Jackie Matthews Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 I've just attached an external monitor to my laptop to alleviate problems associated with editing on a laptop. I have two questions: how do I get the optimal size and screen resolution from the monitor? I can either have it so that it's the whole size but poor resolution or if I want full resolution I need to have it displaying in the centre of the screen but then it's only covering about 75% of the screen second, the monitor needs calibrating. I'm assuming if I run the programme and put the calibrator on the external monitor that will work? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha LaRue Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Can we see a screenshot of what you're talking about? Just want to make sure we are on the same page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 1 hour ago, Samantha LaRue said: Can we see a screenshot of what you're talking about? Just want to make sure we are on the same page. I've plugged the monitor into the laptop. There are lots of settings to choose from but I have currently chosen to clone the screens (so they both show exactly the same thing). The laptop display is as it always has been with the correct resolution and pictures etc fill the screen. But with the monitor, as you can see, the screen is not full of the picture but as it is at the moment it at least has a correct resolution for it's size. If I change the settings to have the monitor screen full with the picture the resolution is poor and I can see no way to change that. Does my laptop need to upscale it somehow? It's a very old monitor (although I have just seen that it has a wide gamut - which I'm wondering - is that going to give me issues as my laptop isn't wide gamut?). There is no way on this screen to connect using hdmi, its the older type (sorry, don't know what it's called but it has lots of pins in). I have managed to calibrate the screen, albeit it looks totally different from my laptop. If I could connect using hdmi would that make a difference? It's not too much of an issue as the screen works fine other than that, I'd just like to use the whole of it if I can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha LaRue Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 Ah, don't clone. You want the "extend" option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 1 hour ago, Samantha LaRue said: Ah, don't clone. You want the "extend" option. Samantha, you're a star. Worked through the other options and I'm now full resolution on the monitor. Just awaiting confirmation from Damien on the image I processed from it earlier and I'll be up and running. Thank you 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha LaRue Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 As for calibrating, do both screens match your prints? Or is one a closer match than the other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 OK, I've just had a chance to compare my prints to the monitor although would this be a fair test as the photos were edited on my laptop and I can't be sure that the screen was at the correct angle at the time? Would I be best to get some more prints done using the monitor to test it's accuracy or are the prints I already have of any use for checking this? I've got a batch of photos I want to get printed shortly but obviously if the calibration was wrong I'd need to check it first. In answer to your question, I extended the screen as you suggested and my laptop screen is blank, all the info is on the monitor which is fine, I don't need to see the laptop screen but when I unplug the monitor the laptop screen is very blue. If I correct that by recalibrating when I plug the monitor back in that is showing as very red. I don't need them to both be right at the same time as long as the monitor is correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 41 minutes ago, Jackie Matthews said: OK, I've just had a chance to compare my prints to the monitor although would this be a fair test as the photos were edited on my laptop and I can't be sure that the screen was at the correct angle at the time? It doesn't matter. Prints are prints, no matter how they were edited. 42 minutes ago, Jackie Matthews said: but when I unplug the monitor the laptop screen is very blue. If I correct that by recalibrating when I plug the monitor back in that is showing as very red. I don't need them to both be right at the same time as long as the monitor is correct Gosh, this is unusual. Most modern laptops can handle dual profiles ok. Which Spyder do you have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 spyder 4 express and I cover the screens with a thick cover before calibrating to ensure no light leakage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha LaRue Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Ah, the Express doesn't calibrate multiple screens in a single set up. It can only do one per computer. I also don't understand why your laptop screen is now blank when you have it stretched? Do you just mean all the icons are on one screen and you have to drag windows over to the laptop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 No worries on the calibration. I may invest in another one at some point if you have a recommendation? Yesterday my laptop was totally blank and the monitor was working ok. Today however the laptop is on with the same desktop picture as the monitor but I only have icons on the monitor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Which one is designated as Monitor 1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 the monitor is number 1, the laptop is 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Have you tried switching those around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 I switched them round and I had a low resolution display on the monitor but it was the same colour as the laptop was showing. I'm using photoshop on the monitor and I can drag some of the options to the laptop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Oh gee, I'm getting more confused. What do you mean by "low resolution display on the monitor"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 OK. My laptop is 15", my monitor is 19". By low resolution on the monitor I guess that it takes the resolution of the laptop and uses that until the monitor resolution has been set correctly. It's OK, I've sorted that. So as it stands at the moment when I use my laptop on it's own, all is good. When I plug the monitor into it to edit something the monitor is at the correct resolution and colour but the laptop shows an incorrect colour calibration. (monitor is 1, laptop is 2). I think that this is as good as I can get without purchasing another calibrator to get a dual profile so I think that your help has solved my problem as far as it can go at the moment thank you. I have just seen though that Firefox can only work on the primary screen (1?) correctly so I'll bear that in mind. Thanks for your input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Symonds Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Yeah, I'd say you're limited by your calibrator at this stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie Matthews Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 Seems like it but I'm not overly concerned but thanks again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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