Dual Monitors w/ 2 video cards

wineandine · 06-23-2004, 07:54 AM

What a GREAT screen saver!
I hope someone can help me solve my problem. I cannot get version 2.01 to span cross dual monitors. What am I doing wrong? I have 2 video cards on my PC. One is an Nvidia RIVA TNT2 Model64 Pro and the other is an Intel 82845G/GL. I am running Windows XP. What appear on the screens are 2 separate aquariums. Can you please help?

TIA

ESHIREY · 06-23-2004, 08:17 AM

First let me welcome you to the forums . And second , I think that is how it will be with 2 cards . I could be wrong . If you want it to span between the two that the fish swim from one screen to the other like I do , I think you need a card that has the 2 video heads . Like I have a GeForce FX 5900XT and it looks great . I had a GeForce 4 ti 4200 and it too looked great .

Someone here will let you know if I'm right or not .

Again , Welcome .

Edgar · 06-23-2004, 10:48 AM

First of all make sure you have the most recent version of 2.01.

Second, the spanning of monitors is not supported in full screen mode, only clone mode.

You can trick the system to span monitors if you run it in window mode and drag the window to the size you want.

Note the following limitations to this trick.
1. The window size is limited by the primary video card.
2. It runs much slower once it overlaps the secondary monitors.
3. It won't run in screensaver mode, just manually clicked.
4. To fill all the monitors will require decreasing the default resolutions of all the desktops so the max window size can cover all the monitors.

wineandine · 06-23-2004, 12:45 PM

Eshirey, You mentioned the GeForce FX 5900XT, is this the recommended video card to support dual monitor? Is the XFX nVIDIA GEFORCE FX 5900XT the same card?

ESHIREY · 06-23-2004, 01:29 PM

Yes it's the same card . Damn I'm old and don't know what I'm writing . The first card I had that had span view was the GeForce4 ti 4200 . It streches the tank some but the fish do swim from screen to screen .

Edgar · 06-23-2004, 01:30 PM

Ed, you say it stretches some, have you tried adjusting the anamorphic factor to fix the aspect ratio?

ESHIREY · 06-23-2004, 01:38 PM

You know what , I didn't . What setting would you suggest ?

Tiny Turtle · 06-24-2004, 01:32 AM

Getting a FX5900XT to run the aquarium sounds like hunting mosquitoes with a bazooka. Certainly a $200 video card is not a requirement?

/Tiny Overkill

Jav400 · 06-24-2004, 04:12 AM

I have one and I like it.

drfish · 06-24-2004, 04:20 AM

~$50 will get you a new nVidia card with a VGA & DVI port...

Tiny Turtle · 06-24-2004, 05:16 AM

Originally posted by Jav400
I have one and I like it.

..yes but would you call it a requirement?

Jav400 · 06-24-2004, 05:39 AM

I don't remember it being said that it was. Just that he had one, his worked, and he liked it. You brought up the word requirement.

ESHIREY · 06-24-2004, 07:39 AM

Yes by all means , I never wanted him to think that you needed a card like mine to run it .

I just said what card I had before (the ti 4200) that ran the program so the fish would swim from screen to screen . I guess I should have said any card that has 2 connectors for monitors would work .

Marian Nichols · 06-24-2004, 07:52 AM

Question,
Since y'all are discussing video cards support for two monitors, my NVIDIA has a TV out that I do not used, is this where you would hook another monitor although it is a S-video hook up?
My card said it supports two monitors and if the S-video is just for TV out, then I take it I would need an adapter with dual connectors to hook two monitors at the one monitor hook up, is that correct?

ESHIREY · 06-24-2004, 08:00 AM

Sorry Hon , The s-video is for tv . For 2 monitors it will have either 2 connectors for ctr monitors or one for a ctr and one dvi . Most of the cards come with a connector so you can connect a ctr to the dvi . I think what they might mean is that the tv would be the second monitor .

Am I right people ?

Jav400 · 06-24-2004, 08:03 AM

except for the CTR part, I think you ment CRT.

ESHIREY · 06-24-2004, 08:07 AM

Damn .................

Your right .

Marian Nichols · 06-24-2004, 08:41 AM

Thanks, so if I ever should want to run two monitors I'll need a new card with the two hook ups, and not mind the TV out for a monitors.

I’ll think about, I just happen to have an extra 15 in. monitor and was considering it..

ESHIREY · 06-24-2004, 08:49 AM

Just to let you know . Once you go dual monitors , you'll never go back to one . At one time I had 3 monitors hooked up to my system . I had a 21' a 17' and a 15' . But now I just have two . I have two 21' Nokia's I have the one on my right for e-mail , MyVitalAgent , and SpeedFan 4.09 . The one on the left I use for the web .And when I'm on IM , I have message box's all over the place .

Jav400 · 06-24-2004, 09:10 AM

Ed is a busy guy, it takes 2 monitors to get everything done.

06-23-2004, 07:54 AM	#1
wineandine Registered Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3	Dual Monitors w/ 2 video cards What a GREAT screen saver! I hope someone can help me solve my problem. I cannot get version 2.01 to span cross dual monitors. What am I doing wrong? I have 2 video cards on my PC. One is an Nvidia RIVA TNT2 Model64 Pro and the other is an Intel 82845G/GL. I am running Windows XP. What appear on the screens are 2 separate aquariums. Can you please help? TIA

06-23-2004, 08:17 AM	#2
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	First let me welcome you to the forums . And second , I think that is how it will be with 2 cards . I could be wrong . If you want it to span between the two that the fish swim from one screen to the other like I do , I think you need a card that has the 2 video heads . Like I have a GeForce FX 5900XT and it looks great . I had a GeForce 4 ti 4200 and it too looked great . Someone here will let you know if I'm right or not . Again , Welcome . Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-23-2004, 10:48 AM	#3
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	First of all make sure you have the most recent version of 2.01. Second, the spanning of monitors is not supported in full screen mode, only clone mode. You can trick the system to span monitors if you run it in window mode and drag the window to the size you want. Note the following limitations to this trick. 1. The window size is limited by the primary video card. 2. It runs much slower once it overlaps the secondary monitors. 3. It won't run in screensaver mode, just manually clicked. 4. To fill all the monitors will require decreasing the default resolutions of all the desktops so the max window size can cover all the monitors. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

06-23-2004, 01:29 PM	#5
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	Yes it's the same card . Damn I'm old and don't know what I'm writing . The first card I had that had span view was the GeForce4 ti 4200 . It streches the tank some but the fish do swim from screen to screen . Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-23-2004, 01:30 PM	#6
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	Ed, you say it stretches some, have you tried adjusting the anamorphic factor to fix the aspect ratio? *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

06-23-2004, 12:45 PM	#4
wineandine Registered Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3	Eshirey, You mentioned the GeForce FX 5900XT, is this the recommended video card to support dual monitor? Is the XFX nVIDIA GEFORCE FX 5900XT the same card?

06-23-2004, 01:38 PM	#7
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	You know what , I didn't . What setting would you suggest ? Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-24-2004, 01:32 AM	#8
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Getting a FX5900XT to run the aquarium sounds like hunting mosquitoes with a bazooka. Certainly a $200 video card is not a requirement? /Tiny Overkill Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

06-24-2004, 04:12 AM	#9
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	I have one and I like it. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-24-2004, 04:20 AM	#10
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,374	~$50 will get you a new nVidia card with a VGA & DVI port... I don't watch commercials.

06-24-2004, 05:16 AM	#11
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Originally posted by Jav400 I have one and I like it. ..yes but would you call it a requirement?

06-24-2004, 05:39 AM	#12
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	I don't remember it being said that it was. Just that he had one, his worked, and he liked it. You brought up the word requirement. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-24-2004, 07:39 AM	#13
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	Yes by all means , I never wanted him to think that you needed a card like mine to run it . I just said what card I had before (the ti 4200) that ran the program so the fish would swim from screen to screen . I guess I should have said any card that has 2 connectors for monitors would work . Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-24-2004, 07:52 AM	#14
Marian Nichols ~Author~ Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Rocky Mount, NC Posts: 7,429	Question, Since y'all are discussing video cards support for two monitors, my NVIDIA has a TV out that I do not used, is this where you would hook another monitor although it is a S-video hook up? My card said it supports two monitors and if the S-video is just for TV out, then I take it I would need an adapter with dual connectors to hook two monitors at the one monitor hook up, is that correct?

06-24-2004, 08:00 AM	#15
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	Sorry Hon , The s-video is for tv . For 2 monitors it will have either 2 connectors for ctr monitors or one for a ctr and one dvi . Most of the cards come with a connector so you can connect a ctr to the dvi . I think what they might mean is that the tv would be the second monitor . Am I right people ? Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-24-2004, 08:03 AM	#16
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	except for the CTR part, I think you ment CRT. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-24-2004, 08:07 AM	#17
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	Damn ................. Your right . Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-24-2004, 08:41 AM	#18
Marian Nichols ~Author~ Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Rocky Mount, NC Posts: 7,429	Thanks, so if I ever should want to run two monitors I'll need a new card with the two hook ups, and not mind the TV out for a monitors. I’ll think about, I just happen to have an extra 15 in. monitor and was considering it..

06-24-2004, 08:49 AM	#19
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	Just to let you know . Once you go dual monitors , you'll never go back to one . At one time I had 3 monitors hooked up to my system . I had a 21' a 17' and a 15' . But now I just have two . I have two 21' Nokia's I have the one on my right for e-mail , MyVitalAgent , and SpeedFan 4.09 . The one on the left I use for the web .And when I'm on IM , I have message box's all over the place . Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-24-2004, 09:10 AM	#20
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Ed is a busy guy, it takes 2 monitors to get everything done. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection