Need help setting up my dual monitor

[hondAS2ooo170]

Ok Lets start at the beginning. I just purchased a new 19 inch lcd monitor. so i have a spare samsung 7c crt. so i thought i would run dual monitors. i thought of my lcd monitor to be my primary and crt as my secondary. so primary monitor would work the same as if i had one monitor, but the second montor i want to be able to programs that i choose to run. for example, the primary monitor im running a game and the second i would like to surf the net at the same time. mainly i want to multitask without closing the the programs and switching to the other program simply by presing alt+tab. can anyone tell me how i can do this.

 

[imported_Phil]

You can't run games and surf at the same time. It's not going to happen.

To enable dual monitors, open the Display control panel. Click the monitor marked with a "2" and check the "Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor" box. Hit Okay. Done.

 

[hondAS2ooo170]

ok i get it now

 

[OdiN]

To expand a bit on what Phil said.

Once you start a game which requires a 3D API (OpenGL, Direct3D) then your second display will blank out. There are some older games which you can run windowed and still use 2D modes or that will end up with your second display not blanked out while playing them. These games are CPU rendered or otherwise rendered. Think Doom or the original Quake.

 

[ShellGuy]

From what i have heard you can run BF2 in Windowed mode...



Will G.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: OdiN
To expand a bit on what Phil said.

Once you start a game which requires a 3D API (OpenGL, Direct3D) then your second display will blank out. There are some older games which you can run windowed and still use 2D modes or that will end up with your second display not blanked out while playing them. These games are CPU rendered or otherwise rendered. Think Doom or the original Quake.

Actually, once you start a 3D game, the second display won't blank out. Mine didn't on my 9600 Pro or my 6600GT, in either OpenGL or D3D.

 

[letdown427]

I play games on one monitor and have various dross on the second one. Alt+Tabbing does minimize the game though, that can't really be avoided I don't think. You can't control what's on the second screen while you game, as the mouse/keyboard is locked to that game.

If the game can run windowed then yeh, no problems (Live For Speed can )

The way mine is set, it's basically a normal PC with an 18inch lcd (like your 19 would be) but then it has an extra 1280x1024 of desktop space off to one side that you can put stuff on.

I'm using a 9800pro at the moment, but have a 7900gtx arriving tomorrow, so I can probably pay more attention to how I set it up so I can explain it better, but just have a go with the various settings. In my experience, the ATI stuff has been very simple to use, just try the dif options in the display manager bit.

 

[Lonyo]

You can run stuff on the second monitor like a video of some sort, monitoring programs etc, anything you want, you just can't interact with them without the game minimising (unless it's windowed).
It's not the most useful thing, but it does give a bit of extra space, which is nice, even though it's not always fully and easily usable.

 

[hondAS2ooo170]

thx for the info