How to setup a dual monitor desktop display the easy way

Having a second monitor as an extension of your PC screen workspace is a great convenience. With a dual screen display you can slide documents or browser views from left screen to right screen and you can control screen clutter. Open a reference window on the right and you can easily cut and paste or edit on the left screen without minimizing and maximizing screens. A dual monitor desktop is pretty cool!

Recently I needed to setup a second or extended monitor on a PC. The PC had a small form factor (sff) or narrow chassis. A very low profile VGA dual monitor video card was required, but there was none in any of the local stores including Fry's Electronics which has lots of choices. Needed the second monitor operating immediately so ordering a dual monitor card online was not an option. I picked up a USB connected external video card and had the dual monitor operational in no time!

I used the Tritton SEE2 UV150 for my project and in the following procedures, but there are other product choices. The box included the USB card, CD with drivers, Quick Start Guide, and User Manual. Nothing else was needed.

Tritton also offers the TRIUV200 for DVI/VGA. This product also works on the MAC. and for PC or Mac platforms. Similar packaging as for the SEE2 UV150.

Installing the external dual monitor graphics card was a 1-2-3 process. The step by step follows and there is a slide show below.

1. Install the software (drivers) - As is true with most USB peripherals, it is desirable to install the software first. Insert the CD, select Install Drivers, accept defaults, install and then restart the PC.
2. Connect hardware - After the PC is restarted, connect the monitor VGA connector to the UV150 (screw in securely), and then plug the USB connector into a USB slot on the PC. It may be necessary to try different USB ports to get your connection.
3. Use the Systray Icon for control - The second display comes online in Extended Mode. Look in the System Tray (lower right of screen, where the time is displayed) for the TT icon. Right click for menu choices. You can change the second monitor's roles: primary, clone, extended and the resolution.

PC Tuneup - A new PC is a joy because it is fast and efficient which makes it fun to use. Over time, that PC gets slower, and slower and can eventually become a chore to operate.

PC Backup - "I've lost my mind and I don't know where to find it!" That's what you'll feel like if your PC hard drive crashes or you realize you deleted something important.

Portable Office - Thanks to the aggressive use of computer technology and most importantly the Internet, I've figured out how to take my office and my business on the road. My office is now portable.

Remote Access - You can sit at a PC in Cave Creek Arizona and reach out and control another PC on Wall Street in New York City. I do it every day. The location is unimportant.