Monitor Trouble....

I recently upgraded my desktop and added a second monitor, but I have now run into all sorts of problems getting the color right and desperately need some help...

- The old desktop had a Viewsonic VX2235 monitor which I had calibrated with a SpyderPRO and was working fine, then when I bought the new desktop I added a second Viewsonic - a VA2413, which I wanted to use as the "master" to display the image while I made the Lightroon/Photoshop adjustments on the original VX2235

- I have realized that getting two monitors is quite difficult without adding a second graphics card, but understand their may be a way round this with XP (which I am using) with a Microsoft utility that creates individual look up tables.

- My specific problem is that I can't get even reasonable color on either monitor consistently. I have tried resetting the main monitor (VX2235) to it's default settings and then calibrating with the SpyderPRO but end up with a horrible green color cast, so I just set the display to use the XP default sRGB profile - but that gives a red color cast...

- I am considering buying a Colormunki, more out of desperation....as I can't understand why the SpyderPRO does not work anymore!

I am basically chasing my tail right now and my beer consumption seems to be increasing exponentially...

Don

I'm not sure buying another calibrating tool will fix the problem. Is the problem corrected when you go back to the original single monitor?

I don't have a solution, but despite all the hype about calibration I'm a little sceptical that two different brands or models of monitor can always be made to look the same. I have been unable to do this with my Apple 23" and Eizo. If calibration is everything it's hyped to be, then the tool should demand the same colors no matter which monitor it comes from and set the monitors accordingly to display them. Only if it is out of a monitor's gamut should there be a difference the way I understand it, but it does not seem to work that way.

Its always best to have a twin port graphics card and the same LCD's screens.

I run two 2 x twin port pci express cards and even with the same screens the cards put out different looks.

Its easy to match the screens when on the same card though.

PCI-GPU graphics cards are cheap as, but Im on a PC.

I can run 4 screens here but only 3 right now as I have no room on the desk.

Thanks for the replies.... I am glad to report that I solved the immediate problem last night - but it was close as I was down to my last couple of beers!

I had somehow changed the graphics card settings and had the "digital vibrance" @ 100%, so it was completely screwing up everything else I tried. I am still only using one monitor, but at least I have decent & repeatable color rendition on it as opposed to the horrible color casts I was experiencing.

I am thinking that I need to get a second graphics card, but the one I have is quite expensive and I think it's more suited to gaming rather than photography.

Wagsy, do you have the details of the PCI-GPU cards please?

Don