running 2 monitors

hi

i have just got another monitor and i want to hook the 2 up side by side ( I am sick of shuffling windows around and want more space on the screen).

Can some one tell me exactly how I connect them up?  its prob really simple but i cant find any info on how to do it, i hope i aint making myself look really dumb!!

thanks

Firstly you need a graffix card with 2 outputs on it.

Usually there will be 1 DVI out and 1 VGA out so you will need to buy a converter for 1 of them depending on your monitors connection.

Once both monitors are plugged in boot up and windows will recognise the 2nd automatically, all you have to do is enable it as a second desktop in the display properties.You might want to get a desktop app like 'UltraMON', for things like extending your taskbar and snapping to monitors etc

my graffix card is i think....

64mb ddr NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440

does that sound about right?

Those cards come in different types mate some have 2 out's and some don't.

Just have a look at it, if it has 2 outputs your laughing.

2 out's will look like this...

Or this...

unfortunately mine only has 1 output. is it just a case of getting hold of the same unit but wth 2 outputs like the pictures. and then following what WeAzAl has said?

what has been said there has really helped me out though, i thought it was a lot hardher lol 

Yeah just find one with 2 outputs, you'll get a better one for your money now too

http://www.kikatek.com/product_info.php?products_id=22240

is that the sort of thing?  i dont know much about graffix cards ya see.

thanks for ya help tho guys, v useful!!

i have two dell 17" flat screen monitors. the 1 am i using at the mo just connects via the vga, so i am assumning that with the dvi - vga adaptor they will both be fine.

i think my mother board is pci, although i aint sure. can you clarrify? or how do i check this?  therefore i should really have found a pci graphics card   

i have checked and it is actually agp  lol.  the one a put the link up for earlier seems to be a good choice, think i'll go for something like that 1.

thanks for ya help peeps!!! 

Fanless cards inevitably run hotter despite all the elaborate cooling solutions the various manufacturers have come up with. As long as you have decent airflow in your case this shouldn't be a problem though.

You can get graphics cards with 'silent' fans though, or even fit your own after-market fan. Best have a look around for cards that are specifically advertised as silent or low noise and post them up here.

this seems to be what I'm looking for.

http://www.kikatek.com/product_info.php?products_id=72301

I’ll have a look once I get home from work later.  Although I have just noticed it says its for vista, I am using xp, is that going to be a problem?