G400 Dual Head in Windows 2000

[hatboy]

I've just recently gotten a G400 Dual Head. I'm running Windows 2000, and I'm using the latest Matrox drivers that are supposed to allow me to have separate resolutions and color depths on both displays. Maybe I'm stupid, but I cannot figure out how to get Dual Head working as I want to. Here's my situation: I have my monitor (a Viewsonic E771) plugged into the primary connector on the card. It's been working fine by itself for several days. This evening, I plugged the dongle with S-video and RCA outs into the secondary connector on the card. I plugged a TV into the RCA out. I'd like to be able to run my monitor at 1024x768 and the TV at a lower resolution (800x600 or 640x480). I'd also like to have my monitor at 85hz and the TV at something lower (if it needs to be). The problem is that I just can't figure this out! I've tried nearly every possible combination of settings in the drivers (there are lots), but nothing seems to work. Are the separate resolutions/color depths supposed to work in both Clone and Multi-Display modes, or only one of them? The options to select one resolution/color depth for both displays or separate resolutions/color depth are available with either mode selected, but it seems that whenever I select separate and then have to reboot, it sets back to one resolution/depth for both.

I'd really appreciate it if someone could give me a step-by-step guide to getting my monitor and my TV displaying something (I don't care at this point if they both display the same thing or they are extensions of each other) at different resolutions and color depths simultaneously. Thanks for any help.

 

[Vegito]

Where did you get that info that w2k with latest driver allows you to have 2 seperate resolution ? I thought that was impossible unless they found a secret way...

 

[hatboy]

No, the most recent Matrox driver on their site is supposed to support this in 2000.

 

[Vegito]

Found it..

read about edual head but not 3rd generation stuff... gotta go try it.. brb... sweet.. just rebuild a w2k workstation..

 

[Vegito]

Just install it, did you add the "add support for multi display " when you install the driver ? Rebooting...

 

[hatboy]

yes, I did

 

[Vegito]

weird..... got mine to work.....

Pic here...

 

[hatboy]

So does it work for you?

 

[Vegito]

I'm using dual monitor, maybe it because it doesn't detect a monitor ? .. i never used a RCA out so I dont know what happens when signal goes out ...

See my pic where it shows 2 monitor, [1] [2], does urs show that under that display properties ?

 

[hatboy]

No, mine doesn't show two monitors, just one. Maybe I'll try it with another monitor.

 

[Vegito]

upon enable second head, it found a monitor... then i can do whatever.. but hey, ur right, it works... and i hope you get yours working soon... maybe u can put a monitor there as a dummy , set the thing to 800x6 and change to rca TV..

 

[hatboy]

Tried it with another monitor, still no go. It's only showing one monitor in the Settings tab of Display Properties.

 

[hatboy]

Well, I discovered my problem. The ONLY way it's possible to get separate resolutions/color depths on different displays is to use Multi-Display mode with two actual monitors (not one monitor and one TV). After hooking up a second monitor and setting it to Multi-Display mode, I finally got two separate monitors to show up in the settings tab of Display properties. Maybe somebody will find this useful...

 

[Vegito]

u think u can use that setting, reduce the second mointor to like 800 and then swap in the tv ?