Multiple monitors (4 projectors)

Smalldog · 09-21-2003, 10:56 PM

Ok, I am building a virtual aquarium with four Clarity Visual Systems (see www.clarityvisual.com) VN-3820-VA displays. It's the Leopard system. These only do 640x480 each, so with four of them, I will get 2560x480.

I'm driving this with an AppianX quad head PCI card which has 64 megabytes of RAM.

My question is this....

With multiple monitors, will I be able to have more fish on the screen than I would with a single monitor configuration? Is this something that the developers have taken into consideration?

I've got the potential to setup 3 of these systems as I have 12 displays. Of course all 3 would not be at my house...

I expect to have the first 2 of 4 projectors hooked up this week, and the last 2 by next weekend. I will post pictures detailing my progress..

Thanks,
Jeff Newbill
smalldog@newbill.com

Jim Sachs · 09-22-2003, 01:21 AM

Multiple monitors are not yet supported.

patscarr · 09-22-2003, 05:39 AM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs
Multiple monitors are not yet supported.

Really? I thought some people had this running on multiple monitors? Or is that just those Mac people?

Smalldog, here are a few other threads to read...

https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...tiple+monitors

https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...1564#post31564

https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...tiple+monitors

ESHIREY · 09-22-2003, 09:32 AM

I have the wide screen version on dual monitors but I'm using a GeForce4 ti 4200 and what that does is stretch it a little . Looks good to me but I'm not she if that's what you want .

Jim Sachs · 09-22-2003, 09:32 AM

If you'll notice, all those threads have a common theme - there's no dual monitor support.

Occasionally, a user will come up with a combination of hardware, drivers, and ingenuity which will (sort of) allow the aquarium to show up on multiple displays. This invariably invovles the picture being severely stretched, or some other visual problems.

The demo version in the MS Plus Pack is written in DX8, so it should work on multiple monitors (I've never actually tried it). I'm also writing the Freshwater version in DX8. Multimon support is actually a pretty big deal, because each monitor needs its own software rendering device, which takes a lot of initialization. They might have different resolutions, refresh rates, etc. Also, all the hundreds of commands to paint a 3D frame have to be sent separately to each device, then page flip commands sent so that all devices show the same picture at close to the same time.

And all that just to show the exact same picture on more than one monitor. Showing a different part of the tank on each one is much more complicated.

09-21-2003, 10:56 PM	#1
Smalldog Registered Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1	Multiple monitors (4 projectors) Ok, I am building a virtual aquarium with four Clarity Visual Systems (see www.clarityvisual.com) VN-3820-VA displays. It's the Leopard system. These only do 640x480 each, so with four of them, I will get 2560x480. I'm driving this with an AppianX quad head PCI card which has 64 megabytes of RAM. My question is this.... With multiple monitors, will I be able to have more fish on the screen than I would with a single monitor configuration? Is this something that the developers have taken into consideration? I've got the potential to setup 3 of these systems as I have 12 displays. Of course all 3 would not be at my house... I expect to have the first 2 of 4 projectors hooked up this week, and the last 2 by next weekend. I will post pictures detailing my progress.. Thanks, Jeff Newbill smalldog@newbill.com

09-22-2003, 01:21 AM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,775	Multiple monitors are not yet supported. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

09-22-2003, 05:39 AM	#3
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,455	Originally posted by Jim Sachs Multiple monitors are not yet supported. Really? I thought some people had this running on multiple monitors? Or is that just those Mac people? Smalldog, here are a few other threads to read... https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...tiple+monitors https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...1564#post31564 https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...tiple+monitors Patrick

09-22-2003, 09:32 AM	#4
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	I have the wide screen version on dual monitors but I'm using a GeForce4 ti 4200 and what that does is stretch it a little . Looks good to me but I'm not she if that's what you want . Thank you for taking the time to read this.

09-22-2003, 09:32 AM	#5
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,775	If you'll notice, all those threads have a common theme - there's no dual monitor support. Occasionally, a user will come up with a combination of hardware, drivers, and ingenuity which will (sort of) allow the aquarium to show up on multiple displays. This invariably invovles the picture being severely stretched, or some other visual problems. The demo version in the MS Plus Pack is written in DX8, so it should work on multiple monitors (I've never actually tried it). I'm also writing the Freshwater version in DX8. Multimon support is actually a pretty big deal, because each monitor needs its own software rendering device, which takes a lot of initialization. They might have different resolutions, refresh rates, etc. Also, all the hundreds of commands to paint a 3D frame have to be sent separately to each device, then page flip commands sent so that all devices show the same picture at close to the same time. And all that just to show the exact same picture on more than one monitor. Showing a different part of the tank on each one is much more complicated. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium