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Fsx Vista And Duel Monitors

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Hi all and a Happy Holidays.I assume this has been asked and answered before, but I've searched the forum and not found anything.I have a Dell XPS 730 System running Vista SP1 and FSX sp2 Acc. With Extreme Intel X9650 Quad core.CPUI have a ATI Radeon 3870 x2 DVI video card.I have one Dell 20 inch DVI and Dell 24 inch DVI connection monitors.I can span FSX and desktop to both monitors, but I was wondering is it possible to do the following.On main monitor have the forward view screen of a cockpit and on 2nd monitor have the left view of cockpit or left view of a wing.Or do I need to buy a triple or duel head to go thing?Thanks in advancePhil

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Hi all and a Happy Holidays.I assume this has been asked and answered before, but I've searched the forum and not found anything.I have a Dell XPS 730 System running Vista SP1 and FSX sp2 Acc. With Extreme Intel X9650 Quad core.CPUI have a ATI Radeon 3870 x2 DVI video card.I have one Dell 20 inch DVI and Dell 24 inch DVI connection monitors.I can span FSX and desktop to both monitors, but I was wondering is it possible to do the following.On main monitor have the forward view screen of a cockpit and on 2nd monitor have the left view of cockpit or left view of a wing.Or do I need to buy a triple or duel head to go thing?Thanks in advancePhil
Hi Phil, you'll need the "triple or dual head to go thing" - unless you want to run 2d in windowed mode, or you could use Wideview.

Regards, Kendall

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Hi Phil, you'll need the "triple or dual head to go thing" - unless you want to run 2d in windowed mode, or you could use Wideview.
Thanks for replyHmm, then that makes you wonder what is the point of video card having two DVI outputs.As isn't triple head to go, doing the same thing, converting one Video card out put into 2 or 3?Anyway I had not heard of wideview, I check it out.Phil

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Thanks for replyHmm, then that makes you wonder what is the point of video card having two DVI outputs.As isn't triple head to go, doing the same thing, converting one Video card out put into 2 or 3?Anyway I had not heard of wideview, I check it out.Phil
--------------Phil- Yes you can run two monitors from a single GPU. If your desktop spans your two monitors, all you need to do is create a new view on main mon, then undock it and drag it to the secondary mon. Now click on this new view and then using Num Keyboard set the view to whatever you wish- such as View Forward Left. Check your KB Assignments for Look Forward left/right. Same goes for Panel Popups that you may wish to keep open on the second mon.While I run only FS9, I have seen an FSX demo of triple views being run on 3 monitors. So it can be done!And it is possible in both sims, to adjust for the precise width of the monitor bezels and so keep the views perfectly synched in roll and pitch. You don't need Wideview unless you wish to employ multiple processors.The above comments refer to 2D- if you wish to fly virtual cockpit then TH2Go is the answer. But it produces only a single View Fwd spread across 3 monitors. For a view of the world wider than the individual 45

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Vista , unlike xP , has no possibility to span a desktop over 2 monitors.In Windowed mode you can add extra views , but it will cost you 35-40% framerates per view.To avoid this :- use a Matrox DualHead2Go --> one wide view over 2 monitors.- use a Matrox Triple Head 2Go --> one extra wide view over 3 monitors- install XP , best 64bit, buy 2 Matrox DualHead2Go and use this setup to get a ultra wide view over 4 monitors


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In Windowed mode you can add extra views , but it will cost you 35-40% framerates per view.To avoid this :- use a Matrox DualHead2Go --> one wide view over 2 monitors.- use a Matrox Triple Head 2Go --> one extra wide view over 3 monitors- install XP , best 64bit, buy 2 Matrox DualHead2Go and use this setup to get a ultra wide view over 4 monitors
Vista , unlike xP , has no possibility to span a desktop over 2 monitors.Thanks to both of you for replies and suggestionsI think Vista can, as currently I have desktop background image on both monitors.In fact when I check my email, I see it on both screens, as you can select through ATI catalyst manager to extended desktop to 2nd monitor.As January suggested I will try it out and I feel it will work, but I wait to I do it to say it will for certain.But one thing would be a concern is frame rates as you say, but the card I is a 1024mb card and has duel DVI outputs, If I am not mistaken it has duel GPU, but I wil check ATI web site before I say that for certain.Phil
--------------Phil- Yes you can run two monitors from a single GPU. If your desktop spans your two monitors, all you need to do is create a new view on main mon, then undock it and drag it to the secondary mon. Now click on this new view and then using Num Keyboard set the view to whatever you wish- such as View Forward Left. Check your KB Assignments for Look Forward left/right. Same goes for Panel Popups that you may wish to keep open on the second mon.While I run only FS9, I have seen an FSX demo of triple views being run on 3 monitors. So it can be done!And it is possible in both sims, to adjust for the precise width of the monitor bezels and so keep the views perfectly synched in roll and pitch. You don't need Wideview unless you wish to employ multiple processors.The above comments refer to 2D- if you wish to fly virtual cockpit then TH2Go is the answer. But it produces only a single View Fwd spread across 3 monitors. For a view of the world wider than the individual 45

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Vista , unlike xP , has no possibility to span a desktop over 2 monitors.--------I think Vista can, as currently I have desktop background image on both monitors.In fact when I check my email, I see it on both screens, as you can select through ATI catalyst manager to extended desktop to 2nd monitor.--------But one thing would be a concern is frame rates as you say, but the card I is a 1024mb card and has duel DVI outputs, If I am not mistaken it has duel GPU, but I wil check ATI web site before I say that for certain.Phil
Phil- If you see the same image on both screens, I think you have NOT spanned the desktop. By spanning we mean that the desktop is twice as wide and the mouse cursor can be dragged from far left to extreme right across both mons. The email image should be on only on mon- but can be dragged onto the other mon.In Win XP, monitor/desktop extension is done in Display/settings- there is a box to be ticked: "extend my desktop onto this monitor". I would assume Vista has something similar.Re frame rates: my research says FPS is a function of the area of the view(s) being displayed and of course the monitor resolution settings. (mine are 1024x768 but with 3 mons, it is really 3072x768 !!!) Consequently on my 5+ year old 'puter I minimize the View image sizes on monitors 2 & 3 by setting them up as partial screen height and filling in below with panel popups. This creates a panel 3 mons wide and the result is effectively, only 2 views in TOTAL PIXELS being generated. So my FPS is approx 1/2 of single mon performance. Most Panel Popups seem to have almost no fps penalty.I set up targeting 30-50 FPS on a single monitor by reducing some FS settings - AutoGen off and most settings mid point. 30-50 FPS single mon equates to 15-25 on triple mons since the the pixel load is only doubled even though there are triple views !!!! (see prior pic)Alex Reid

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Guest JimBrown

I believe there is a misunderstanding here.Both XP and Vista can extend their desktops to two (or more) monitors. However, the OS (and programs, such as FSX) still see each monitor separately. Most programs will allow their window, when not maximized, to be stretched across both monitors. Some (like FSX) do not. (If you stretch a non-maximized windows across two monitors, then maximize it, it will maximize on one monitor only. Go ahead, try it with Notepad. I'll wait. :( ) Additionally, when FSX was swtiched to full screen mode, any view (undocked or not) could only fill one monitor. However; it is possible to drag an undocked view to the second monitor.Later nVidia XP drivers, had a DualView mode (I think that's what they called it. Either that, or Span mode, with DualView being the same as extended desktop.) This mode made the two monitors appear as a single wide monitor to the OS and programs. (Similar to what the DualHead2Go does.) Since FSX only saw one monitor, when switched to full screen mode it would fill both monitors.Unfortunately, Microsoft changed something in Vista, and nVidia can no longer offer that mode in their Vista drivers.Which is why I just ordered a third monitor and a TripleHead2Go. :( Regards,...jim

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I believe there is a misunderstanding here.Both XP and Vista can extend their desktops to two (or more) monitors. However, the OS (and programs, such as FSX) still see each monitor separately. Most programs will allow their window, when not maximized, to be stretched across both monitors. Some (like FSX) do not. (If you stretch a non-maximized windows across two monitors, then maximize it, it will maximize on one monitor only. Go ahead, try it with Notepad. I'll wait. :( ) Additionally, when FSX was swtiched to full screen mode, any view (undocked or not) could only fill one monitor. However; it is possible to drag an undocked view to the second monitor.Later nVidia XP drivers, had a DualView mode (I think that's what they called it. Either that, or Span mode, with DualView being the same as extended desktop.) This mode made the two monitors appear as a single wide monitor to the OS and programs. (Similar to what the DualHead2Go does.) Since FSX only saw one monitor, when switched to full screen mode it would fill both monitors.Unfortunately, Microsoft changed something in Vista, and nVidia can no longer offer that mode in their Vista drivers.Which is why I just ordered a third monitor and a TripleHead2Go. :( Regards,...jim
Hi guys, yes your both correct. ( although I am not running Nvidia drives, card is a Radeon 3870x2) I gave up on Nivida after being a suporter of their cards for last 8 years due to drivers and Vista, but that is another story.If you has FSX running in not full window mode and then select "new" view and undock that view, you can drag the new view to other monitor and the switch to fill window mode.But the killer as mentioned here already is frame rates, I reckon it's a 50% drop, although I've only tested it out at a very frame rate demanding airport.It does appear the triple head 2 go is possibily the answer. I will have to check out that product in more detail.Phil

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Hi guys, yes your both correct. ( although I am not running Nvidia drives, card is a Radeon 3870x2) I gave up on Nivida after being a suporter of their cards for last 8 years due to drivers and Vista, but that is another story.If you has FSX running in not full window mode and then select "new" view and undock that view, you can drag the new view to other monitor and the switch to fill window mode.But the killer as mentioned here already is frame rates, I reckon it's a 50% drop, although I've only tested it out at a very frame rate demanding airport.It does appear the triple head 2 go is possibily the answer. I will have to check out that product in more detail.Phil
-------Phil- if running two views on multi monitors, always reclick on main monitor after you have clicked anything on a secondary mon. Otherwise FPS hit. AND NEVER, repeat NEVER allow a view to overlap onto an adjacent monitor! But strangely, popups CAN be overlapped with no penalty!And certainly in FS9, I have never been able to get Full Screen to work with multi mons. But I auto hide both menu and task bars and have changed the colour of title bars to black with dark green letters. The result is an image you would be hard pressed to detect the difference with Full Screen. See the attach pic. When you check out TH2Go, look into the question of different sized mons- I believe they recommend all to be same size.Alex ReidDreamFleet Bonanza @ Stewart BC. AMD XP2200/1.8 Ghz, 2 GeForce FX5200 GPUs, WIN XP, UT & GE.

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-------Phil- if running two views on multi monitors, always reclick on main monitor after you have clicked anything on a secondary mon. Otherwise FPS hit. AND NEVER, repeat NEVER allow a view to overlap onto an adjacent monitor! But strangely, popups CAN be overlapped with no penalty!And certainly in FS9, I have never been able to get Full Screen to work with multi mons. But I auto hide both menu and task bars and have changed the colour of title bars to black with dark green letters. The result is an image you would be hard pressed to detect the difference with Full Screen. See the attach pic. When you check out TH2Go, look into the question of different sized mons- I believe they recommend all to be same size.Alex ReidDreamFleet Bonanza @ Stewart BC. AMD XP2200/1.8 Ghz, 2 GeForce FX5200 GPUs, WIN XP, UT & GE.
Hi Alex, thanks for futher post and info. Yes I shall do that, as when I did try it yesterday, mouse was clicking on 2nd monitor.To get image same size on smaller 2nd monitor, one has to drag image with mouse and then resize it and then click on full window mode.I've looked briefly at TH2go, not cheap are they, gee I could buy another Decent video card for the price. Well maybe dearer here as Aussie $$ is very weak compared to pre Financial crash!Anyway I do some more testing with what set up I have and see what FPS I get in different scenery areas and settings.CheersPhil

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"To get image same size on smaller 2nd monitor, one has to drag image with mouse and then resize it and then click on full window mode." Your quote.-------------Phil- I also use monitors of different sizes- left is 17"lcd and main & right are 19"crts. The best way to deal with this is to drag the view from small monitor on top of larger mon view. Then drag the side of that small view until it is same width as the bigger view. Now drag this resized view back to its original mon and allow the outer edge to fall off the side of the screen. (And of course, then reclick on main view to maintain monitor focus there.) (and never let a side view overlap the main view!!!!!)Bingo- a 19" view displayed on a 17" monitor!!!(Works better than Zooming Up the smaller mon.)Alex Reid

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