Xzin
06-09-2007, 03:37 AM
I gave my physical monitor setup quite a bit of thought. I have seen several different methods of control - ranging from a central monitor and several larger ones flanking it to five and the upper corner being used for extra browsing and the like. The most popular options tend to be a central monitor and several flanking on either side, with the central monitor the same size as the rest or sometimes larger.
Other people have spread their monitors out, but I don't suggest this as it makes monitoring and moving from box to box almost too slow to be practicable.
To take a look at some of the monitor options out there, take a look at my favorite rip off company - Digital Tigers. They will sell you the monitors and the Ergotron DS 100 Mounts for a 200% markup. Thanks guys, I guess. Just buy your own monitors and mounts - you still have to put it together anyway.
This would be a perfectly viable 5 box setup:
http://digitaltigers.com/images/zv-commandcenterelite-theme_650x388.jpg
I would not suggest this type of setup - you want your resolutions to be the same - keeps the mice in sync.
http://digitaltigers.com/images/zv-arena-ultrahd_340x228.jpg
As inspiring as this display is, I would not suggest it for multiboxing.
http://digitaltigers.com/images/zv-powerscape21s_theme700x249.jpg
You want to be able to see each screen in your peripheral vision. This helps when one character gets sapped, polyed etc. When you spread out too far - you lose the ability to "see" everything at once. This is a considerable downside in PvP and hurts in PvE as well.
For those who are dual boxing or triple boxing - simply stick a monitor side by side. When you hit 4 boxes at the same time, you might want to consider the Ergotron Quad 2x2 system with 15, 17 or 19" LCDs. If you decide to upgrade, you can sell one of the dual arms on eBay and buy a triple arm upgrade kit - and simply use your existing LCD mounts for the lower level.
http://www.ergotron.com/Portals/0/images/products/ds/33-096-200_sm.jpg
Ergotron Quad 2x2
You CAN use CRTs but I highly suggest against it. For one, it seems like a bad idea to be staring at cathode ray tubes, hurling electrons at your face. Secondly, they weigh a ton - makes them hard to mount. Lastly they use a ton of power. You will already be using a ton of power - best to stick with LCDs. They can be had on the cheap now a days.
In my opinion, Ellay's setup (and mine and several others) is the best way to 5 box. 6 monitors, 3 on each level. The lower middle is your main, the far left and right are your boxes and your middle top is for the internet / vent / email / etc. This allows you to monitor every screen at once and keeps the information density as high as possible. This will require some kind of mounting option unless you use Ellay's ghetto "stack monitors on boxes" method :). Please see my http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=410 Wiki/FAQ for more tips on how to do this. Ignore his Nostromo N52 hand controllers - I have no idea why he used/uses them. They don't work in a 5 boxing setup.
http://www.dual-boxing.com/Images/Ellay6box.jpg
Ellay's Setup
Other people have spread their monitors out, but I don't suggest this as it makes monitoring and moving from box to box almost too slow to be practicable.
To take a look at some of the monitor options out there, take a look at my favorite rip off company - Digital Tigers. They will sell you the monitors and the Ergotron DS 100 Mounts for a 200% markup. Thanks guys, I guess. Just buy your own monitors and mounts - you still have to put it together anyway.
This would be a perfectly viable 5 box setup:
http://digitaltigers.com/images/zv-commandcenterelite-theme_650x388.jpg
I would not suggest this type of setup - you want your resolutions to be the same - keeps the mice in sync.
http://digitaltigers.com/images/zv-arena-ultrahd_340x228.jpg
As inspiring as this display is, I would not suggest it for multiboxing.
http://digitaltigers.com/images/zv-powerscape21s_theme700x249.jpg
You want to be able to see each screen in your peripheral vision. This helps when one character gets sapped, polyed etc. When you spread out too far - you lose the ability to "see" everything at once. This is a considerable downside in PvP and hurts in PvE as well.
For those who are dual boxing or triple boxing - simply stick a monitor side by side. When you hit 4 boxes at the same time, you might want to consider the Ergotron Quad 2x2 system with 15, 17 or 19" LCDs. If you decide to upgrade, you can sell one of the dual arms on eBay and buy a triple arm upgrade kit - and simply use your existing LCD mounts for the lower level.
http://www.ergotron.com/Portals/0/images/products/ds/33-096-200_sm.jpg
Ergotron Quad 2x2
You CAN use CRTs but I highly suggest against it. For one, it seems like a bad idea to be staring at cathode ray tubes, hurling electrons at your face. Secondly, they weigh a ton - makes them hard to mount. Lastly they use a ton of power. You will already be using a ton of power - best to stick with LCDs. They can be had on the cheap now a days.
In my opinion, Ellay's setup (and mine and several others) is the best way to 5 box. 6 monitors, 3 on each level. The lower middle is your main, the far left and right are your boxes and your middle top is for the internet / vent / email / etc. This allows you to monitor every screen at once and keeps the information density as high as possible. This will require some kind of mounting option unless you use Ellay's ghetto "stack monitors on boxes" method :). Please see my http://www.dual-boxing.com/forums2/viewtopic.php?t=410 Wiki/FAQ for more tips on how to do this. Ignore his Nostromo N52 hand controllers - I have no idea why he used/uses them. They don't work in a 5 boxing setup.
http://www.dual-boxing.com/Images/Ellay6box.jpg
Ellay's Setup