Dual (and triple) head support - Page 3

HiAll · 01-13-2004, 10:06 AM

I have a laptop, with the NVIDIA Quadro4 700 GoGl chipset. By using the "span" setting in horizontal or vertical I am able to display the screen saver across both monitors.

I think this is working becouse the driver is DirectX aware, and is managing the 2 monitors like one monitor set to 2048 by 768 rather than 2 individual montors set 1024x768.

Well for those of you with laptops and the Nvidia chipset, drag out the extra monitor it is worth it!

feldon34 · 01-13-2004, 11:42 AM

Having even the 1280x768 aquarium stretched across 2048x768 looks pretty strange.

https://www.feldoncentral.com/forump...aldisplay3.jpg

cjmaddy · 01-13-2004, 01:34 PM

That's the 1.1wide (1280x720?), isn't it? ..... but I agree it still looks pretty strange. - In fact I think I'd go even further, and say it looks terrible! ...... Just my opinion though! - I like things in the correct format.

feldon34 · 01-13-2004, 02:37 PM

Fixed me post.

cjmaddy · 01-13-2004, 05:21 PM

Knowing as we do, Jim's dislike for defacing his work, (desktop icons, Russian hacks, etc.), I can't help but think he must cringe whenever he sees his work stretched, distorted, blurred, and badly colour balanced, as in some of these multi screen presentations that people post and rave about, - and then go on to say they look, - "awesome" !
(I wonder if they know that 'awesome' can also mean 'frightening' and 'dreadful'? )

I think we should coin a new word for them ...... "awful-some!" ...... Just MHO! - (of course!)

Everyone has the right to their opinion, I agree! ...... But whatever happened to quality and accuracy?

"It'll do!" ...... will NOT do, in my book! ................................ (Rant over!

- with apologies!)

Ricci · 01-13-2004, 05:50 PM

Looks like my post was overlooked ;-)

Originally posted by Ricci
Please can someone tell me when dual screen version will be available?

Jim Sachs · 01-13-2004, 05:50 PM

Well said, Cliff!

Jim Sachs · 01-13-2004, 06:06 PM

Ricci - The problem has always been that the Aquarium is a DX6 application, and dual-screen is very difficult in DX6. Prolific is working on a DX7 version which may support dual monitors. I'm making the Freshwater Tank in DX8, so dual should be no problem.

Anytime you get into the business of satisfying that last 1% of the audience, the workload skyrockets. Supporting a machine with 2 different types of video cards, set to different refresh rates, different resolutions, different bits-per-pixel, different clock speeds and a different amount of video ram is like writing a whole new program. And that's just to DUPLICATE the picture on both screens. Stretching a single image across them is a whole new ballgame.

If it's something that is easily taken care of in the drivers (like DX8), then sure, I'll throw it in. But at my age I really need to move on to more productive things if I'm ever going to get 1/10 of the things done which I still hope to.

Ricci · 01-13-2004, 06:33 PM

Thx Jim, yeah I know the dual screen has been an issue since the beginning. Just wanted an update as the last "official" post I had seen from you (>1 year ago) was that prolific were working on it and that they thought it would be ready soon... Famous last words :-)

On a completely different subject: will we be able to buy the fresh water aquarium before the official v1 release, like happened for MA ? (Did not realise it was soo long ago - Just seen my original registration email dated: 02/09/2000 !!!!!)

Anyway, keep up the good work, and any chance of a freshwater stingray ? ;-)

Jim Sachs · 01-13-2004, 09:13 PM

Yes, the Freshwater Aquarium will be available for sale during the Beta Test period.

kona001 · 01-13-2004, 09:16 PM

can't wait

feldon34 · 01-14-2004, 11:17 AM

I've divorced the Widescreen discussion into its own topic. Hope you don't mind my marital surgery.

01-13-2004, 11:42 AM	#42
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Having even the 1280x768 aquarium stretched across 2048x768 looks pretty strange. https://www.feldoncentral.com/forump...aldisplay3.jpg "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 01-13-2004 at 02:37 PM.

01-13-2004, 02:37 PM	#44
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Fixed me post. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

01-13-2004, 05:50 PM	#46
Ricci Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: England Posts: 25	Re: Any Update ? Looks like my post was overlooked ;-) Originally posted by Ricci Please can someone tell me when dual screen version will be available?

01-13-2004, 05:50 PM	#47
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,774	Well said, Cliff! Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

01-13-2004, 06:06 PM	#48
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,774	Ricci - The problem has always been that the Aquarium is a DX6 application, and dual-screen is very difficult in DX6. Prolific is working on a DX7 version which may support dual monitors. I'm making the Freshwater Tank in DX8, so dual should be no problem. Anytime you get into the business of satisfying that last 1% of the audience, the workload skyrockets. Supporting a machine with 2 different types of video cards, set to different refresh rates, different resolutions, different bits-per-pixel, different clock speeds and a different amount of video ram is like writing a whole new program. And that's just to DUPLICATE the picture on both screens. Stretching a single image across them is a whole new ballgame. If it's something that is easily taken care of in the drivers (like DX8), then sure, I'll throw it in. But at my age I really need to move on to more productive things if I'm ever going to get 1/10 of the things done which I still hope to. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

01-13-2004, 10:06 AM	#41
HiAll Registered Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1	I have a laptop, with the NVIDIA Quadro4 700 GoGl chipset. By using the "span" setting in horizontal or vertical I am able to display the screen saver across both monitors. I think this is working becouse the driver is DirectX aware, and is managing the 2 monitors like one monitor set to 2048 by 768 rather than 2 individual montors set 1024x768. Well for those of you with laptops and the Nvidia chipset, drag out the extra monitor it is worth it!

01-13-2004, 01:34 PM	#43
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	That's the 1.1wide (1280x720?), isn't it? ..... but I agree it still looks pretty strange. - In fact I think I'd go even further, and say it looks terrible! ...... Just my opinion though! - I like things in the correct format.

01-13-2004, 05:21 PM	#45
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Knowing as we do, Jim's dislike for defacing his work, (desktop icons, Russian hacks, etc.), I can't help but think he must cringe whenever he sees his work stretched, distorted, blurred, and badly colour balanced, as in some of these multi screen presentations that people post and rave about, - and then go on to say they look, - "awesome" ! (I wonder if they know that 'awesome' can also mean 'frightening' and 'dreadful'? ) I think we should coin a new word for them ...... "awful-some!" ...... Just MHO! - (of course!) Everyone has the right to their opinion, I agree! ...... But whatever happened to quality and accuracy? "It'll do!" ...... will NOT do, in my book! ................................ (Rant over! - with apologies!)

01-13-2004, 06:33 PM	#49
Ricci Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: England Posts: 25	Thx Jim, yeah I know the dual screen has been an issue since the beginning. Just wanted an update as the last "official" post I had seen from you (>1 year ago) was that prolific were working on it and that they thought it would be ready soon... Famous last words :-) On a completely different subject: will we be able to buy the fresh water aquarium before the official v1 release, like happened for MA ? (Did not realise it was soo long ago - Just seen my original registration email dated: 02/09/2000 !!!!!) Anyway, keep up the good work, and any chance of a freshwater stingray ? ;-)

01-13-2004, 09:13 PM	#50
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,774	Yes, the Freshwater Aquarium will be available for sale during the Beta Test period. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

01-13-2004, 09:16 PM	#51
kona001 New Husband and new Aquarium Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 318	can't wait

01-14-2004, 11:17 AM	#52
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	I've divorced the Widescreen discussion into its own topic. Hope you don't mind my marital surgery. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman