Unofficial Dual/Triple Monitor Information Thread

[Monkmachine]

Originally Posted by Squeeker The Cat

can i make my laptop be a 2nd monitor without tearing it apart like that one link says?

Looks like you can with http://www.maxivista.com/

[PUNK rock]

Originally Posted by Monkmachine

Nice Punk Rock, got any tips or tricks that I can add to my OP?

Tip: Have one monitor with multiple inputs so you can play 360/PS3 and have your PC on the other one. Can switch back as needed. My ASUS monitor has DVI, VGA and HDMI so it works great.

[IEATFISH]

Okay, I have my 40" 1080p TV hooked up now and I want to be able to start games sometimes on that without switching my primary monitor. Any easy way? I have Ultramon installed already too.

[UxKa]

^^ I kind of have a similar, but slightly more difficult want. I have had dual monitors for some time, and just bought a 40' HDMI cable to run out of the mobo's HDMI to my TV. I got everything set up fine on a test run, that's not the issue.

I want to have the TV disabled most of the time so the mouse won't go there the 95% of the time I'm not using the TV. I want to be able to quickly enable the TV, and have full-screen applications default to it when it is enabled (games or movies). It doesn't have to be as fast as a hotkey, but quicker than a manual setup every time. I messed around with nView but when I use nView to disable the TV (only when I use nView) it throws all my icons against the left side of my primary monitor. Any suggestions? It didn't look like UltraMon has that feature, but maybe I missed something.

[IEATFISH]

Originally Posted by UxKa

^^ I kind of have a similar, but slightly more difficult want. I have had dual monitors for some time, and just bought a 40' HDMI cable to run out of the mobo's HDMI to my TV. I got everything set up fine on a test run, that's not the issue.

I want to have the TV disabled most of the time so the mouse won't go there the 95% of the time I'm not using the TV. I want to be able to quickly enable the TV, and have full-screen applications default to it when it is enabled (games or movies). It doesn't have to be as fast as a hotkey, but quicker than a manual setup every time. I messed around with nView but when I use nView to disable the TV (only when I use nView) it throws all my icons against the left side of my primary monitor. Any suggestions? It didn't look like UltraMon has that feature, but maybe I missed something.

So I have been toying with Ultramon for a little bit and it does work rather well. You can disable the secondary monitor from the tray icon when you aren't using it. Also, when it is installed, two menus are added to all shortcut properties dialogs. You may find what you want there.

[Monkmachine]

Originally Posted by IEATFISH

Okay, I have my 40" 1080p TV hooked up now and I want to be able to start games sometimes on that without switching my primary monitor. Any easy way? I have Ultramon installed already too.

As far as I'm aware this is not possible, the only way I can think of is to setup two profiles in ultramon and switch between the two when you want to game.

Originally Posted by UxKa

^^ I kind of have a similar, but slightly more difficult want. I have had dual monitors for some time, and just bought a 40' HDMI cable to run out of the mobo's HDMI to my TV. I got everything set up fine on a test run, that's not the issue.

I want to have the TV disabled most of the time so the mouse won't go there the 95% of the time I'm not using the TV. I want to be able to quickly enable the TV, and have full-screen applications default to it when it is enabled (games or movies). It doesn't have to be as fast as a hotkey, but quicker than a manual setup every time. I messed around with nView but when I use nView to disable the TV (only when I use nView) it throws all my icons against the left side of my primary monitor. Any suggestions? It didn't look like UltraMon has that feature, but maybe I missed something.

Ultramon has a profiles feature that lets you setup multiple profiles with different settings, I use it for BF2 if I want to watch a movie on my other screen (bf2 doesn't support 1360x768 so I have to switch to 1024*768 on my main monitor to watch a film on my other screen properly)

Guys seriously have a play with ultramon, you'll be happy with the options you can setup for multiple profiles.

Hope this helps

[IEATFISH]

Here is my solution for now:

I created new shortcuts for each program I wanted to run on the secondary monitor when I start them. I then right click the shortcuts and go to one of the Ultramon tabs. There, I can set the secondary to change to the primary when I launch the program and return to secondary when I exit the program.

This allows me to open Burnout Paradise, for example, from this shortcut when I want to play it on the big screen. My monitors switch and Burnout Paradise still opens on the primary monitor which is now the big screen. When I exit the game, my settings go back to normal and the big screen is back to secondary.

It works well so far, but I still can't get it to work with my Steam games.

[topdog]

+rep I now know how to change which monitor is on the left/right

[Monkmachine]

Originally Posted by IEATFISH

Here is my solution for now:

I created new shortcuts for each program I wanted to run on the secondary monitor when I start them. I then right click the shortcuts and go to one of the Ultramon tabs. There, I can set the secondary to change to the primary when I launch the program and return to secondary when I exit the program.

This allows me to open Burnout Paradise, for example, from this shortcut when I want to play it on the big screen. My monitors switch and Burnout Paradise still opens on the primary monitor which is now the big screen. When I exit the game, my settings go back to normal and the big screen is back to secondary.

It works well so far, but I still can't get it to work with my Steam games.

I know you can create shortcuts on your desktop for steam games by right clicking on it in steam, does this work?

Originally Posted by topdog

+rep I now know how to change which monitor is on the left/right

Happy to help mate

[IEATFISH]

Originally Posted by Monkmachine

I know you can create shortcuts on your desktop for steam games by right clicking on it in steam, does this work?

No, the reason is the shortcut just tells steam to open that program so as soon as the shortcut has run its course, the display switch back.