pictures & video clips seem to be a lot darker on my home monitor, than my work one, to the point that some images are not clear at all, and the brightness is turned fully up on my monitor. Is there any way of adjusting the brightness of the image leaving my PC?

 

try powerstrip. it enables me to brighten the monitor and resolve that kinda stuff.

 

Excuse the ignorance, but what's powerstrip?

 

its a program that can be downloaded . http://entechtaiwan.net/util/ps.shtm

that should help. my moniror also has brightness probs especailly for games so i use this and its great.