Dual Monitor Setup
 

Hey guys I have just recently purchaced a second monitor for my editing workstation. Now I have two Samsung Syncmaster Flat Panel monitors. I was able to hook them both up and everything appears to be working as it should, but there is a small problem.

When Im working in Premiere and After Effects, I am able to drag the effects pallets to the other monitor, but the main timeline in both programs can only be seen on one screen! This isn't saving me much workspace at all. I was assuming that you could strech out the timeline across both monitors as in this picture you see here...

http://www.guygraphics.com/tips/dualmonitor.html

Thats how I want it to look. Every time I drag or try to stretch out the timeline, it just dissapears on the right side of the screen. It wont let me stretch out the time line, or even move the timeline from the left to the right. Am I doing something wrong here?
I am using a Radeon 8500 video card, Premiere 6.02, PC etc...


Thanks for any tips.

actually I just figured out the problem. Looks like I didn't have the main window on any of my programs sized correctly. Now works great!

That's the trick, you want to physically drag your Premiere window to fill both monitors. Don't maximize your window as this will only fill one monitor. One other thing, make sure you are using two monitors of the same size and resolution ohterwise the window will be cut off on the smaller/lower res monitor.

Also, i learned this the hard way...don't mix and match different brands of monitors, even if they have the same resolution and size...the gamma and color balance can vary greatly. Despite all my attempts at balancing the two out, i've never gotten them in sync.

Thanks guys.

Yea Im using two Syncmaster monitors. One of the monitors is about a year newer, so technically they are different...but they are both 17 inch flat panel at the same resolution.

However the colors of the two monitors are different and it has been frustrating trying to get them to match. I tried for hours adjusting the settings but they wont match up.

Since both of these monitors are around 600 dollars, I don't really have the cash to scrap one and get another that matches perfectly. I'll just have to live with it I guess.

Try to see if you can download color profiles for them. You should
be able to install these in Windows so that it knows how to
more correctly talk to these things (and color adjust etc.). If
they have such profiles it is an easy way to see if it helps.

Good luck!

Maybe I am missing something here...

I have two monitors (same size and model) and I know they do not match each other perfectly. I have never considered this an issue, as I only have the preview window open on one monitor... not two. The other monitor holds tool pallettes and the other end of the timeline.

Since you should use a production monitor for color correction, etc., how important is it that both computer monitors match?

I am still a newbie, so maybe I'm oblivious to the obvious.

Since an NTSC compliant monitor is what you'll be going off of for critical color issues, its not super imperative that the monitors themselves match. It's more an issue of convenience in your case. Properly balanced monitors are just a hell of a lot easier to look at ;)

Besides--how likely is it that you'll ever get a video stream to play across both monitors simultaneously?