Dual Monitor Question

[dfuze]

Curious for those who use dual monitors. I have a 24" 1920 x 1200 main display and a 17" 1280 x 1024 as the second monitor.

When I play a game at 1920x1200 on the main one, sometimes what I have on the second monitor (be it a site, or main steam app for example) shifts to the right and goes 1/2 way off screen. Is it because I have different sized displays? I'm thinking of saving up to replace the 17" with another 24" display, but most of the lower priced ones are 1920 x 1080 so I still wouldn't have an exact size, would this issue of things shifting still occur, or is it for another reason anyway?

Also, while semi on the subject, what do you normally have going on your 2nd screen while playing on the first?



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Anandtech PC Gaming Moderator
KeithTalent

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

It's because you have different resolutions.

 

[velillen]

Resolutions. I game on a 1400x900 and have a second 1900x1080 as a second (its more my movie watching screen). When i load up a new game and it doesnt auto set to 1400x900 itll shift like that. Set to right resolution though and it displays fine on second monitor.


As for whats on the second when gaming....usually nothing other than gbpvr in screensaver mode (my media player). Back when i would play wow i would have it playing a movie or have itunes over there or something. Occasionally have firefox open as well. If the game doesnt allow windowed mode i just turn the monitor off 90% of the time.

 

[kalrith]

What video card do you have, and do you use any software for setting up the two monitors. I have a 4870 and use ATI CCC. I have a 32" 1080p TV and a 20" 1600x1200 monitor and have never had this problem.

I usually turn off my second monitor, but sometimes I'll have task manager, GPU-z, or some other monitoring software on there.

 

[Anubis]

i used to run 2 different size ones and i remember that happening on initial game setups before you set the game rez, after that i don't think it happened, it also never happens in windowed mode which is what i play most games in anyway.

my 2nd mon normally has a browser open to various things, sometimes videos sometimes just monitoring CPU/GPU stats and such/ because of windowed mode the mouse is free to go back and forth, none of that annoying alt tab shit.

 

[dfuze]

Thanks for the input. I'm currently using an MSI 4890 to run them both. If I remember correctly I think I did set up span in the ATI control panel, but not 100% sure.

Maybe I should try windowed mode

 

[Elganja]

I have a 30inch monitor @ 2560x1600 and a 25.5inch monitor @ 1920x1200

the only time the shift occurs for me, is if my main display (30inch monitor)'s resolution changes to something other then 2560x1600. So usually new games that don't auto-detect will cause the shift. But as soon as I select the correct resolution, everything shifts back to it's proper location

 

[Anubis]

Thanks for the input. I'm currently using an MSI 4890 to run them both. If I remember correctly I think I did set up span in the ATI control panel, but not 100% sure.

Maybe I should try windowed mode

windowed mode takes some getting used to because you can lose the mouse outside the game if you arent used to it

it also doesn't work with SC2, you cant mouse scroll around the world in windowed mode unless you stop on the seemingly 1 pixel wide area where it registers

 

[dfuze]

windowed mode takes some getting used to because you can lose the mouse outside the game if you arent used to it

Yeah, learned that with playing D2 in a window. Was very annoying as it would also make the window minimize to the task bar.