Graphics Dual Monitor Gaming

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by buglish, 10 Aug 2002.

  1. buglish

    buglish What's a Dremel?

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    I have finally stuck a pci gfx card in and have now got dual monitors. Is it possible to play a game, such as cs on the primary display, then on the other speak on msn/mirc or wotever?

    cuz i tried, yet it just minimised the cs game, :(

    wondering if theres a program out there or sommet
     
  2. yodasarmpit

    yodasarmpit Modder

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    I think your out of luck there m8y.

    Ive got a similar setup and have the same prob , you have to exit or pause the game to use irc/email/chat client or any other app on the second screen.

    When playing online I have Yahoo messenger open on the other screen so I can see who is buzzing me , then I can decide if it is worth leaving the game to answer or not.

    Anyone know how to setup Statbar to run on the second monitor rather than the first ?
     
  3. RTT

    RTT #parp

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    HL doesn't support 2 monitors
     
  4. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    yea cos its so Olllllllllllllllllllllllld :p:p

    Quake does: http://www.planetquake.com/mhg/#q3
     
  5. Cruelinios

    Cruelinios EvE Addict

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    what games that are out there support two monitors apart from M$ Flight Sim?
     
  6. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    hello brick wall, how are you today :lol:

    quake 3 and all the subsidary games like Jk2/RTCW/MOHAA/SOF2 etc

    id imagine UT2003 and prolly the last UT does too.
     
  7. Lord_A

    Lord_A Boom baby!

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    Quake 1 = best game of all time IMHO
     
  8. buglish

    buglish What's a Dremel?

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    sorry, 4got to reply, :D, thanx 4 the info every1. how do u actually enable a game to run over both (or more) monitors ?
     
  9. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    depends what game.. you might have to set it in your display properties (extend desktop across monitors) and/or set it in game too.
     
  10. buglish

    buglish What's a Dremel?

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    i still cant find it :grr: extend desktop it checked, if i uncheck it it just disconnects the 2nd monitor

    edit: cud it be the 2nd graphics card cuz its just a cheapen
     
    Last edited: 1 Mar 2012
  11. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    what gfx cards exactly are u running??
     
  12. buglish

    buglish What's a Dremel?

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    a radeon 8500le 64meg and a matrox one, im new at dual screens so i dunno much about it
     
  13. Guest-16

    Guest-16 Guest

    take out the matrox one, plug in your 2nd monitor into the DVI-VGA adapter on the 8500 cause the matrox cant do what the 8500 can 3d gfx wise.
     
  14. Jamie

    Jamie ex-Bit-Tech code junkie

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    2 rite ...

    I have IRC open on my second monitor so while playing games I can see if something important comes up ;)
     
  15. buglish

    buglish What's a Dremel?

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    cheers, i have ordered a dvi-vga converter but its coming from america so it'll be a while :( dunno y i didnt get one with the card

    i have that atm too, but i dunno if its the res, the card or the size of the monitor that dus it but whenever i enter a game, mirc or nething open halves in size (vertically)
     
  16. Jackel

    Jackel Supermodder & sig shrinking victim

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    Last edited: 6 Jun 2004
  17. buglish

    buglish What's a Dremel?

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    it will most probably be the matrox card cuz its so old, i'll buy a better one in the future and say how i got on, cheers:)
     
  18. Jackel

    Jackel Supermodder & sig shrinking victim

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    Last edited: 6 Jun 2004
  19. Asphix

    Asphix What's a Dremel?

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    ermm.. you cant get the start bar on the second monitor by configuring a dual display system in that way. The BEST way to configure a dual display system.. and the most professional way (the way its done in the industry) is to purchase a card with either dual-head support or triple-head support.

    For example.. matrox's new card has triple-head support. You can connect 3 monitors to the ONE card.. Thats how you get 3 monitor gaming.. its all run off the one scree.. so in reality its just outputting to a resolution of say 3024x1028 or something like that.

    Here at work we have a Matrox 2d card and it has dual head support. I run the desktop across 2x21 inch monitors and run at a resolution close to 3024x1028 so i guess with three monitors it would be closer to 5924x1028 or something liek that. So all you need to do is make sure the software can support a resolution that large. The geforce 4's have dual head support through the nView function in the drivers.

    Now if what you want is just to run applications int he background on one monitor while your gaming on the other monitor, you can do that too without pausing or exiting the game. Just hit the "alt" button and press the "tab" button at the same time and you can switch between applications. Another way to do it is to hit your "windows" shortcut key on your keyboard (down by the "alt" key) and it will pop up your start menu.. from there you are out of the game window and you can go do what you want. If you are running an older game that simply does not let you do this what-so-ever then run the game windowed! right click on your shortcut, and in the "target" line add "-windowed XXXX x XXXX" where the XXXX are the resolution you want the window to be (usually the desktop size that your gaming monitor is running at).


    Well, hope this helped anyone.

    L8r
    Asphix
     
  20. Jackel

    Jackel Supermodder & sig shrinking victim

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    Last edited: 6 Jun 2004
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