Problem - 2 montors on 2 cards

hillbob · 06-25-2007, 01:32 PM

I am trying the Marine Aquarium 2.6 free download to see if it will work with 2 monitors before I buy it. I am having problems.
Monitor 1 is my primary monitor (on my left. It is a sumsung 225bw wide screen LCD running on a NVIDIA Geforce FX 5950 Ultra graphics card running at 1680 x 1050 resolution.
Monitor 2 (on my right) is a Mag 19 inch LCD display running on a
NVIDIA Geforce4 MX 420 grahics card running at 1024 x 768 resolution.
I went to settings and unchecked windows start up, checked use wide screen, use monitor 1, unchecked black, used default system res., chacked 32 bit.
The aquarium shows fine on monitor 1 but monitor 2 is black.
If I go to settings and check the start widows box, then the aquarium shows fine in a window on monitor 1 running at 1680 x 1050. I can drag this window to show across cross both screens but I can not make it any larger to fill both screens.
Help.
-Bob

ESHIREY · 06-25-2007, 04:14 PM

Does you fx card have 2 video connectors?

hillbob · 06-25-2007, 10:33 PM

The FX 5950 has a digital and an analog port. I am useing the digital port to monitor 1. The mx 420 card has only an analog port which I have connected to monitor 2.

Edgar · 06-26-2007, 12:04 AM

Where you see Monitor 1, that is a drop down to pick Monitor 2. Once you pick Monitor 2, unclick the checkbox for Black. That should enable the second monitor.

cjmaddy · 06-26-2007, 02:39 AM

I have always used both ports at the same time for dual monitors. You don't need a second card.

hillbob · 06-26-2007, 01:09 PM

edgar,
I selected monitor 2 and unchecked the black box. I now have fish on both screens. Monitor 2 is an exact duplicate of the tank and fish on monitor 1. I was hoping to have one tank stretch across both monitors. Is this possible?
If I go to the windows mode, I have one tank that I can move with part in monitor 1 and part in monitor 2 but I can't make the window any larger than the 1680 x 1050 resolution of monitor 1. In applications such as Word, I can drag a window in monitor 1 across monitor 2 and drag it top to bottom to have one window fill both screens. Any way to do that in this screen saver?

cjmaddy,
May graphics card has 1 analog port and one digital port. I didn't think this was a "2 port" card that I could hook up one monitor to each port and have my desktop across both screens. I thought each port would put out the identical desktop so I would only have a "duplicate" of desktop 1 on the 2nd monitor. Would your approach give me the full screen aqwuarium I talked about above? I would try it except my PC is built into my desk and is really a problem to get to.
Thanks everyone for their fast response.

cjmaddy · 06-26-2007, 01:33 PM

I meant that you don't need two cards to run two monitors. I have always run two monitors from one card.

MA2.6MD is capable of running on two monitors, but only as a clone on the second screen. In the future, MA3 should change all that.

Try DreamAquarium if you want the two screens to be different. But you will need to go into your nVidia driver settings to select 'DualView'. Or you could experiment with 'Horizontal Span' and have images spanning both monitors. But if you try to span MA across both monitors, you will either have severe cropping, or severe distortion, - neither of which can be recommended!

ESHIREY · 06-26-2007, 01:40 PM

The only time you need 2 or more cards is if you are going to be using 3 or more monitors.

ESHIREY · 06-26-2007, 01:46 PM

Originally posted by cjmaddy:

I meant that you don't need two cards to run two monitors. I have always run two monitors from one card.

MA2.6MD is capable of running on two monitors, but only as a clone on the second screen. In the future, MA3 should change all that.

Try DreamAquarium if you want the two screens to be different. But you will need to go into your nVidia driver settings to select 'DualView'. Or you could experiment with 'Horizontal Span' and have images spanning both monitors. But if you try to span MA across both monitors, you will either have severe cropping, or severe distortion, - neither of which can be recommended!

Come on buddy. Where not going to go through this again. If he doesn't mind the background being a little off he can set his card for span and the fish will swim from one to the other. And it's not that bad. If you know how to set the card up right. I had it running showing the same thing on both monitors like you. But to me ............... that's old school. Remember, you just got started with dual monitors. I've been running my system for almost 15 years with at least 2 monitors. At one time I had 3. Now with my new setup I can hook up 4.

cjmaddy · 06-26-2007, 02:29 PM

I was answering his question. Ed. .... And stating facts!

I've had dual monitors set up for 3 years now, ... what's your problem?

ESHIREY · 06-26-2007, 02:37 PM

I was just saying about the setting for the tank.

Tiny Turtle · 06-26-2007, 03:08 PM

Ed,
You had two monitors in the early nineties?

On a 486 in Windows 3.1?! Please tell us more about that setup.

As for Cliff's answer. You don't mind the image being stretched, Ed, but for Cliff (and me) such a setup is unacceptable in the same way as watching 4:3 material stretched on a 16:9 TV. - Which is why Cliff stated it would look bad (not that it wouldn't work). Also, look at the original poster's setup. His primary monitor is a widescreen one at that resolution. This would mean an even more stretched and/or cropped image than what you use with your two 4:3 screens.

hillbob · 06-26-2007, 10:09 PM

Great Info..
It looks like MA won't do the dual screens the way I want.
I checked my video cards and the Fx 5950 card (primary monitor with 2 outputs) only has "single display" mode. The MX420 card (secondary monitor with one output) has both "horizonal span" and "dual view" display modes.
I had previously tried 2 screen savers called AquaReal 3D and AqualGarden that were suppose to run multi-monitors (up to 3 monitors) but could never get them to work. Maybe the using "horizonal span" and/or "dualview" would make them work.
What specifically do I need to do to I try these features?
Thanks again to all.

cjmaddy · 06-27-2007, 02:55 AM

I would start by checking you have the latest nVidia drivers. The latest drivers will probably have more options than older drivers. But if you update your drivers, make sure you reinstall DirectX again, afterwards! (This can be most important. and in particular, reboot after reinstalling DirectX).

Because the nVidia drivers tend to be card specific, it may be better to just use one card for both monitors.

I too have AquaReal and AqualGarden, You will need 'Horizontal Span' mode to run AquaGarden across two monitors. Changing to and from Horizontal Span mode can be a pain! - I leave mine set on 'DualView' - DreamAquarium is the one to have for dual monitors, you can then leave your system set for 'DualView' and not have to keep changing.

06-25-2007, 01:32 PM	#1
hillbob Registered Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4	Problem - 2 montors on 2 cards I am trying the Marine Aquarium 2.6 free download to see if it will work with 2 monitors before I buy it. I am having problems. Monitor 1 is my primary monitor (on my left. It is a sumsung 225bw wide screen LCD running on a NVIDIA Geforce FX 5950 Ultra graphics card running at 1680 x 1050 resolution. Monitor 2 (on my right) is a Mag 19 inch LCD display running on a NVIDIA Geforce4 MX 420 grahics card running at 1024 x 768 resolution. I went to settings and unchecked windows start up, checked use wide screen, use monitor 1, unchecked black, used default system res., chacked 32 bit. The aquarium shows fine on monitor 1 but monitor 2 is black. If I go to settings and check the start widows box, then the aquarium shows fine in a window on monitor 1 running at 1680 x 1050. I can drag this window to show across cross both screens but I can not make it any larger to fill both screens. Help. -Bob

06-25-2007, 04:14 PM	#2
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	Does you fx card have 2 video connectors? Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-26-2007, 12:04 AM	#4
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	Where you see Monitor 1, that is a drop down to pick Monitor 2. Once you pick Monitor 2, unclick the checkbox for Black. That should enable the second monitor. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

06-26-2007, 01:40 PM	#8
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	The only time you need 2 or more cards is if you are going to be using 3 or more monitors. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-26-2007, 01:46 PM	#9
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	Originally posted by cjmaddy: I meant that you don't need two cards to run two monitors. I have always run two monitors from one card. MA2.6MD is capable of running on two monitors, but only as a clone on the second screen. In the future, MA3 should change all that. Try DreamAquarium if you want the two screens to be different. But you will need to go into your nVidia driver settings to select 'DualView'. Or you could experiment with 'Horizontal Span' and have images spanning both monitors. But if you try to span MA across both monitors, you will either have severe cropping, or severe distortion, - neither of which can be recommended! Come on buddy. Where not going to go through this again. If he doesn't mind the background being a little off he can set his card for span and the fish will swim from one to the other. And it's not that bad. If you know how to set the card up right. I had it running showing the same thing on both monitors like you. But to me ............... that's old school. Remember, you just got started with dual monitors. I've been running my system for almost 15 years with at least 2 monitors. At one time I had 3. Now with my new setup I can hook up 4. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-25-2007, 10:33 PM	#3
hillbob Registered Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4	The FX 5950 has a digital and an analog port. I am useing the digital port to monitor 1. The mx 420 card has only an analog port which I have connected to monitor 2.

06-26-2007, 02:39 AM	#5
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	I have always used both ports at the same time for dual monitors. You don't need a second card.

06-26-2007, 01:09 PM	#6
hillbob Registered Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4	edgar, I selected monitor 2 and unchecked the black box. I now have fish on both screens. Monitor 2 is an exact duplicate of the tank and fish on monitor 1. I was hoping to have one tank stretch across both monitors. Is this possible? If I go to the windows mode, I have one tank that I can move with part in monitor 1 and part in monitor 2 but I can't make the window any larger than the 1680 x 1050 resolution of monitor 1. In applications such as Word, I can drag a window in monitor 1 across monitor 2 and drag it top to bottom to have one window fill both screens. Any way to do that in this screen saver? cjmaddy, May graphics card has 1 analog port and one digital port. I didn't think this was a "2 port" card that I could hook up one monitor to each port and have my desktop across both screens. I thought each port would put out the identical desktop so I would only have a "duplicate" of desktop 1 on the 2nd monitor. Would your approach give me the full screen aqwuarium I talked about above? I would try it except my PC is built into my desk and is really a problem to get to. Thanks everyone for their fast response.

06-26-2007, 01:33 PM	#7
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	I meant that you don't need two cards to run two monitors. I have always run two monitors from one card. MA2.6MD is capable of running on two monitors, but only as a clone on the second screen. In the future, MA3 should change all that. Try DreamAquarium if you want the two screens to be different. But you will need to go into your nVidia driver settings to select 'DualView'. Or you could experiment with 'Horizontal Span' and have images spanning both monitors. But if you try to span MA across both monitors, you will either have severe cropping, or severe distortion, - neither of which can be recommended!

06-26-2007, 02:29 PM	#10
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	I was answering his question. Ed. .... And stating facts! I've had dual monitors set up for 3 years now, ... what's your problem?

06-26-2007, 02:37 PM	#11
ESHIREY Smilie Dragon Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lebanon, PA Posts: 4,725	I was just saying about the setting for the tank. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

06-26-2007, 03:08 PM	#12
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Ed, You had two monitors in the early nineties? On a 486 in Windows 3.1?! Please tell us more about that setup. As for Cliff's answer. You don't mind the image being stretched, Ed, but for Cliff (and me) such a setup is unacceptable in the same way as watching 4:3 material stretched on a 16:9 TV. - Which is why Cliff stated it would look bad (not that it wouldn't work). Also, look at the original poster's setup. His primary monitor is a widescreen one at that resolution. This would mean an even more stretched and/or cropped image than what you use with your two 4:3 screens. Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

06-26-2007, 10:09 PM	#13
hillbob Registered Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4	Great Info.. It looks like MA won't do the dual screens the way I want. I checked my video cards and the Fx 5950 card (primary monitor with 2 outputs) only has "single display" mode. The MX420 card (secondary monitor with one output) has both "horizonal span" and "dual view" display modes. I had previously tried 2 screen savers called AquaReal 3D and AqualGarden that were suppose to run multi-monitors (up to 3 monitors) but could never get them to work. Maybe the using "horizonal span" and/or "dualview" would make them work. What specifically do I need to do to I try these features? Thanks again to all.

06-27-2007, 02:55 AM	#14
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	I would start by checking you have the latest nVidia drivers. The latest drivers will probably have more options than older drivers. But if you update your drivers, make sure you reinstall DirectX again, afterwards! (This can be most important. and in particular, reboot after reinstalling DirectX). Because the nVidia drivers tend to be card specific, it may be better to just use one card for both monitors. I too have AquaReal and AqualGarden, You will need 'Horizontal Span' mode to run AquaGarden across two monitors. Changing to and from Horizontal Span mode can be a pain! - I leave mine set on 'DualView' - DreamAquarium is the one to have for dual monitors, you can then leave your system set for 'DualView' and not have to keep changing.