Cannot watch videos on secondary monitor while I game on primary monitor.

[mrred]

I like to play a game on one monitor while a movie or show is running on my secondary monitor.

Since getting a new screen to replace my old secondary, the videos just go black when I game.

Used to work on old CRT going through VGA. My new monitor is hooked up via DVI. Could this be the problem? My only solution so far has been to disable hardware acceleration but then the videos revert to 1:1 (too small on my 1920x1200 rez monitor) and cpu usage spikes.

Vid card is an ATI 4850. Using WMP and cccp for the videos, but VLC and mediaplayerclassic don't work either.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[Schmide]

Most games allow you to run in windowed mode or even better border-less windowed mode. In these modes you should be able to display video on the other monitor.

 

[0roo0roo]

performance hit in windowed mode. atleast for me i found it worked fine when both monitors run the same resolution even when using coreavc cuda accel

 

[Qbah]

Did you try to reinstall your codecs? Perhaps the GPU is accelerating playback and when you run a game it can't do two screens at once? I had a HD4870 and was running full screen games on my HDTV and watching movies and shows on my 24" LCD - was using MPC for that I think. Or WMP? Well, it did work without problems (HD stuff too). So at least you know it does work for 2x DVI

 

[mrred]

Originally posted by: Qbah
Did you try to reinstall your codecs? Perhaps the GPU is accelerating playback and when you run a game it can't do two screens at once? I had a HD4870 and was running full screen games on my HDTV and watching movies and shows on my 24" LCD - was using MPC for that I think. Or WMP? Well, it did work without problems (HD stuff too). So at least you know it does work for 2x DVI

Thanks I'll try this when I get home tomorrow. I hadn't thought of reinstalling codecs.

 

[Brisos]

If you run a video game in Screen#1 and a movie on screen #2, and "activate" the game (by playing it, making it the "current/active" process), your PC will act as if you alt-tabbed out of the video player and into the game.

I assume the sound still plays?

If I understand your problem correctly, the symptom would be what you experience - the PC automatically stops the video to lower the draw if you are not currently using a process. The "always on top" option forces the player to play, no matter what.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

What operating system are you running?

In my experience the best way to actually get full screen proper gaming AND movies on another monitor is to pick up a cheap video card to run your 2nd monitor. The problem is video cards have issues running in 3d mode and 2d mode at the same time, which is why your video card spazzes a bit when you alt tab between a game and your desktop, it has to switch modes.

Another conflict is that a lot of video playing programs use directshow, which is part of directx, which is being used in your game at the same time. That might also be the reason for your issue.

I don't know these things for certain, but I'm saying from my experience you will find it works perfectly with a 2nd video card.

 

[mrred]

Ok I have reinstalled the codecs and video drivers and am still having the problem.

Thing is, it worked until I replaced my secondary monitor. Could it have something to do with going from 1600x1200 on the secondary to 1920x1200? My primary has always been 1920x1200.

I'm running WinXP Pro.

Also, there is no option in WMP for "always on top". :S

edit: switching secondary monitor to lower resolution did not fix the problem

 

[lifeblood]

Assuming that the only thing that changed was the monitor and your connection (DVI vs RGB), then it must be one of those two things. Can you plug in the new monitor via RGB? I really don't think it's the monitor because it does not have the ability to stop showing certain apps. It shows the signal it's sent. I don't know why it would be happening but the RGB to DVI seems the likely culprit.

 

[Brisos]

I would really try a different player, even if just for testing purposes. MPC or BSplayer are both free and great.

I would also try with 1 monitor, with the game on, and the video "always on top" on top of the game. If that works, try it with the 2nd monitor.

I'd also try extended desktop instead of dual screen if that is what you are doing now.

I had the exact same problem as you, with the same symptoms and fixed it that way.

 

[mrred]

OK

I switched to vga on my new monitor and have the same problem. I'm totally confused.

Just to confirm... this SHOULD work right?

MPC and VLC don't work either.

edit: also, using "always on top" didn't work
any other ideas?

 

[vshah]

do you still have your old monitor to test it out with?

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Try picking up a cheap video card, it isn't going to work without a second card. If you are running the 32bit version of XP you can mix and match vendors for your cards.