Matrox G450 Dualhead: Is it possible to run 2 diffrent resolutions?

[ndee]

Hi there,
I hope that is possible cuz I have a 19" Monitor and an el-cheapo 17". On the 19" Screen, I'd like to run 1280x960 and on the 17" 1024x768, isn't that possible?

Thanx

 

[sohcrates]

sure is. what operating system? luckily, that DOESN'T matter anymore! it used to be that only 98 could support independent refresh rates/resolutions, but matrox came out several months ago with that option for 2k/NT

so you will not have a problem doing so

 

[ndee]

Are you sure? I can only run 2048x768.... Well I think it's not possible cuz on the 19" I could display more in a higher resolution.

 

[yasha]

Absolutely! The card has 2 seperate ramdac chips. I belive the second is 230max

 

[joohang]

Hell.. I can run different resolutions on each of my 3 monitors.

 

[sohcrates]

are you running the newest drivers?

1) you have to uninstall the old drivers FIRST

2) when you install the new ones, make sure you say "yes" to the option of separate resolutions

 

[sohcrates]

hey joohang, so you're saying that you can pair a video card with a dualhead g4xx and use 3 monitors? i guess i knew this, just never thought of it. that rules! how well does your second vid card work with your matrox? (just because i've found that using 2 vid cards for dual monitor support is unstable, therefore i bought a g400). thanks!

 

[joohang]

Unstable???

It's a lovely setup. I got a Viewsonic 17" on the main Matrox RAMDAC w/2 15" Samsung 550s connected to the second Matrox RAMDAC and an old ATI 3D +XPRESSION, respectively.

Each monitor can have different refresh rates, screen resolutions and color depth. Works beautifully.

Any Matrox-specific driver or DualHead features will only work on monitors connected to the Matrox card, though. That's about it. Doesn't bother me at all because I found most of those "DualHead" browsing stuff more annoying than convenient.

Can't go wrong with Matrox G450, though. I highly recommend it.

 

[wolf550e]

yes, you can run completely usynch, resolution/color depth/refresh rate, extend, clone, zoom, media.

 

[ndee]

OK, I don't get it. I uninstalled the old drivers, installed the new ones (5.52) for windows 2000, it asked me if I wanted to use dual-head feature, answered with yes, but in the display properties, I only have 1 slider, which I can set to 2560x1024 or lower. I can't set it seperate for the monitors.

 

[sohcrates]

do two monitors show up? 1 and 2? and you select 1, then move slider. then click on "2" and move slider for that. you don't see two monitors?

 

[ndee]

Nope, I just see 1 monitor

 

[sohcrates]

well...if it gave you the option to enable dualhead, and then you rebooted, you have GOT to be close. are BOTH monitors physically hooked up to the vid card??

 

[ndee]

yes they are, and the picture is streched over the 2 monitors, but I can only set 1 resolution, like 1600x1200(for both monitors) or 2304x864 for both.... I'm trying to add another monitor with the Add Hardware thingie



Can't add another Monitor.... d@mn

 

[sohcrates]

here's a question. if you go to device manager, do you see TWO SEPARATE matrox cards listed?

 

[ndee]

Yep, the following:

Matrox Millennium G450 Dual Head LE - English
Matrox Millennium G450 DualHead - Deutsch


I just updated the driver for the Dual Head LE..... to the same. Hope it works...

 

[ndee]

ok, now are both display adapters listed as:

Matrox Millennium G450 DualHead - Deutsch
Matrox Millennium G450 DualHead - Deutsch


But still 1 monitor. Do I have to specially install the second monitor? The Videocard detects the monitor, but not windows IMHO

 

[sohcrates]

hmmm...it's 4 am where i am, and i'm out of ideas. i'll sleep on it, and if you don't get some answers by tomorrow, i'll see what i can think up. good luck!

 

[ndee]

thanx sohcrates, and all the others


OK, I'm really too stupid, but I fixed it. But now, my second screen is only at 60Hz and I cannot change it in the display properties. The right monitor driver is installed. Anyone?

Thanx


[Edit] Matrox must be kidding right? I can only set the second display to 800x600@85Hz, not to 1024x768@85Hz. Isn't the second RAMDAC not capable of higher refresh rates? [/Edit]

 

[joohang]

Did you go to Advanced Settings -> DualHead -> MultiDisplay Settings and enable "Separate resolutions and color palette for both monitors"?

There is also an option there for "Max secondary resolution."

 

[ndee]

well, I just fixed the problem... I was to stupid to execute the Setup that came with the drivers. I just went to the device Manager and changed the driver....

Well it tells me the maximal resolution is 1280x1024 BUT I can't change the refresh rates.

 

[joohang]

<< well, I just fixed the problem... I was to stupid to execute the Setup that came with the drivers. I just went to the device Manager and changed the driver.... >>


Haha. I did the exact same thing when I first got the card. I'm not used to running &quot;setup&quot; for installing drivers.



<< Well it tells me the maximal resolution is 1280x1024 BUT I can't change the refresh rates. >>


Try setting your second monitor as &quot;Plug and Play&quot; and see if that helps.

 

[ndee]

joohang:
I'll try it... thanx


OK, didn't work... 800x600 max is 85Hz.... 1024x768, max is 60Hz... weird...

 

[joohang]

I'll try hooking up my 17&quot; as the secondary and see if I can get any higher refresh rates.

 

[sohcrates]

i run 1024x768 @ 75 hz on my second monitor. but i've found that it's REAL finnicky with your monitor driver selection. as in, you may want to choose a &quot;generic 1024x768 @75hz&quot; monitor display properties. then it will run at &quot;optimal&quot; refresh, which is 75 hz

try this as well as other monitor combo's