When we are going to buy a monitor, the first thing we must take into account is what type of monitor we are looking for. If we want a monitor to play, it must have a high refresh rate. If we want it to work, the ultra-panoramic format is the best option. If the main use we are going to give it is to watch multimedia content, a monitor with 4K resolution is ideal. Yes, we do offer support for PiP and PbP, even better.
But what is PiP and PbP? PiP and PbP are additional functions that some monitors include that allow us to get more out of them, since they allow us display two images from different sources on the same screensuch as, for example, the image of two computers, the computer and a console, the computer and the TV signal.
In order to use PiP and PbP on a monitor, it must have two or more video inputs. This requirement is fundamental as it allows us to quickly rule out models that only have one video input, since it is not possible to display more than one image simultaneously if there is only one input source.
What is PiP
The acronym PiP means Picture in Picture, that is, picture within a picture. This functionality allows us to display a main screen and a secondary screen that is displayed in one of the four corners of the monitor at the user’s choice. This function is always managed from the monitor configuration options, not from the operating system we are using and, in addition to modifying the position on the screen, we can also choose between different sizes.
Depending on whether your monitor has this feature, the number of options for setting the on-screen position and size may vary. When we use the PiP function, the sound source is always the main screen and will be heard from the headphones or speakers of our PC. Some monitors, from the configuration options, also allow us to activate the sound of the secondary image, a sound that will be emitted through the monitor speakers without using the system’s default source.
This function is available on many televisions, as it allows us to work with the PC while we enjoy a series or television program or wait for it to start. We can also find it in PC monitors, although, in this type of device, the most common function is PbP.
What is PbP
The English acronym PbP stands for image by image. This functionality allows us to display two different video sources in split screen on the screen. Unlike the PiP function, where there is a main image and a secondary image, with PbP we have two image sources that are distributed equally on the screen as soon as the option is activated.
Some monitors, especially the most modern ones, allow us to configure the image size of each of the sources so that one occupies more than the other, dividing the screen into 3 thirds for two input sources. This functionality will be used mainly to view the image of two different computers on the same monitor. It is recommended that both computers use the same resolution since, otherwise, the monitor may not correctly interpret the information it receives and may not display the image correctly.
To configure this function, we must access the monitor configuration options, the same as to configure the PiP function. From this menu, we can also configure the screen proportion that shows each of the sources that we have connected to the device.
Which is better?
After knowing how both functions work, it is not about knowing which is the best option, but about knowing give it proper use, since both have completely different purposes. If we want to know if our monitor includes this function, we have two options: browse the configuration functions or access its specifications.
On the market we can find monitors that offer only the PiP function or the PbP function, both independently, although we can also find models that include support for both functions, although the number of models available on the market is very small. The manufacturer LC-Power Monitor Gaming offers us this monitor compatible with PiP and PbP.
