Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What do you use your second screen for?

Benjamindaines

Benjamindaines

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Mar 24, 2005
2,841
5
A religiously oppressed state
I've tried dual screen setups but I just can't seem to find a good use for the second screen. I mean I'd use it for PhotoShop but then I find I'm putting too much stuff on the second screen and it becomes to feel like I'm working off the second screen. So what do you use your second screens for, or 3rd for some of you?
 
I have my iBook setup with an external 17". (iBook is on the left with an iCurve and 17" is on the right) On the iBook's screen I use it for iChat when I'm surfing the web or w.e. and in Photoshop, Keynote, pages, etc. I use it for the extra palettes.
 
When I use two screens with my iBook, I tend to have the main document I'm working on take up most of the primary screen, and use the second screen to be able to keep Adium or Safari or iTunes up without having to keep flipping back and forth, so that I can read a website on and off, for instance, while writing.

But mostly, now, the time when I use multiple displays is Powerpoint 04 with a projector, and the presenter tools view. I *love* that feature. :)
 
right now my 2nd monitor is filled with itunes with the visualizer on, but usually i use it for flash, photoshop, etc. palettes, or for previewing a web page i'm working on on my main screen. my main screen is a 17" lcd and my 2nd is a lower-res 15" so usually the bigger things get my primary monitor. it's also nice for watching a movie full screen while doing other things.
 
I only use two screens with a PC at work.

I tend to use them mainly so that I can spread an Excel spreadsheet across two screens.

The other times I find it useful is if I'm working on one thing and want to reference something quickly which I can have open on the other screen.
 
When I use a 2nd screen with my PB it's usually only for Reason.
I'll have the "rack" on the extra monitor and the sequencer on the PB screen.
 
I do everything in my 2nd screen. 12" PB versus 20" widescreen 2005FPW. no contest really. I have small things like MSN and iChat on the PB screen. but I use Flash and Photoshop on the big screen.
Big screens greatest use is my eyeTV screen. TV replacement and then some! progressive scan I could kiss you!
 
tool pallettes, or if I'm in Director either the stage in one and the score in the other, or if I'm running 2 Director projects, then one in each. or project windows and render windows... that kind of thing.
 
When I use two screens for my iBook, I use the iBook's screen for iChat and iTunes and the 2nd screen (1280x1024) for either Photoshop, FCP5, iWeb, or something similar.

I don't use the 2nd screen very much; Exposé does a good enough job for me. :)
 
All of the toolbars from either Dreamweaver/Flash or GoLive go on the 2nd screen, with the document under construction on the main screen. Couldn't do without it now.
 
I used dual CRT's on my PC all the time. For photoshop, one held my palletes (allowed me to keep a bunch open at once) and the other my document. Another cool PS feature is that you can open a second window of the document you're working on to keep one at full size and the other zoomed in. That way you can make your close up changes and see how they look all at once.

I've since switched to a 12" PB and have a 20" dell monitor arriving in a week or two. Will probably use them in much the same manner.
 
the second screen comes in handy for any program with pallets.

if i'm working on a website, i usually keep the FTP open on screen 2, html editor open on screen 1. also tuck away itunes, ichat, "background aps" on screen 2.

dual monitors work absolute wonders for final cut pro, especially on a powerbook.
 
Benjamindaines said:
I've tried dual screen setups but I just can't seem to find a good use for the second screen. I mean I'd use it for PhotoShop but then I find I'm putting too much stuff on the second screen and it becomes to feel like I'm working off the second screen.
Click to expand...
How long have you tried the dual-head setup? The longer you use it, the better you'll adjust to it.

I do all of my primary work on my primary monitor and kick things like email, bit torrent, and IRC over onto the secondary. Stuff I'd like to monitor but don't want to have sitting on my primary display.

When using Final Cut Pro, I put my file and effect browsers on the secondary display. The lets me better maximize the editing space on the primary display. In DVD Studio Pro, I put the "graph" view of the disc's layout on the secondary display.

Just keep using it. You'd adapt after a while and start to wonder how you ever lived w/out it. :)
 
Like a lot of poeple here, most of the time, I use my 2nd monitor (two 2005fpws) to keep all the apps that are constantly running visible. I have a finder window open, iTunes, pearLyrics, Adium, and Mail open and visible all the time. Underneath the Mail app is the Address Book, and (right now) ecto.

When I'm using Photoshop or InDesign, the paletts are just on the other side of the bevel between the screens, with the document on the main screen. Occasionally, when I have to work on a legal sized document, I'll rotate the second screen vertically and work with the document on that screen.

I've fallen in love with having two screens, and having that dedicated space for all my everyday apps to live.
 
i don't think i can use one screen again

i use two screens all the time ... one is used for the main image, one is used for palletes ...

if i'm watching a video a i use the second screen for the video and keep my work for what i want

or i use two browser screens for what i need and compare


what i need is what i use

two screens all the way
 
ChrisBrightwell said:
How long have you tried the dual-head setup? The longer you use it, the better you'll adjust to it.
Click to expand...
I've tried it for a while but the problem I run into is that my second screen is of FAR lower quality so I can't get used to the setup. I'm sure I would enjoy the dual head setup if I could get my hands on a second Apple Display but right now that's not an option.
 
I use my 17" for iTunes/Movies/Stuff like that, although if I got a 2405/2407, I would use it as the main monitor
 
Applespider said:
I tend to use them mainly so that I can spread an Excel spreadsheet across two screens.
Click to expand...

that's officially the most boring use of two screens! :)


it is tough to use them both effectively if they are very different size/quality. i have a 20" apple display, and a 15"... it works fairly well, but matching 20"ers would be nice...... ;)
 
I have two 19" screens.
I use one screen to do my main work, and the second one for net surfing, itunes, msn, and when I need some other document open while working.

The second screen is also great if you are programming so you can use the main screen to do the work and the second screen is the test screen. Or graphics/animation for pellets. I don't think I can use Flash w/o having two screens because I'll need to see my actionscript code in the other screen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back