Quick Question

[Gary (Not Logged in)]

Is it possible to use 2 monitors with your computer, but both displaying something different, i know u will prob need software bvut, is it possible for excample,

1 Monitor being used for ringning up sales, and the other as a customer display?

[Dan]

Hi Gary,

Yes - it is possible. With my laptop and windows XP, i can extend the desktop across 2 monitors. I tend to use this to have messenger conversations on one monitor and do work on the other

I dont think there is a way to have a customer display on a monitor using the current pos software - but it would probably be a simple adaptation of the pole display script.

Another idea though - you could always ave two screens showing the sales scren - one for you and one for the customer? Is there really anything that you dont want them to see on there? You just need to be able to turn that monitor off if doing something confidential, like wage payouts or stock receiving.

A script that shows the pole display in a window that could then be dragged into the extended desktop would be useful though!! Anyone got one?

[gary (not logged in)]

Can u explain how to use the two monitrs please?

[FormicaFun]

There was once a script that would turn a second moniter into a customer display....and worked farily well. However if memory serves, it fell out of popularity, and fell behind the desk. I'm sure the link is still somewhere in the forum, but I wish you the best of luck to find it....and that the file is still available.

As far as how to get a second moniter onto your system, it's easy....you just need another video card. Not too expensive, considering you'll just need a basic, no frills card....heck you can even pick up a used one for next to nothing if you happen to know of a "Mom-n-Pop" computer shop in your city...and I hope you do. Not only do you tend to get customer service that usually beats anything the 'Brand' name computer makers offer, but you usually get a better bargin...and a system built for what you need, not what they think you need. However, like anything...buyer beware...if in doubt, call your local BBB office and see what they have to say about the company before investing too much money with them.

Back to my point, once you install the second video card, hook up your other moniter to it....few setting changes in windows....and second moniter is up and running, and you've doubled your desktop. What does this mean? Well....other than possibly taking multi-tasking to an extreeme, you can have the other moniter turned around and running something along the lines of the previously mentioned script to make the customer happy.

Happen to own a laptop? Well, you're in luck...you don't need another card, the video port is already on the back of your machine....well, atleast there should be one. It may take a little fiddling with your settings to change from a carbon copy of what's on your laptop moniter, to acting like a second moniter....but thankfully Windows is getting easier to understand for us non-computer savy folk.

Own a desktop, and want to take the route of displaying exactly what's on your screen for the customer to see as well? After all....what is there that you wouldn't want them to see on that screen anyway? You can actually purchase a "splitter" for your video feed.....where you plug it into your video port on the back of your machine, and it will divide this into two feeds for two moniters.....just like they make for plugging two phones into one phone jack, only for computers. Visit the forementioned "mom-n-pop" shop, and they'll show you what I'm talking about.

Either way, good luck.

-ryan

PS It's not that I have anything against the big computer/retail chains, or the big computer companies....but when given the option of supporting a local buisness, and keeping the money I spend from filling the wallet of some Wahoo-CEO across the country hell bent on driving the "little guy" out of buisness...I can't help but support my neighbors. Yeah, I know....the Wahoo can sell it to me cheaper, faster, in a store full of bells and whistles, and while I'm there I can pick up my groceries, dry cleaning, that new socket set I need, shop for the computer, all while waiting on them to change my oil. But what's $1 here or there? When did running errands become so much of a hassle, that we have to cram as much into one store as possible? True a penny saved, is a penny earned...but if we all worry so much about what we save now, we might not have many if any options where we spend our money in the future. Yeah, they might have cheap groceries....but Aldi has them cheaper, and their cashiers are actually friendly.