Many people if asked what a computer system is, will reply that it consists of a mouse a keyboard, a monitor and a processor. These are the correct elements in a system, but of late there is another set up that is becoming more popular.

Increasingly more people are opting to use two processors, a monitor, a keyboard and video. This is done by using a KVM switch, which means keyboard-video-mouse. This is used by people who want greater computing power than one processor will provide. People in the graphic design world typically make use of this sort of setup, because they are using a great percentage of CPU and RAM power to be able to utilize heavy editing applications.

For other people, what is needed is not more computing power but instead, use of more desktop space. This is where the use is made of a dual screen setup. In this way you will have the use of two desktops using two different monitors. You will even be able to drag an item from monitor to monitor, so you can spread out the window between the two screens. You can also use one monitor screen as a static window or reference while you work on the other.

When you initially look at a dual screen setup, you may think that it is difficult to set up, but it not really that difficult. What you need to get started is a dual video card - such as a dual vga pci video card. You will not be able to use two separate single video cars for this purpose. That will result in in what is known as IRQ conflicts; these will prevent you from using the two screens together. Dual video cards, however, have specific software built in that makes both ports to work together.

In many dual-port cards, there is one DVI port and one VGA port. This is important because you maypossess two VGA monitors of two DVI monitors. If you are not able to get a dual video card with just VGA or DVI ports, you should be able to get the DVI-to-VGA type adapter and also the VGA-to-DVI type adapter.

You should install software to get the setup working and to resolve possible IRQ conflicts. Regardless of if you choose to install a PCI or the AGP video card, when you come to install the video card, be certain to remove the old card first; you must also disable any software that is concerned with the old monitor.