Using two different monitors

petercom · 01-22-2006, 05:39 AM

Hi, hope someone can help with this?

I stupidly thought that the ability to use multiple monitors and the options to format widescreen meant that I could switch between the two monitors I use with each formatted to their required options.

i.e. I have a widescreen laptop which I use at work with a 4:3 monitor.

The question is: Can I use the monitor options to automatically switch between widescreen and 4:3 format depending on the monitor that Windows XP and ATI graphics selects?

At present I only have one monitor showing in the drop down box.

Of course I may be asking for the impossible as this doesn't seem to be what multiple monitor settings were designed for, but if anyone knows a workaround I would be most grateful, if only to avoid the 'oval' clock effect!

cjmaddy · 01-22-2006, 06:49 AM

If I've understood you correctly, the short answer is yes!

These things are difficult to explain in print, but if you have two monitors connected, (at the same time), to your video card, (and your Display Properties/Settings are correctly set), then you should have two monitors showing in the drop down box.

I had been saving this explanation/tutorial

- for possible use when MA2.6 finally gets released, - but here goes! ...
(It's aimed at 5x4 problems as well as two differing monitors, but it may help if you are prepared to work through it!)

5x4 vs 4x3 monitor sizes, when displaying SereneScreen family screensavers.

If like me you assume that Jim Sachs originally intended MA to be viewed at 1024x768 or equivalent 4x3 proportions, then read on .... If accuracy or quality do not interest you, and "anything will do", then this post is not for you.

As I have pointed out, I have dual monitors. But one is a Sony 17" CRT, and the other is a ViewSonic 17" flat panel LCD. This has placed me in a good position to verify the differences and problems that the industry created when it decided to standardise on 5x4 for virtually all 17" and 19" LCDs, after we had all been living with 4x3 CRT monitors for what seems like a lifetime!

Marine Aquarium (Time) on Flat Panel 5x4 LCDs

The datum point to start from is that the analog clock is circular when displayed full screen on a 4x3 Monitor. (ie. An anamorphic factor of 1.0000).
Unfortunately, virtually all 17" or 19" flat panel LCDs that have flooded the market in recent years are 5x4. So the image will be stretched and an uncorrected MA+Time screensaver will have an oval shaped clock, (+ distorted fish and coral etc). - However, the 'Anamorphic Factor' that is now an integral part of all the MD versions of the SereneScreen family of screensavers, can be used to remedy this. - To set your MD screensaver correctly, and get proof by seeing a truly circular analog clock on a 5x4 monitor, simply change the monitor anamorphic factor for the full frame version, from 1.000 to 0.9300 (or thereabouts). ..... The more precise figure being 980 / 1024 = 0.9375

If like me, you agree that an anamorphic factor of approx 0.8300 is required to produces a round clock for the widescreen version on a 4x3 CRT, then for a 5x4 LCD you will need an anamorphic factor setting of 0.83 x 0.9375 = 0.7688

There may be those who wish to disagree with these settings, but just give them a try and see which setting gives you a 'round' clock on a 5x4 monitor! ..... There will be narrow black bands top and bottom, ... (with much wider black bands for the widescren version, of course.) ... (But there will be NO distortion! - on either version.)

Changing the resolution on a 5x4 monitor to a 4x3 setting (say 1024x768), will have no effect because the uncorrected image is stretched to fill the 5x4 screen. It is the relative proportions (5x4), that are causing the problem, not the resolution! - You have to use the anamorphic value to make the correction!

These settings apply to all the Marine Aquarium, Goldfish, and Sharks screensavers that have an anamorphic factor setting, when they are viewed on a 1280x1024 or any other resolution of 5x4 monitor.

petercom · 01-24-2006, 02:55 AM

Thanks for that, but the problem is that I don't have two monitors connected at the same time, if I did I could see how to do it.

No, what I do is use the widescreen laptop when I'm not at my desk, and the 4:3 when I am at my desk. The laptop obliges by sensing when I plug in the desktop screen and switches automatically (or I could do Fn-F8 which switches between displays, or I could use a Ctrl-F4 hotkey switch within the ATI displays section).

If anyone can guide me as to how I could use one of these methods to set up the monitors in Serene Screen I would be most grateful. Of course if it is impossible then say so!

cjmaddy · 01-24-2006, 09:48 AM

I don't think I can help any further here. - We will have to hope that someone else is familiar with your set-up. - When I have an additional monitor connected to my laptop, both screens are connected and on at the same time. The added screen just clones what is shown on the laptop's own display. I am not familiar with ATI graphics settings, but I would expect them to be similar to nVidia. - My laptop on board Graphics chip is S3 Savage/IX, and very limited in its dual screen options.

The two monitors connected to my desktop computer can be independently set-up by the nVidia and the SereneScreen settings.

You may have to change the SereneScreen monitor settings each time you change over to the 4x3. - If you pursue this any further, I think that whoever can help will require more details about your laptop and its graphics card settings/options.

baxsie · 01-24-2006, 11:42 AM

I have an nVidia setup running dual monitors and "dual-view".

In "span" I can get the aquarium to work on both screens, but "span" is horrible for general work. Plus the aquarium does not look that good when it is stretched.

What would be good in my situations:

1024 x 1536 (two 1024x768 CRT monitors--my wife's machine)

1600 x 2400 (two 1600x1200 LCDs in portrait--my work box)

I hope that the newer version can handle these types of situations.

I would be interested in doing testing if you need on either of these setups, but for now I'll just wait (impatiently

).

flyingfish · 03-16-2006, 04:43 PM

Hi,

I use a Matrox Parhelia triple head video card set to res. 3840x768. The original double wide aquarium and 2.0 work just fine in window mode to stretch to double wide. 2048x768. If full screen mode is used it goes to 1024x768 with two black bars top and bottom of one monitor.

One thing I didn't like about 2.6 is when I tried to stretch the window it would only stretch horizontally and not virtically to fill both screens. A real setback for the earlier versions.

If anyone knows how to resolve this it would be appreciated.

flyer

01-22-2006, 05:39 AM	#1
petercom Registered Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2	Using two different monitors Hi, hope someone can help with this? I stupidly thought that the ability to use multiple monitors and the options to format widescreen meant that I could switch between the two monitors I use with each formatted to their required options. i.e. I have a widescreen laptop which I use at work with a 4:3 monitor. The question is: Can I use the monitor options to automatically switch between widescreen and 4:3 format depending on the monitor that Windows XP and ATI graphics selects? At present I only have one monitor showing in the drop down box. Of course I may be asking for the impossible as this doesn't seem to be what multiple monitor settings were designed for, but if anyone knows a workaround I would be most grateful, if only to avoid the 'oval' clock effect!

03-16-2006, 04:43 PM	#6
flyingfish Registered Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 18	using two monitors Hi, I use a Matrox Parhelia triple head video card set to res. 3840x768. The original double wide aquarium and 2.0 work just fine in window mode to stretch to double wide. 2048x768. If full screen mode is used it goes to 1024x768 with two black bars top and bottom of one monitor. One thing I didn't like about 2.6 is when I tried to stretch the window it would only stretch horizontally and not virtically to fill both screens. A real setback for the earlier versions. If anyone knows how to resolve this it would be appreciated. flyer

01-22-2006, 06:49 AM	#2
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	If I've understood you correctly, the short answer is yes! These things are difficult to explain in print, but if you have two monitors connected, (at the same time), to your video card, (and your Display Properties/Settings are correctly set), then you should have two monitors showing in the drop down box. I had been saving this explanation/tutorial - for possible use when MA2.6 finally gets released, - but here goes! ... (It's aimed at 5x4 problems as well as two differing monitors, but it may help if you are prepared to work through it!) 5x4 vs 4x3 monitor sizes, when displaying SereneScreen family screensavers. If like me you assume that Jim Sachs originally intended MA to be viewed at 1024x768 or equivalent 4x3 proportions, then read on .... If accuracy or quality do not interest you, and "anything will do", then this post is not for you. As I have pointed out, I have dual monitors. But one is a Sony 17" CRT, and the other is a ViewSonic 17" flat panel LCD. This has placed me in a good position to verify the differences and problems that the industry created when it decided to standardise on 5x4 for virtually all 17" and 19" LCDs, after we had all been living with 4x3 CRT monitors for what seems like a lifetime! Marine Aquarium (Time) on Flat Panel 5x4 LCDs The datum point to start from is that the analog clock is circular when displayed full screen on a 4x3 Monitor. (ie. An anamorphic factor of 1.0000). Unfortunately, virtually all 17" or 19" flat panel LCDs that have flooded the market in recent years are 5x4. So the image will be stretched and an uncorrected MA+Time screensaver will have an oval shaped clock, (+ distorted fish and coral etc). - However, the 'Anamorphic Factor' that is now an integral part of all the MD versions of the SereneScreen family of screensavers, can be used to remedy this. - To set your MD screensaver correctly, and get proof by seeing a truly circular analog clock on a 5x4 monitor, simply change the monitor anamorphic factor for the full frame version, from 1.000 to 0.9300 (or thereabouts). ..... The more precise figure being 980 / 1024 = 0.9375 If like me, you agree that an anamorphic factor of approx 0.8300 is required to produces a round clock for the widescreen version on a 4x3 CRT, then for a 5x4 LCD you will need an anamorphic factor setting of 0.83 x 0.9375 = 0.7688 There may be those who wish to disagree with these settings, but just give them a try and see which setting gives you a 'round' clock on a 5x4 monitor! ..... There will be narrow black bands top and bottom, ... (with much wider black bands for the widescren version, of course.) ... (But there will be NO distortion! - on either version.) Changing the resolution on a 5x4 monitor to a 4x3 setting (say 1024x768), will have no effect because the uncorrected image is stretched to fill the 5x4 screen. It is the relative proportions (5x4), that are causing the problem, not the resolution! - You have to use the anamorphic value to make the correction! These settings apply to all the Marine Aquarium, Goldfish, and Sharks screensavers that have an anamorphic factor setting, when they are viewed on a 1280x1024 or any other resolution of 5x4 monitor.

01-24-2006, 02:55 AM	#3
petercom Registered Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 2	Thanks for that, but the problem is that I don't have two monitors connected at the same time, if I did I could see how to do it. No, what I do is use the widescreen laptop when I'm not at my desk, and the 4:3 when I am at my desk. The laptop obliges by sensing when I plug in the desktop screen and switches automatically (or I could do Fn-F8 which switches between displays, or I could use a Ctrl-F4 hotkey switch within the ATI displays section). If anyone can guide me as to how I could use one of these methods to set up the monitors in Serene Screen I would be most grateful. Of course if it is impossible then say so!

01-24-2006, 09:48 AM	#4
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	I don't think I can help any further here. - We will have to hope that someone else is familiar with your set-up. - When I have an additional monitor connected to my laptop, both screens are connected and on at the same time. The added screen just clones what is shown on the laptop's own display. I am not familiar with ATI graphics settings, but I would expect them to be similar to nVidia. - My laptop on board Graphics chip is S3 Savage/IX, and very limited in its dual screen options. The two monitors connected to my desktop computer can be independently set-up by the nVidia and the SereneScreen settings. You may have to change the SereneScreen monitor settings each time you change over to the 4x3. - If you pursue this any further, I think that whoever can help will require more details about your laptop and its graphics card settings/options.

01-24-2006, 11:42 AM	#5
baxsie Registered Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1	I have an nVidia setup running dual monitors and "dual-view". In "span" I can get the aquarium to work on both screens, but "span" is horrible for general work. Plus the aquarium does not look that good when it is stretched. What would be good in my situations: 1024 x 1536 (two 1024x768 CRT monitors--my wife's machine) 1600 x 2400 (two 1600x1200 LCDs in portrait--my work box) I hope that the newer version can handle these types of situations. I would be interested in doing testing if you need on either of these setups, but for now I'll just wait (impatiently ).