2nd monitor?

Is there a way I can setup a second monitor to my computer that way I could, say, play a game on the first monitor but be on MSN on the second?

<!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->Depends what graphics card you have, you need one with dual screen display.I'll ask a friend of mine if its possible and on what cards.

Yes ... but ... I don't suggest using it for that sort of use.

Think about it. How fast does your computer get you back to the desktop in the middle of a game? (not after quitting, I mean in the middle of a game alt+tab out or hit the windows key) Not very fast at all. The reason is because the game is already taking up most all of your memory and VMM just being ran, and the pages are being refreshed with your desktop and such. Now how well do you think either will run if they're fighting over memory?

You use Dual monitors for things like programming (could be mapping too) or expanding your viewable area. You have to remember, it's all one computer, and the fact that you're displaying it on two monitors alone adds some process time.

But most video cards (now) support duel view. If your video card has a VGA and a DVI it supports it, all you need is a connector to switch from DVI to VGA (and a second monitor).

I did that sort of thing at Cass's house a while back with Battlefield and AIM but it sorta minimzed when I used AIM so i dont see whats the point?

well cause I often play games like Rogue Spear and Halo while having MSN on and talking with people and I always have to alt+tab to reply. So I though maybe adding a second monitor (maybe a second video card too) would solve that problem.

The easiest thing to do is to stick some old PCI graphics card in - you will then be able to configure this display seperately in control panel.

Erm... There arent too many people I know who can run Halo with a decent framerate, let alone with other programs running at the same time... Youd mainly use this for programming, mapping, graphic design, stuff like that.

My Radeon 9600 pro has 2 monitor outputs and a TV out. If yours is fairly recent, it should have this. If your second monitor out is DVI (funny-looking one), your card should come with an adaptor so you can plug in a regular monitor. If not, you could try what scary jeff said, but there may be device conflicts involved.

I know some, there's a console command or parameter or something you use with the game which disables something or other and considerably increases performance.

Well, my current video card is a GF4 MX series card on a PCI slot. So I'll try putting in a older TNT/TNT2 into the AGP slot.

When I go into display propreties I have a option that is greyed out for 2 or 3 monitor support. I'll try adding the second video card and booting in safe mode to configure the dual monitor thingy.

If they're both nVidia cards though, do I need to install drivers for the second card?

So I'll try putting in a older TNT/TNT2 into the AGP slot.

First, you need to go into BIOS, and find the option to choose whether it looks for PCI or AGP graphics cards first, otherwise the TNT will be the default. Once you have done this, stick the TNT in, reboot, and it will install the drivers (I wouldn't bother with the latest drivers, they just give a bunch of options that an old TNT can't even use). Once this is done, you will probably have to restart again, and then your second monitor will be ready to use. With a setup like this, you don't use the nvidia dual view stuff (I don't think anyway), but your display properties will change to allow you to set each monitor up individually.

well I hooked it up. BIOS was already set to PCI display first. Everything is working proprelly.. I just finished playing Halo listening to In Flames: Free Fall :biggrin:

My 17" is set on:
Primary
1024*768
32bit color
100Mhz refresh (highest refresh)
GF4 MX440

My 14":
Secondary
800*600 (highest supported resolution)
32bit color
60Mhz refresh (highest)
Riva TNT

I am using nView right now. I dont know what else to use lol. I was wondering if there is a way I could switch between screens the same way you use alt+tab to switch between programs.

Something about using a GF4 (even an MX) in a PCI slot over a TNT in an AGP slot just seems so... so... wrong. :X

Well we're supposed to eventually all move on to PCI express :biggrin:

Glad you got it wokring WC. I wasn't sure if the nview thing worked if you had two seperate graphics cards instead of one two-output thing. Maybe because they are both nvidia cards :smile:

Isn't there just some setable nview shortcut key that will switch active screens?

No, nView has both screens active at once. Its like a extra large desktop. I just scroll the mouse over to the next monitor.

How can you do that when you are playing a game? I thought games keep the mouse in a little box in the middle of the screen?

well, Halo plays well. But when Im in Ghost Recon, the menu anyways (havent actually played) everytime I move the mouse to the right of the screen, the mouse appears in the second monitor, and if I click, GR minimizes as if I clicked on the second monitor instead of the Ghost Recon menu

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting scary_jeff</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>The easiest thing to do is to stick some old PCI graphics card in - you will then be able to configure this display seperately in control panel.</DIV></DIV>

thats the best way. 2nd video card using your pci slot.

Your 2nd monitor wouldn't be able to play any games. It is basicly extending your desktop. If you start up a game. The 2nd monitor usauly goes black.

I don't think it will work for what you want though. While playing the game you would still have to ctrl-esc / alt-tab min your game to use your instant messaging.

Last time i used this setup was on my Pentium 200 with a voodoo 2 and two other video cards. Maybe the setup has changed by now.

The best thing two monitors can offer is if your map editing in one and using the other to browse the internet. Basicly using windows applications.

Oh and when you see people playing simulators with 3 monitors, thats becuase they are playing in windows mode and or able to open up multiply window views for the game. Only game I can think of is Flight Simulator.

If the game your playing has window mode it might work that way but then you really wouldnt even need 2 monitors.

OMG.........another thread resurection, these noobs are getting out of hand.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting omegaslayer</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>OMG.........another thread resurection, these noobs are getting out of hand.
</DIV></DIV>

n00b deez nuts :biggrin:

The best way I can find of having two monitors and saving resorces for both is to install an old PCI card and configure it in windows display settings.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Nickelplate</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>
<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting omegaslayer</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>OMG.........another thread resurection, these noobs are getting out of hand.
</DIV></DIV>

n00b deez nuts :biggrin:

The best way I can find of having two monitors and saving resorces for both is to install an old PCI card and configure it in windows display settings.

</DIV></DIV>
I was just kidding about the nuts thing.... :biggrin:

well, Halo plays well. But when Im in Ghost Recon, the menu
anyways (havent actually played) everytime I move the mouse to the
right of the screen, the mouse appears in the second monitor, and if I
click, GR minimizes as if I clicked on the second monitor instead of
the Ghost Recon menu

The problem with this setup isn't the running of multiple
programs...running MSN at the same time isn't a big deal at all. But
it's the fact that games tend to "lock" the mouse in the centre of the
screen, so you effectively have to take the time to go out to message
someone or whatnot on the other screen. I've tried different setups of
various abilities with combinations of games, editors, messengers,
videos, tv-tuners and the like but really the only useful one I've
found is to have one that's passive and one that's active or it's not
all that useful other than a desktop extension...so having all the
tools for a program like photoshop on one monitor and the workspace on
the other, or having my tv-tuner watching tv on one monitor while I do
whatever else on the other. I've never really seen a big issue with
performance with a computer that's kept well enough past around the
1GHz range.

Or just use XFire for messaging and have a super-large screen D:

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting RabidMonkey777</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Or just use XFire for messaging and have a super-large screen D:</DIV></DIV>
what REALLY works is to get a second, crappy computer and share your internet connection and use the s**tty one for your MSN. Then play games on the good one.

Resurrecting threads made the baby Jesus cry, stop it.

posted on 10th May 2004

This is from SIX months ago. Exercise some common sense FFS. There is no good reason why this keeps happening.

Stick to the topics that are posted within the last few hours, maximum
5 days. Particularly things like this where its quite fricking clear
that the thread had been resolved.