How to get to second screen.

[Rob_D]

For a little while now, we've been pushing extended display rather than duplicated. This is going over well with a lot of staff but causes some confusion some of the teachers, especially with regards to which way to go to get to the smartbaord.

 

In a lot of rooms there's no obvious way around to put the screens. One isn't clearly to the left or right of the other or the screens are facing each-other, so the orientation can only be "logical" for one of them.

 

So, does anyone know of any way of highlighting the "connecting" edge of extended display screens?

One idea was to do something with the desktop background, but not all the rooms have the same screen layout.

[6Foot2]

...One idea was to do something with the desktop background, but not all the rooms have the same screen layout.

Would a graduated tint across the wallpaper work?

[Jawloms]

Could you set them up above and below in all rooms?

[jthompson]

Put a physical label on the edge of the teacher's monitor, with arrows pointing across towards the second desktop. If you have a snazzy enough label printer that can print arrow symbols, it can be made to look professional enough.

[Andrew_C]

^^THIS^^ Low tech wins hands down.

[Rob_D]

And there's me overthinking the problem again.

 

The label idea sounds like the best way to go. Thanks!

 

If I was going to standardize then the the up/down config would be a good. (at the moment the teacher's can arrange the monitors themselves)

[Sylv3r]

We have labels on ours simply labelled "Teacher" this is where you would use ClassCharts / SIMS etc and "Student" basically whatever you want students to see via the projector goes on this screen.

[DrBeaker]

I literally labelled my dual-screen classroom setups with a dymo label as "Teacher Screen" and "Classroom Screen". Teacher for SIMs etc only they can see and Classroom is one - the whole class can see.

 

Both teachers have had no issues since I set it up for them.

 

The rest I'm getting resistance from for some reason - their loss.

[ajg]

We have dual monitors in all classrooms. Set them all up as teacher only screen on left and class screen on right regardless of layout of classroom so standard setup for all. Teachers handled this fine.

[DrBeaker]

We have dual monitors in all classrooms. Set them all up as teacher only screen on left and class screen on right regardless of layout of classroom so standard setup for all. Teachers handled this fine.

How have you setup your screens out of interest? I've reusued the VGA splitter for the projector/TV and Displayport to DVI on the monitor. Using the 2x onboard graphics connections on the HP baseunit. I only had to buy the Displayport-DVi cable which was about £5.

 

I'd ideally like 2x identical full HD screens but when I've projectors that only operate at 1024x768 it's a bit pointless.

[mikeprice]

I can see the point in having it all locked and having fixed low tech labels

 

I think maybe allowing the teacher to rearrange them themselves could cause problems for teacher (and other classroom staff) that move around from room to room - it would be a pain if you got assigned to a classroom and had to work out where the 'pupils' screen was - and them remember when an awkward class was being a pain

 

 

Unless, of course, I am the teacher and it is 'my' room - in which case I would always want to be able to do whatever I want when I want - but don't worry - I'm never doing that job again - Windows is so much more reasonable and sensible and controllable than kids!!!!

[ajg]

A bit if a mix to be honest depending on the graphics output of the PC's. Where we have installed interactive TV's I've used either a HDMI splitter or a USB to HDMI converter (to make a second HDMI output) to display to the second monitor and TV. Then just used either the VGA/DVI or displayport that was left on the PC for the teacher screen. Some rooms have dual HD monitors, some dual 17" and some one 17" and one HD...dependent on space, age of room setup etc.