21:9 screen vs. dual monitors

[CS70]

I had three screens for a while and found that one of them simply didn't get used much so I reverted back to two which just seems right to me.

Two screens is fine for mixing, but I find I miss a third screen when editing video.

Conceptually I keep separate three zones - timeline, preview and a working area, ideally center, left and right. With two screens, the "working area" (trimmer, file system, plugin, external player etc) is always overlapping something else (and in Windows the interaction between the file explorer, Vegas preview window and returning from a full screen player is always annoying - as it alters the Z-order of the windows requiring one additional click).

So a horizontal three screens configuration would be great.

But since I use the same desk for both video and audio processing, it just doesn't fit... it would make it impossible to have the nearfields anywhere near a reasonable position. Already with two screens my head is a little "inside the triangle" and the stereo image is not as clear as it could be.

Compromises...

[CS70]

I've only seen them in shop windows. They look weird to me. I suspect you would need one to completely fill your field of view, otherwise your brain will be fighting to differentiate this from the real surroundings.

I guess, as many things, you need to get used to them, trying for a while without preconceptions, before deciding if they're good or not.

They're definitely different, and we always instinctively equate "different" with "bad"..

The question is whether or not to go to the pain of purchasing, recabling, recalibrating and testing only to find out that it's not!

[CS70]

I’ve got a 21:9 monitor which I intended to run on its own, but I really missed having a second screen quite quickly and added a TV above.

Thanks, yeah, that's what I'm fearing as well

A plus is that I'd need to color-calibrate only one monitor instead of two, and just to something that I perceive as a reasonable setup, instead of having to use a lot of time to color match two panels every month that drift in slightly different ways. I'm still pretty slow at color calibration.

The extra screen space is very nice though, I can open up a few plugins while working on an edit and still see enough of everything without dragging windows around. The one I’ve got came with some software that splits the screen into cells so that windows can snap to areas of the screen which can be really useful.

If I had the space I’d probably go for the best of both worlds approach and have two of them side by side

Yeah I've tried the cell-splitting software at the shop and it's really completely removed one of my main concerns (I hate resizing windows)

[ManFromGlass]

Justification #253B -
At least 2 is good because One could break so there will be a “spare” until the new one arrives. And they only break just before a deadline or a producer is coming over.

If you ordered a curved one from amazon or such you could always return it no questions asked.

[CS70]

Justification #253B -
At least 2 is good because One could break so there will be a “spare” until the new one arrives. And they only break just before a deadline or a producer is coming over.

If you ordered a curved one from amazon or such you could always return it no questions asked.

Ahah yeah I have plenty 27" monitors at home. Could have one up per room.

What I usually do is that I buy used and resell in case. New costs too much for anything that's obsolete after a couple years imho.

[Drew Stephenson]

I had three screens for a while and found that one of them simply didn't get used much so I reverted back to two which just seems right to me.

Two screens is fine for mixing, but I find I miss a third screen when editing video.

Conceptually I keep separate three zones - timeline, preview and a working area, ideally center, left and right. With two screens, the "working area" (trimmer, file system, plugin, external player etc) is always overlapping something else (and in Windows the interaction between the file explorer, Vegas preview window and returning from a full screen player is always annoying - as it alters the Z-order of the windows requiring one additional click).

So a horizontal three screens configuration would be great.

But since I use the same desk for both video and audio processing, it just doesn't fit... it would make it impossible to have the nearfields anywhere near a reasonable position. Already with two screens my head is a little "inside the triangle" and the stereo image is not as clear as it could be.

Compromises...

Raise the monitors over the screens and point them downwards?

[James Perrett]

I had three screens for a while and found that one of them simply didn't get used much so I reverted back to two which just seems right to me.

Which ones James?

In the home setup (which is the most used at the moment) I have a 15" Dell Precision laptop with a Full HD display (1920x1080) and then a 27" display on a shelf behind it so that it is almost directly above the laptop screen. The 27" display is actually one of these

https://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/electri ... ersion.asp

though my laptop can only drive it at 2k resolution.

In the studio I'm using an old 17" 1280x1024 monitor with a 21" full HD monitor next to it.

[Folderol]

This will sound crazy I know, but I'm sure that years ago I read something about an experiment to use the screen itself as a sound source. If it were possible it certainly would solve a lot of problems!

[Sam Spoons]

I have a large screen (32" I think) between and slightly behind my monitors, they are all in an alcove so the speakers are more or less flush with the wall and angled inwards and the screen is a few inches further back. Behind them is a bass trap about 220mm deep filling the whole of the 1300 x 900 mm alcove. The issue I have as a relatively old git (67) with normal(ish) failing eyesight is that my varifocals don't have a sweet spot for a 1.5 metre viewing distance. But, if I use appropriate single focus spectacles I can't read the legends/LCDs on my X32 Compact which is below the screen on the desk.

[CS70]

I actually have a good 32" or 36" panel myself, a Sony TV which was pretty good in its time and it's just lying around in storage... and I'd given a thought of re-purposing it - attaching it to the wall.

Unfortunately the geometry of the space doesn't allow it - my space is in an extension of the living room and I'm practically using every inch of it already.. but it's a good idea! Just need studio glasses!

[ManFromGlass]

Why has nobody invented comfortable omnifocular binoculars with eye sensors that track eye movement?
Sounds simple to me . . . . . . . . . . .

[Sam Spoons]

TBH I might buy some cheap prescription bifocals with reading and middle distance/screen viewing scrips. My current varifocals are overdue for replacement and the new prescription has less difference between my eyes, switching to cheap readers for super close up work or mid distance screen viewing is a real pain at present but I'm not about to pay proper money for glasses that will end up being sat upon or attacked with a soldering iron.....

[CS70]

TBH I might buy some cheap prescription bifocals with reading and middle distance/screen viewing scrips. My current varifocals are overdue for replacement and the new prescription has less difference between my eyes, switching to cheap readers for super close up work or mid distance screen viewing is a real pain at present but I'm not about to pay proper money for glasses that will end up being sat upon or attacked with a soldering iron.....

I have so far resisted buying glasses, but I will soon give up I guess. Time to recognize time's passing! Damn.

[ManFromGlass]

you worked hard to earn them!

[CS70]

Why has nobody invented comfortable omnifocular binoculars with eye sensors that track eye movement?
Sounds simple to me . . . . . . . . . . .

They actually have..

[ManFromGlass]

I can’t imagine anything sexier than these for attracting a life partner!

On a slightly more serious note, I was throwing out old manuals from gear long gone last night and I come upon a manual for an LG monitor. It appears that there was included software for this monitor that allowed one to split the screen into 2 or 3 parts. I never knew this but for some this could be useful. It could deal with the bezel-in-the-middle issue.

[muzines]

It could deal with the bezel-in-the-middle issue.

The easiest approach for this is simply to surround the middle bezel in a Someone Else's Problem field.

Then it will just magically disappear from view.

[CS70]

OMG I discovered there are a 49" super ultra wide monitors.. the Samsung G9 for example.. and at 120cm it fits..

[ManFromGlass]

I had to think about that for a second. That’s big, That means You won’t need glasses!
What are you waiting for?

[CS70]

I had to think about that for a second. That’s big, That means You won’t need glasses!
What are you waiting for?

It's actually just as big as two 27" side by side as I have now... and 1440 resolution - I can pretend I still do not need glasses.

Nothing not to like!