One for All ... Is it possible ??

[tomkit66]

Hi all, since I´ve read so many interesting threads here I hope you can help me as well!

I currently use one PC with two 19" TFT Monitors, 1 Laptop with 15.4" WideScreen, and one very old 13.3" Laptop. The PC certainly runs great (Intel HT 580, 2 GB Ram) but it´s bulky, hot and loud. The new 15.4" Widescreen laptop is fast, has a fantastic screen but gets hot, fan is loud and it´s pretty heavy and battery last only 2 hours. The old 13.3" Laptop is just too old to handle XPPro and even with a brand new battery I get only 2.5 hours.

What I do with my machines: Emails, Word, Excel aka office stuff, some minor webdesign and Photoshop things and trading the futures and forex markets 5+ hours a day - therefor I need the two 19" screens.

My dream: ONE SINGLE laptop which battery(s) give me 5+ hours, very light for travelling and easy to handle when writing emails in bed, AND the ability to handle 2 external monitors.

Is all this possible? I am really sick about d/l drivers and updates for 3 machines, synchronize Outlook and all my data, missing everyday a certain data set or email because of sync problems etc.

I heard about dockingstations which can handle PCI cards - what about a Matrox Dualhead ... I heard about lappys which last 8+ hours using an extended battery plus a battery for a multibay plus one for the dockingstation... I heard about laptops way below 5 lbs ... but I have not found the one which fits all.

I do not play games and the screen size of the laptop wouldn´t be much important if I can feed 2 external monitors. It must be solid even I will go after a 3 year all inclusive warranty since the machine will be used every day for many hours.

Thanks for any advise
Tom

[RonS]

Right now, I'm using a Thinkpad T42 with a Dock II, and two external monitors (both 24" 1920x1200). And I still have one unused external monitor connection available.

There are MANY cards out there that will run on the dock and give you two additional external monitors. Search NewEgg.com for video cards with a PCI interface.

It's possible to extend the Thinkpad to use more additonal monitors with PCMCIA and USB video adapters, or with network-based video extenders. The network solution would allow you extend your desktop to the screen of your old laptop - see www.maxivista.com

The Dock is a perfect solution. The only problem I've had with it is the noise - the fan was pretty loud. I opened it up and disconnected the fan with no problems. I just reached over and put my hand on it -- it's barely warm.

[tomkit66]

Thanks for the reply! Wow, two 24" monitors make a huge desktop

What kind of graphic card and monitors did you buy? Does the T42 uses his own screen as an unique one, so you actually have 3?

Is the T42 able to work directly with one of the 1920x1200 as well? I have only seen a T43 and there was no native 1920x1200 resolution available. The settings jumped from 1600x1200 to something above 2000.

I was only able to look at a T43 with a 15" screen. For my feeling it was unexpected "heavy" and kind of bulky. They told me that the same model with a 14" screen is noticable smaller and lighter. True?

Thanks
Tom