Editing on Two Displays

MadMaverick wrote on 4/2/2016, 4:07 AM

So on my computer, as with most computers, I have a port for HDMI, VGA and DVI. These are all part of the same Video Card. I have one other port for HDMI located under my USB ports... but for some reason it doesn't function, and this computer is brand new.

I'd like to set up a double screen editing station, with my editor on one monitor, and my preview on the other. Would it be wise to have one display hooked up through HDMI, and the other through VGA? I figured that it wouldn't, since VGA is analog and HDMI is digital. Would HDMI and DVI splice together better?

Or would my best option be to buy another PC card and have both monitors displayed through HDMI?

I'm just exploring my options here. Are there any kind of converters that you guys recommend? What do you guys think is the best way of hooking up my displays?

Feel free to share any screen calibration techniques as well. Thanks guys.

Comments

diverG wrote on 4/2/2016, 5:33 AM

Any chance the HDMI port located under the USB ports is from an on-board graphics chip? You don't list your pc spec in your profile so just guessing.
If you have on-board graphics you will need to enable this in BIOS. With luck this may also enable quick-sync. Works this way with both my machines.

If you are looking to monitor the timeline output/preview on a TV the 'BlackMagicIntensityPro 4K' card works OK with Vegas 12 Pro

Your machine specs would be a great help.

JohnnyRoy wrote on 4/2/2016, 7:23 AM

> "What do you guys think is the best way of hooking up my displays?"

Given your situation, I would plug your main monitor into the DVI port and the secondary monitor into the HDMI port. VGA is an absolute last resort and shouldn't really be used unless there is no other choice. It is low resolution by today's standards.

This assumes that you computer monitor has a DVI connection. If your monitor only has VGA then connect it via VGA or get a new monitor with DVI. The difference is quite noticeable.

~jr

rraud wrote on 4/2/2016, 10:20 AM

I use the DVI with an HDMI adapter cable to feed the secondary monitor for picture. On an older system, I was 'forced' to used the VGA for the timeline and such. It didn't look bad by any means. I had a KVM switch on it as well for the 'internet' computer.

MadMaverick wrote on 4/2/2016, 3:16 PM

This is the computer that I have:

What I just found out is that in Vegas I can't get a preview on the monitor that is hooked up through VGA, but the preview will display on the monitor that is hooked up through HDMI.

If I'm not able to get both monitors hooked up through HDMI, maybe I could still get by with VGA or DVI as my editor, and HDMI as my preview since my preview is what matters most picture-quality wise (for color reference and whatnot).

I did have a VGA to DVI adaptor, but I've always assumed adaptors/converters like that wouldn't look as good or work as well as just using the actual cable.

OldSmoke wrote on 4/2/2016, 3:27 PM

According to the link and specs, your system has a display port and a HDMI port. I would use those two but you may need a new monitor with a digital input, DVI or Display port. I wouldn't use VGA port at all, it's analog.