1y ago

Ultrawide monitor users, convince me to become one of you by answering these 3 simple questions.

Q1: What is the model/type of your monitor and would you recommend it?

Q2: Does your monitor support native PIP/PBP (and convenient on the fly switching) without software?

Q3: Does The PIP/PBP function of your monitor require 2 sources? Can this be the same source?

Q+: For the advanced users, can i control PIP/PBP with tools like these? linux tool / Windows tool

Context: I have been a dual monitor enthusiast ever since i found an old unused CRT monitor on my parents attic. This has since been a core part of how i use computers. Currently i am rocking a standard 1440p main monitor and a vertical (16:10 FTW) 1050p one. My reliance on needing more screen space then my peers goes as far as my job having to purchase me an extra monitor as part of my disability package.

I have seen ultra wide monitors IRL and i absolutely love them, but for a matter of fact buying one means no more space for any others. That's why i am so interested on the PIP feature but stores rarely ever mention them.

I know that for 90% i wont even need to use that feature, but if i play a video full-screen, or a game (some really do not like windowed mode) and i cant use my virtual buttons/display features/something completely different on the side i am gonna regret my decision big time.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

9 comments

I've been using a pair of 24" monitors for work for many years now. Why did you have to make me covet a 49" ultra-wide?

A1: LG HDR WQHD A2: Yes A3: it uses two sources, not sure what you mean by 1 source unless you mean 1 source has two separate hdmi cables and if that’s the case then yes. The only other way is to use something like xrandr for linux
Love the ultra wide and would probably go for a newer variant. The only thing I don’t like is using kvm switches with these monitors because the systems go to sleep and the monitor turns off. This means that I’m always fussing about trying to wake the computer/kvm with multiple key presses until it wakes up. Not unique to ultra wide but more noticeable when using these screens usually mean you want more than one source.
- I am pretty new to linux so i didnt know about xrandr. I've spend the last hour trying to get this to work just to split my 1440 monitor in 2 parts as a test. If i can get that to work than it would solve all my worries in an instant because i could just write a script to have it however i want with no extra cables attached. I haven't gotten it to work though and even Gpt-4 admits xrandr can be rather finicky. Thanks for the tip though, i am not done trying.

A1: Philips 43" 439P9H/00. Probably not recommended, as there are better models out there since it was produced. It's great as a working station, and with proper tools (Power Toys for Windows), it smoothly becomes a display with multiple sections. That doesn't make it compatible with full screen modes, but only for windowed programs.
A2: I don't think it supports PIP/PBP, but I have never looked into it.
A3: N/A

A1: I have a 49" Samsung Odyssey G9
A2: PBP, yes, but I wouldn't say it's convenient to switch -- it's multiple menus deep
A3: I'm not sure I understand you here -- you mean you want the same image on both sides of the PBP? Natively, no, that's not supported, it requires different cable inputs for each side. Since I don't see how you could get that behavior with 2 monitors without some external support, you could just use whatever you're using for two monitors and plug it in twice to the single monitor. If that's not the behavior you're looking for, LMK.
A+: AFAICT, there's no software control support for it.
- What i am hoping to do is to split the ultra-wide so they act as a 2 separate independent dual monitors that are connected to the same PC. As far as my own research concluded PIP/BPB are designed to use them with 2 sources, a cable each. i theorize that i can probably just plug both cables in my GPU and that will probably work but its probably not intended to be used that way and "not supported" if i run into any weird trouble.
  
  I am not sure if I understand you correctly, but you might want to look into tiling window managers.

9 comments