New Feature: Dual Monitors as One Aquarium
 

I was testing out the trial version of SereneScreen when I contacted tech support about running on dual monitors. They showed me where on the 2nd monitor it was set to black (doh!).

I then asked them how do I make it where it uses both of my monitors as one aquarium? They hinted for me to join the mailing list and request it as a future possibility.

So I'm asking, how's about if you have multiple monitors you can stretch (not widescreen mind you) but make it where the fish will travel from one monitor to the other?

So you're ok with the background repeating on the 2 screens (there isn't a 'dual width' background available), but you want one set of 10 fish to go between the screens?

Some video cards with multiple output already supports the spanning of any screensaver. Note that MA has a limit of 1600 wide and 1600 tall. Also there will be black borders if you keep the aspect ratio correct.

Do you have a single video card with multiple output?

Well the background would/could not repeat actually. It would be a different 'background' for a much wider viewing area. Like say, coral on one side and caves on another. Think like that.

As for my monitor setup, it's one card, two Dell 1901FP monitors. I'm already setup in spanning mode (where I can go from one monitor to the other). But if at 1600 x 1600 we could do say 1600 wide to whatever it would be tall (mathmatically) we'd be set! Course, that would be feldon30's point of the same background or a 'stretched' background.

I have my computer set to extend my desktop onto the second monitor and then if I change the monitor from 1 to 2 in the screensaver program it still shows on the first moinior.

Your way of showing on the second monitor relies on clone mode yes??

When you have clone they show the same thing when you have extneded desktop it should make one big one. I think that is what they mean.

Where do you get the caves?

The caves was just an example of something else that could be physically on the other screen. I don't think there is a 'cave' feature programmed.

All I was simply saying is it would be rather cool if I could utilize both monitors, not just at the same time in a mirror looking format. Have some elements on screen 1 and other elements on screen 2 and have the fish go litterally between the monitors.

The existing background is a 2-dimensional image which took me just under a year to complete. I don't plan to do any more work on that version. The 3.0 version of the Aquarium will have a 3-dimensional background which is about as wide as two widescreen images. The user can either span this across two monitors, or pan the view on a single monitor.

My Fish are Sideways
 

I'm sure there is a lot of work involved in drawing backgrounds. But, mirroring is not a good method to support dual monitors. Many dual monitor users run mixed resolutions on each monitor. Mine is not an uncommon setup. As pivoting flat panel displays become more common, you will have to take dual monitor support to the next level. I bought the 2.6 upgrade to support your work. I hope you correct this defect in the future.
Andy


http://www.pbase.com/android/image/57060117.jpg

With the wide 3D background in 3.0, whatever slice of the tank fits into your aspect ratio would show up on the monitor. Not sure how I would be able to tell if someone has rotated the monitor 90 degrees, though.

You'd be able to tell as the pivot-function capable monitor itsef tells the system it's running rotated and at 1024x1280 now. IIUC the "mirroring" function negates this feature.

I don't see how you'd be able to handle such a dual setup though. Is andr0id expecting the SS to figure out how much the top part of the rightmost screen is situated above the top of the left one? You'd be required to have additional background gravel just for these situations.

Well, if Edgar is still involved in the project at that point, he is welcome to program all that Windows stuff. Figuring out what weird setups a few people might be running doesn't sound like fun to me.

That's a defect! ??? :erm:

Rotation settings could take care of that, (and retain the proportions). - Or you could turn the monitor back to horizontal! :)

Incidentally that looks like a 4x3 (not a 5x4 1280x1024).

/Tiny difference! ;)

Jim,

If 3.0 will span across two monitors, big ups to you and your skills!! I can't wait!

I'm doing my homework to read up on this thread as I brought up the issue of multi-monitors on another thread.

I'm afraid with my three monitors at 1600x1200 I'll be one of those of odd settings that Jim has better things than to think about.

Sigh, this is a vanity thing anyway and I'm not sure that it is worth huge effort. I'd love it when folks walked into my office that I had a realistic set of three monitors running the aquarium. I'd be happy if I could simply launch MA as an app three times.

I do appreciate the great product though.

I don't think it's beyond the realm of expectations that different instances (at least of the fish) could be seen on each monitor. Now there's something that Prolific could upsell.

Well I understand your environment virtualcharlie, but 2 monitors aren't that uncommon now a days with major video cards supporting VGA, DVI and s-video. Having a fish swim between the two monitors doesn't sound all that unrealistic to ask IMHO. But that decision is up to Jim.

I now run dual monitor using a Matrox Parhelia video card. 2048x768. in windowed mode stretched to fill two of three screens. Is nice because you can still work on one screen. However, 2.6 would not do this. The wide original version does and 2.0 does.

dual monitor setup
 

Hi,

After reading some of the responses. It appears that some people don't realize that when using dual monitor that they need to go the the video properties setup by right click on the desktop and then settings, advanced. Then find you video set for multi monitors and set to extend window desktop to both monitor so it doesn't just clone the first monitor.

Then in Aquarium 2.o multi-monitor version you should set to windowed mode (F) and be able to stretch the Aquarium over the entire desktop. ( doesn't work in 2.6)

What is the estamated date the v3.0 will be out? Are there any beta testing programs?

There is no estimated date. No version of MA has had one. There is currently no beta testing being done on it as 3.0 hasn't reached beta status yet.

/Tiny When It's Done

It's still just in Jim's head at this point, I believe!

I just recently upgraded to a dual monitor setup, and I have it configured to 'extend desktop' to the 2nd monitor. I wanted to test MA2 with this setup - and found the following problem. I opened MA2 in window mode. Of course, it runs great as long as you keep it on one monitor. However, if you drag the MA2 window so that a portion appears on each monitor - MA2 slows down so bad that it looks like a slideshow.

Long time no see, SunKing. :) - Welcome back! ...... Dual monitors? - Try DreamAquarium. ;)

Thanks for the recommendation - I will certainly check out Dream Aquarium. Yeah, it has been a while since I've posted here - but I still drop by occasionally to check in on y'all.

Glad to know you are still around SK.

SunKing, don't forget to check out the Garden thread, 'specially if you like tomatoes. I may be up to my eyeballs in 'maters a month from now. ;)

Glad to see you stopped by. Hope to see more of you.:TU:

disproportionately yours...
 

I have an nVidia FX1300 running two 19-inch Dell monitors in span mode. I use a setting of 2560x1024 x 32.
I've been running MA2MD for some time.

I just purchased the upgrade to 2.6.

I'm trying to fiddle the settings to make the background fill the spanned monitors. Either I can have it span fully, but the fish are distorted horizontally, or I can have the fish roughly proportional but the aquarium straddles the middle of the two monitors leaving wide black bands at the outer extremities. I've had no luck with "Use Widescreen" on or off and a range of anamorphic settings.

Is there a way to have a full span, and have the background extend above and below the viewing area, to keep the fish in proper aspect ratio?

I'm not suggesting that I had it before. I'm just asking if there's a way. I prefer clipping the top and bottom of a properly proportioned tank if I can get the picture to fully use the left-right acreage of my spanned monitors.

Thanks,

Kevin (using mostly DreamAquarium these days)

Right now, you are trying to stretch a 12:9 (1024 x 768) background to 22.5:9 (2560 x 1024).

If you turn on Widescreen and then set the Anamorphic value to 1.0, then you'll be stretching a 16:9 (1280 x 768) background to a better-looking 22.5:9 (2560 x 1024).

Unfortunately, the fish are squished/stretched along with the background. I wish there was some logic to allow the fish to stay the correct size when the background is off-ratio, but this would require additional programming.

If you turn off spanning, then you'll have two instances of the 4:3 Aquarium, one on each monitor.

Yes, DreamAquarium is one of only a few that I have managed to fill both screens with, the way you suggest. (Aqua Garden is another). But I don't like Horizontal Span mode, I much prefer Dualview. Also I think DA and MA2.6 both look better when seeing the full height. And with DA you can have two separate tanks, - albeit with similar backgrounds, at the moment! ..... I am looking forward to seeing how the SerenScreen 3D background will be able to be used on dual monitors! - I'm keeping my fingers crossed! ;)

Here is a screen shot of the two-screen-wide DA, in span mode, (ie. cropped top and bottom, but correct proportions).

And I took a picture of my monitors showing just what you posted.:TU:

A very crazy (and rich) guy made "twelve 30-inch flatscreens mounted" !

http://gadgets.qj.net/Wall-O-Monitor...g/49/aid/21281

See below 2 sets of 4 x 30" Dell LCD with Aquarium :

http://gadgets.qj.net/uploads/articl...step7_full.jpg

Yeah, we discussed that one elsewhere on the forum. Consensus was he would've been less crazy and have more money left had he chosen a projector instead.

The projector will not give you the same pixel resolution.

And so we take it one more time...

Neither does the textures of the fish. Heck, we hear quite a lot of complaints about the resolution of the background not looking good above 1280x1024 - what are the odds of it for some reasong looking better at ten times that?

Besides, that's a wall of monitors. It's not like someone's going to be sitting two feet away from it so I'm sure the resolution of the projector would be fine.

/Tiny Projector

P.S.
if he had used a projector he could've covered the entire wall with just one installment of the aquarium instead of having to use multiple computers for several ones.

Most projectors of a reasonable price range stop at 1280 x 1024.

He's running the Aquarium in two separate instances, so a total beneficial resolution of 1280 x 768 x 2 or 1280 x 1536. Plus he has 4 independant screens running on the left, each at probably 1024 x 768.

The minimum operating resolution of those 16 monitors to match the resolution he's demonstrating in that picture is 4096 x 3072. Can you tell me again how a 1280 x 1024 projector is going to come even close?

By my calculations, the text in those four stacked screens on the left is going to be completely unreadable if the resolution available to each screen is 320 x 256 (1/16th of 1280 x 1024).

Maybe he wants 2 instances of the Aquarium?

Que?

Take another look at that post, Morg. That wall features 12 30" 2560x1600 Dell monitors, each one costing $2,200 totaling $26,400(!) (not counting the multiple computers he's using). I'd say that kind of money buys a pretty nice projector and even leaves enough to spare for some extra lamps...

The resolution should theorethically be 7680x6400, but since he can't power that from a single computer he's using multiple ones. Those 2x2 aquariums aren't windowed - they are fullscreen on two separate computers. He doesn't want two instances, he just can't show a single one...

I don't think that system is used only for the Aquarium. If it was then yes it was wasted. But if you need the resolution then that is the way to go.

What do you need a resolution like 7680x6400 for? Especially when you can't use it as a single screen.