Multi-monitor cards / utilities question

[Havok423]

Is anyone using HydraVision or nView on their adapters? If so can you answer a few basic questions?

How do you use the program? Not how is it used, but what do you do with it in your daily use?

What happens if you start a game in the primary monitor? Does the secondary shut down or go loopy?

In your opinion, is it a worthwhile feature?

Who implements it better? ATI or nVidia? Are there speed limitations if you have one digital hookup and the other analog (saw a demo once and the secondary monitor was "slow" with windows dragging, etc).

The cards being considered are the 9700 Pro and the 4600-Ti (maybe 4400 or 4200Ti if I decide to get NV30 later)?
My setup will be a Dell 2000FP monitor via DVI as monitor 1 and a Dell 1702FP via analog as monitor 2.

Thanks for any advice/info you can give.

 

[CubicZirconia]

Personally, I use UltraMon with my gf4ti4400. It seems to be much better than nView to me. Having 2 separate internet explorer windows open is always nice (ie leave the forums open on one and actively browse on the other). Other than that, it can be helpful when referring to an internet source while typing--no minimizing/maximizing.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Although I have a Matrox setup at home (G450DH+MGA) and I have an older nVidia+3Dlabs at work (Riva128+Permedia2), maybe these will help:

The other monitors will usually still display the desktop, though they may be shifted because of the change in resolution. You won't be able to make anything happen on the other monitor(s) but you can leave an IM window open and watch people say stuff.

Considering that I have 5 monitors for two computers, hell yeah I find it a worthwhile feature. Often I'll watch a video on one, browse on another, and burn a CD in the third. Or at work, I'll have a spreadsheet open on one and a database on the other so I can easily view both, or have a datasheet open on one and browse for a cross on the other. VERY useful and IMO, much better than having a single monitor that could do the wide resolution.

Typically there is lag when you move something between monitors, but not within monitors.

Minor caveats: Some programs do not get displayed correctly, or have thier menus not pop up correctly when not on the primary display. It's not a common problem nor is it hard to get around (move the app to the primary). TV tuner cards typically will overlay only on the primary unless you set them to run in software, or partial software, instead of pure hardware overlay.

 

[GrumpyMan]

I use Ultramon too, works great.

 

[powerMarkymark]

'Nother vote for UltraMon 2.

 

[Anubis]

i use teh nview 2.0 software seems to be fine. i have 2 different desktops. treats the outputs as seperat displays works fine. even with 2 diff moniters at diff resolutions. i also use UltraMon to get a task bar on my second moniter. the combonation of the 2 is great

EDIT: thsi is on my TI4600

 

[penpun]

i've got two samsung 955df's (beautiful monitors!) connected to my cheapie powercolor 7500... unfortunately, the secondary display (using a dvi-vga adapter) is all blurry. need to find a better one. are all dvi-vga adapters created equal? are they brand-of-card specific? is my mom at your house? again?

 

[Anubis]

i use a DVI - VGA adapter on my TI4600 and there is no blurryness. looks great. i got it from newegg