dual LCDs - gaming on 1

[robphelan]

i have 2 LCDs.. 2405fpw and a secondary 17" - using 7800 GT CO.

of course, I use the 24" for my main screen - gaming etc..

while i'm gaming, if i click on an app on my 17" LCD, my game will minimize.

is there a way to to keep that game maximized while i shift focus to the 17" to do whatever i need to do?

for example, when loading maps on BF2 (you know how long this takes), i'd like to be able to surf on the second LCD until the map loads.

thanks,
robert

 

[Bull Dog]

I sincerly doubt it. To the best of my knowledge 3D apps require complete focus. I mean how would you plan to aim if your mouse pointer kept venturing onto the other screen?

 

[CU]

If you can run your game in a window then I think it might work.

 

[lifeblood]

It depends on the game. City of Villians and MS Flight Simulator allow it. Civ III did, Civ 4 doesn't.

 

[lifeblood]

I just had a stupid thought. Are you using one card with two monitors, or two video cards with one monitor each? I bet if you use 2 vid cards, one high end AGP/PCIe for games, and one low end PCI for web browsing you would have a better chance of it working like you want. Just make sure if your primary card is nvidia, the secondary one is (or vice versa for ATI).

 

[ayabe]

Originally posted by: CU
If you can run your game in a window then I think it might work.

That's the only way I've ever gotten it to work, but it was more of a hassle then it was worth most of the time, so I just have and old junky rig running so I can surf the web while playing a game.

 

[Kwaipie]

This is exactly what I do with WoW.
Windowed mode.
dual 20" Dell LCDs
6600GT dual DVI vid card.

 

[ChonChon]

well if u wanna play full screen on that beautiful 24", i dont blame you.

think of it as a regular computer with one screen...

if u press alt-tab or something, boom the full screen game minimizes...same thing with dual monitors. dont forget, its still only one computer, just 2 monitors.

windowed games, with most i know, what would happen it would just have a lightened bar (meaning that window isnt active) and u can do whatever else you want, then just simply click the game in the taskbar and continue playing on.

KIM though, this could cause some lagging in the game, and some delay in processes in windows. this is not from the video card rather the RAM itself. even with 2GB it could easily make the game lag a little bit, largly depending on the complexity and size of the other program you're running.

more details would be nice, then we can get a bigger picture of exactly what you're trying to do.

 

[potato28]

Originally posted by: lifeblood
I just had a stupid thought. Are you using one card with two monitors, or two video cards with one monitor each? I bet if you use 2 vid cards, one high end AGP/PCIe for games, and one low end PCI for web browsing you would have a better chance of it working like you want. Just make sure if your primary card is nvidia, the secondary one is (or vice versa for ATI).

Great idea.

 

[robphelan]

Originally posted by: potato28

Originally posted by: lifeblood
I just had a stupid thought. Are you using one card with two monitors, or two video cards with one monitor each? I bet if you use 2 vid cards, one high end AGP/PCIe for games, and one low end PCI for web browsing you would have a better chance of it working like you want. Just make sure if your primary card is nvidia, the secondary one is (or vice versa for ATI).

Great idea.

i'm using my 7800 gt co using both outputs - one to each monitor.

i'll see if i can pick up a cheap PCI vid card to try this. i'd hate to run into even more lag while playing BF2.

thanks for the suggestions.
robert.