held 
> another day.
>
> Today I am looking for assistance in choosing the proper LED display 
> terminals. What is the optimal size of these monitors? They can be 
> long and skinny or basically square.  Has experience shown that one 
> particular screen size and/or aspect radio to be better than another 
> in this application?  I am partial to Samsung, but I can be talked out 
> of that too if appropriate.
>
> The displays will be mounted above the radios slightly above eye level 
> with their fronts basically even with the front panel of the radios.  
> No wall-mounted monitors here.
>
> Once the displays are chosen, then possible we can wander off into the 
> one vs. two computer forest.
>
> So those of you with two terminals displays, let us know what you hate 
> about them, what you love, what you would do different.  Help me avoid 
> the mistakes I am destined to make without your help.
>
> Needless to say, Thank YOU!
>
> -- 
> Dick Flanagan K7VC
> dick at k7vc.com
>
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