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Question on multi monitors

mwalker

Subscriber Member
I have just purchased a Lacie Monitor. I currently use a Mac 24" cinema connected to a MacBook pro laptop. I would like to use the Lacie to edit, softproof ect.. and the 24" cinema as a second monitor. How does that work with the laptop? Thanks in advance!
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Yes, as I understand it, you need a black box. Also, I understand most of these simply use both monitors as one single but wider display. Of course that is perfectly usable for Photoshop editing with dual displays, or any typical large desktop arrangement, but isn't the same as dual display drivers. You will want to run the profile for your LaCie and since you cannot independently adjust the output on your Cinema, you will be stuck with whatever colors the LaCie profile generates for it...
 

LJL

New member
Also worth considering is that running dual monitors halves the VRAM to each. Probably not much of an issue if you have 512K VRAM on the video card, but it can become a problem with screen refresh rates and stuff if you are pushing less. Not sure what happens by going through the black box, and it may or may not effect your outputs.

LJ
 

LJL

New member
Mike,
You did not say what LaCie you got, and if it looking better than the 24" ACD. My guess is that it does look better, and without the glossy screen of the newer 24" ACD. As you are probably doing now, you can profile the LCD on the MBP and have a separate profile for whatever external monitor you use. If you go the black box route, as Jack suggested, the output to that box will be profiled for one monitor, and displayed across both. Not sure that will look great on whichever is NOT profiled. Why not use the MBP's display for the pallets or browser, and just do your work on the LaCie? That way you could have a good calibration for both?

As an aside, I run two 24" monitors off of my G5 and have each profiled. What I have found is that while nice to have all the real estate to look at, the vast majority of the time I am using one or the other for my critical work. That is why I am thinking of dumping both 24" monitors and replacing them with a single 30", maybe from NEC, but would love the EIZO CG if it was a bit cheaper ;-) I am also looking at the new 17" MBP as possibly the "do-most-of-it" machine, and connecting the 30" to it. That would allow me to use the 30" as the main viewing/working screen, while the 17" laptop LCD would be used for browsers or things, though I still find it bothersome crossing from one to the other. Just my thoughts on this, as I have not found an ideal solution myself yet.

LJ
 

mwalker

Subscriber Member
It is the Lacie 321 ( i haven't bought it yet) is a bit smaller that what I'm using. The 24" is a matt screen the Lacie does look much better and I'm sure more accurate.
 

LJL

New member
Got it. I think you will like the Lacie for its gamut. The older 24" ACD that you have with the matte finish is still a decent monitor, but Apple sort of stopped chasing good monitor tech a while ago. They used to be a leader with some of their stuff, but lately, they have let things slide toward the consumer side in quality. I am still happy with a much older 20" ACD that I keep profiled. It has lost some brightness over time, but still holds good colors when I calibrate it....which has become more frequent with its age.

LJ
 
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