Widescreen Gaming Forum

Just some future planing on my part, wondering what the popular vote says is the best monitor size & type for a triple wide setup.

Don't just vote on the poll, post your experience and why you picked what you picked. I would like to get a discussion started to talk about the pros & cons of each setup choice.

Also think outside the box, you can pick say 3x17" and say its the best because its very cheap, it doesn't have to be the best just because it looks/performs the best. Thats why I need reasons to go with the votes.

I really like the look of these 24" Asus monitors: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236048

Never heard of anybody using 16:9 for a triple wide setup though, nice thin bezels and not too expensive.

I am also concerned with the resolution options, I know to do the full 1050 vert res it has to be 57Hz, lets hope the TH2GO gets an upgrade down the road to allow more modes & more refresh rates.

the TH2G won't do 1900x3, not sure whether you care about that.

I like the widescreen x3 setup, native resolution. 20" or 22" - at 3x22" I'm actually turning my head more than I'd like to see the outside sections of the outer screens. Perhaps I need to sit farther back. :)

3x1280x1024 because its the highest resolution that gives the least amount of hassle. It would take a lot of convincing to get me to go 3x1680x1024 with all the problems I've heard about just on these threads.

See the thing to keep in mind is you can have a larger res monitor than what you run, just you will be at the mercy of the monitors internal scaling.

The main reason to go with say 3x 24" is for those things you have to do that do not support or can not work on 3 monitors.

In my case that would be watching movies, and games that do not go triple wide.

You have to again weight out the cost vs reward to have the bigger monitors.

That actually brings up a good question. Kind of like a KVM switch can you toggle the TH2GO from triple to single monitor on the fly so you can use your main monitor @ full res with ease?

If not I would definitely add that to the wish lish for the next version with Matrox.

I also have faith that the modes that are currently so/so to run like triple 1050 will get easier and better to run given time.

Pro
> more space taken but more immersion
> bigger/better single monitor use

Con
>uses more space
> cost more
> maybe problems with the 57hz issue if you go 16:10

Even though I have not liked the Dell models in the past due to a band of issues, they are on the approved list for 1050 @ 57Hz and you can get them cheap when on sale. So 3x Dell 24" is a good way to go probably if your into 24".

You don't need a KVM switch to run TH2GO resolutions in games and native monitor resolutions on the desktop.

Video card one: TH2GO (1280x1024 on desktop and TH resolutions in game)
Video card two: Side monitors

Of course this method requires two inputs in the back of your monitors.

You don't need a KVM switch to run TH2GO resolutions in games and native monitor resolutions on the desktop.

Video card one: TH2GO (1280x1024 on desktop and TH resolutions in game)
Video card two: Side monitors

Of course this method requires two inputs in the back of your monitors.

I guess I worded that bad.

I mean can it toggle from just one monitor at full native res (1920x1200) to 3 monitors (XXXXx1050) on the fly so you can use your prime monitor @ full res without having to bypass the TH2GO

I used the KVM because it came to mind when I was thinking of toggling things on the fly, but of course you toggle computers not screens on the KVM :P

I just think its a good idea, Matrox could have just one of the 3 outputs labled as "center/main" and that would be the one that can be used in single monitor high res mode.

If somebody was really rich they could really make use of something like this with a 3x 30" setup.

3x1280x1024 because its the highest resolution that gives the least amount of hassle. It would take a lot of convincing to get me to go 3x1680x1024 with all the problems I've heard about just on these threads.

What he said

the TH2G won't do 1900x3, not sure whether you care about that.

I like the widescreen x3 setup, native resolution. 20" or 22" - at 3x22" I'm actually turning my head more than I'd like to see the outside sections of the outer screens. Perhaps I need to sit farther back. :)

I was under the impression for most games you only look at the center screen and just let the side two be more depth. Lots of titles are so warped there due to the FOV that there would not be much to look at.

Other games like WoW or a Flight Simulator though I can see how you would have reason to look on the outside monitors.

I picked (3) 20" 1680*1050

I went that route with my set-up. I already had 1 so I only needed to buy 2 more LCDs. Aside from that I thought is was a good balance of cost, a high widescreen res, and would run at native res.

The downside was a smaller LCD for single screen apps and its not as sharp as I would like with the included PowerDesk software running @ 57 hz.

I picked (3) 20" 1680*1050

I went that route with my set-up. I already had 1 so I only needed to buy 2 more LCDs. Aside from that I thought is was a good balance of cost, a high widescreen res, and would run at native res.

The downside was a smaller LCD for single screen apps and its not as sharp as I would like with the included PowerDesk software running @ 57 hz.

As long as the res is right that should be the only thing that effects the sharpness. the 57hz refresh rate just means in a second you get 3 less frames sent to the monitor, and that should make little difference at all especially for a LCD.

Have you run the monitor directly with no TH2Go to see if it looks the same? as now I wonder if there is more behind the scenes there than just a refresh rate change.

Edit: just got back from dells site both of the 20" monitors on sale are the 2009 model and both are TN panels... Ewww.

It may be quite a challenge to find 3 good 20" monitors that are not a TN, with good bezels and good quality for a decent price.

Best buy right now is the 22" 2008WFP for $200
http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Displays/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=320-6107

Still its TN also,

Man also new odd resolutions, they have a 23" 16:9 2048 x 1152 monitor in stock.

I picked 3X 22" 16:10 (1680X1050)

Just because of the simple fact that TripleHead2Go Digital Edition doesn´t go beyound the 5040x1050 (3x 1680x1050)

I like 3 x 22" over 3 x 20" while I like it big!

I would love to go for Triple 24" but than you would "downsize" (?) the resolution

I have to say that I have seen many triple 24" and It looks Awesome though!

Yeah the 24 would be bigger, and give you better single monitor only capability.

Just will cost you more and when running the 1050v resolution the monitor is going to scale it up to full screen. Depending on how critical you are of scaling and how good the hardware scaler is in the monitor you may or may not notice.

Me personally I do not mind scaling much, however I have always used software scaling (gpu) not hardware scaling wich is supposed to be usually worse.

@ $200 each those 22" 2008WFP sound tempting :P Its a nice well rounded monitor with bezels that are not too big, and dell is good on service if you buy direct and have a bad monitor. I am however critical when it comes to panel type.

I do not like TN for its view angles or its color depth. I thought it would go away one day but it seems to be getting more popular as now you can find 22 & 24" TN's when that size used to be reserved for the better panel types and only the smaller cheaper monitors were TN.

I think I would be most probably to go with 3x 22" with 1680x1050 res for a triple setup since thats the native res that can be used. I would just have to find a good monitor to do it with that is known to work ok at 57hz. I do not think the extra 2" would be worth the cost and then you would have to deal with the scaling issue.

I had a long ponder too before getting hooked up recently. I knew 3840x1024 would work but really wanted to go widescreen. I have got used to working in widescreen, pushes the bezells out a lttle further and hey TH2Go is all about wide/surround. 24 wound't have fitted on my desk + too expensive. 22" would just about fitted but I felt that desktop work would be a little hard as I sit close to the screen, so plumped for 20's. Nice tight pixels on a 20" wide with native res. Read that Dell Untrasharp 2009W work i 5040x1050x57 so took a chance with some refurbed monitors in the knowledge that i could eBay them for the same money if it all went pear shape. Yes unfortunatley they are TN's from the 09 model, but they are cheaper. With a TH set up you are pretty much looking straight at the side screens as they are angle in so no real problem with viewing angles, I really cant tell much differeance between them and my Ultrasharp 2407WFP from wear I am siting. Colours look richer for graphics but photos and movies look the same. They are cheaper too. The stands on these monitors are excellant, no problem lining everything up and adjusting for height. I was going to relegate the 2407 to the second computer but am now going to wall mount it direcltly over the centre screen for games that dont run TH and for movies, pictures etc, running off the secont DVI. 5040x1050 works for me under Vista 64 using 180.48 drivers. Multi screen is so much more productive for desktop work too.

I recently picked up a Samsung 225BW. In hindsight with triplehead the 225BW makes a lot more sense than my bulky 245BWs. You're pushing the same resolution through the DTH2G yet comparing the 245BW casing to the 225BW is drastic difference. They both have the same stand design and front control design but the back of the 245BW is bulky as heck compared to the 225BW. If you're going to do something like an Ergotron mount, I'd definitely pick the 22" over the 24". The money you save by buying 22" over 24" can get you that visa mount stand.

I think that I will target 3x 22" it just makes sense and I am planning to have a 4th additonal larger monitor for single screen only work in the form of a big HDTV or a Projector so no need to get 24" for the TH setup.

20's may also work well, probably depends on your desk and preference to how close/far you want to be from the monitor. You can put the 20's a bit closer so the 2 outside monitors can wrap your vision a bit more, but I think I would go with the 22's and sit it back further, if for no other reason than I like to have space on my desk to sit things in front of my monitors.

I think I am going to stroll into a Best Buy next free day I have and just eye down there monitor displays and maybe even simulate a setup by placing the monitors together and seeing what it looks like.

I need to start a wiki page on all known working 57Hz monitors for this setup.

If I was to go for it right now I would have to have a different battle plan. My ATI cards wont do the 1680x1050 X3. It can do 1440x900 X3 though.

So I think a good triple wide starter set would be 3 of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824254005

cheap @ almost half the cost of the 22" dells I was looking at, I can run them at full native res with no problems, and get more performance this way too since the total res will be lower.

I just noticed I wont be able to lay in bed and browse the net like I am doing now anymore if I reduce my screen size :(

Yep, if you're going to use ATI based, go wit hthe best sized display that'll allow for the maximum width doe the ATI cards. I donno that specific pixel width off the top of my head though.

Ghimpi how do you like using 24's?

Think it scales well? or would it be better on the 22's @ native.

Also I was wondering about the display changer function they supposedly added in so you can use a single screen. If you opt to do that does it just keep your current res and cut the other two monitors off, or will it let you have a totally different res, like in your case the full 24" resolution for a single monitor.

Def go for the 24" if you have the money and desk space. Quite a few games just don't work on TH and a 24" is a big dif (single screen) to a 22 IMO.

The internal scaler in the Samsung 24" works just fine for me. It's just a tiny perceived softer render than the sharp native 1920x1200. I don't notice it in daily use. Even though I've yet to get my Digital TripleHead2Go to replace my 2x DH2G setup, I've been using 1680x1050 full time on them to give it a real world dry run on how it looks and handles.