Advice on running two screens needed

[guzler]

Hi guys,

I'm having a tinker and trying to run FSX with two monitors. PC:

I7 920
ATI 5850 with two outputs 10.1 drivers

I've got both monitors connected, on and the cursor passes between them, but FSX only runs on one of them. I've been on the internet looking for guidance, but a little confused as to all the info out there. Can anybody offer an idiots guide to getting it running ?

Thanks

Neil

[JamesChams]

Hi guys,

I'm having a tinker and trying to run FSX with two monitors. PC:

I7 920
ATI 5850 with two outputs 10.1 drivers

I've got both monitors connected, on and the cursor passes between them, but FSX only runs on one of them. I've been on the internet looking for guidance, but a little confused as to all the info out there. Can anybody offer an idiots guide to getting it running ?

Thanks

Neil

Mr. Neil "guzler",

Have you got (in Windows) your Desktop extended onto both monitors?
If, YES, then all you should need to do in FSX Windowed Mode is stretch (enlarge) the size of the FSX window to reach both screens. From there, your should be able to press [CTRL] + [ENTER] to go to Full Screen Mode.

If that, however, does not work then, there might be an issue with the current version of the Driver itself. Check with AMD/ATI for that; as they sometime change its ability to do that due to driver crashes/incompatibilities with App.'s.

Good Luck!


Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
From,
James F. Chams

[guzler]

Thanks James.

I've just tried that, but it just goes to one screen, when I press Alt+Enter to go to full screen mode.

Maybe it is the driver ?????????????????????

[JamesChams]

Thanks James.

I've just tried that, but it just goes to one screen, when I press Alt+Enter to go to full screen mode.

Maybe it is the driver ?????????????????????

Mr. Neil "guzler,"

Yes, but just to be sure, try this in FSX Windowed Mode...
1. Launch FSX with the default Cessna.
2. Open the 2D (Pop-up) GPS Window.
3. Using your mouse, Click and Drag the GPS Window from the initial screen across to the second screen (Monitor).

If it fails then it is definitely the driver; however, if it does that then you might want to change you FSX Display settings to the Res. of one Monitor+. (ie. if your Monitor is at 800x600, change it to 1024x768) and see you are able to extend it in FullScreen Mode. Eitherway check with AMD/ATI's dev.'s for driver updates.

Good Luck!


Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
From,
James F. Chams

[jetstreamsky]

Have you selected a wide resolution setting in FSX? (I'm not sure if you can do this in game as it won't be 'aware' of two screens, but perhaps modify the fsx.cfg directly.

I'm using TH2GO with three screens and my FSX.cfg has

[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275.0]
Mode=3840x1024x32

Try finding the DISPLAY.Device section and modifying the first number (3840 in my case) to your resolution for two screens.


There's also

WideViewAspect=True

in the [Display] section, don't know if this affects the resolution or just the field of view though.

[JamesChams]

Have you selected a wide resolution setting in FSX? (I'm not sure if you can do this in game as it won't be 'aware' of two screens, but perhaps modify the fsx.cfg directly.

I'm using TH2GO with three screens and my FSX.cfg has

[DISPLAY.Device.NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275.0]
Mode=3840x1024x32

Try finding the DISPLAY.Device section and modifying the first number (3840 in my case) to your resolution for two screens.


There's also

WideViewAspect=True

in the [Display] section, don't know if this affects the resolution or just the field of view though.

Mr. "jetstreamsky,"
Changing the Res in the game might work, he'll (Mr. Neil) have to try and see if it actually works with his current driver. But, TH2Go treats all three monitors as if they are ONE Large monitor to windows, so that will NOT work here for him as he has NOT indicated that he owns TH2Go (or Duel Head 2Go either). What he's doing then might be using the dual VGA/DVI ports on his video card to hook-up to two different monitors. Thus, TH2Go suggestions won't work for his setup.
Furthermore, "WideViewAspect" is really intended if you are using an LCD monitors that are 16x9 and you want the "best look" for it rather then what you get with standard monitors of a square image of 43". This might work for him if he's using an LCD 16x9 setup.

Thanks James....

Your very Welcome, Mr. Neil "guzler"! Hopefully, these suggestion will work for you; if not contact AMD/ATI.

Good Luck!

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
From,
James F. Chams

[guzler]

Thanks guys, but no joy I'm afraid, even after updating to the latest driver 10.3

One of the monitors is a wide screen 24", the other is a 19" square screen, don't know if that affects things. WideViewAspect is currently set as true.

The GPS won't drag to the other screen, but I can drag the windowed FSX view accross both screens, however when I go to full view I get both black screens.

I might look at the modules such as TH2GO....actually, just seen one on Amazon for £128 and changed my mind !!!

Thanks

Neil

[guzler]

OK, some progress.

I can't run in full screen with two monitors set up, but after clicking on "undock view" for the GPS, it now drags accross fine. I'm guessing I need to buy a flippin expensive module to have the screen stretched accross two screens.

[abrussell]

If you are trying to get one view spanned across two monitors they should be the same resolution. I tried it with my 22" and 19" monitors and it looked like crap.
Bruce

[guzler]

Looking like crap would be better than a black screen !!!!

Did you do it by attaching both monitors to seperate outputs from your card or through one of these expensive module thingimijigs ?

[hey_moe]

Before you can get it to look right you need to go into your video card set up and select dual monitor. The only time you need the other hard ware is if you go to a triple monitor. Both Nvidia and ATI have the dual monitor program already set up in their driver download.

[trisager]

Windows 7 cannot do the horizontal spanning you are looking for. You will need extra hardware to do it.

With XP it is supported directly by the driver, at least for NVidia cards. I belive it also worked in Vista, I can't remember.

Tom

[falcon409]

Windows 7 cannot do the horizontal spanning you are looking for. You will need extra hardware to do it.
With XP it is supported directly by the driver, at least for NVidia cards. I belive it also worked in Vista, I can't remember.
Tom

Yea, I figured I'd let everyone else give up their ideas before mentioning that. I've been running NVidia from the very start, never have owned anything but and I know for a fact that starting with Vista, what he wants to do is no longer supported. The only way you can use the 2nd monitor (as he's already discovered) is to "undock" your pop-ups and move them to the other monitor. Sorry, just the way it is.:salute:

[jetstreamsky]

Neil,

I started out in XP trying to use 2 screens directly, set to span across both rather than run different views in each which functioned OK, but not satisfactorily as it always put the centre of the view right where the bezels meet (obvious really, but I was hoping to be able to have an offset view like being in the left seat of a side-by-side cockpit). in the end I ponied up the dosh and bought the triple head to go with yet another monitor and never looked back. The true genius of the device is not so much the fact you can couple up screens, but the fact that the PC sees it as only ONE very wide screen, thus greatly simplifying settings and display of games and documents. The only caveat is you need a good combination of screen sizes and resolutions for it to work.

If you want to stick with two screens, then there is a Dual Head to Go version, it may be cheaper.

[hey_moe]

Here is my triple monitor rig, I use to have a dual monitor but Jet was right, I forgot everything was right in the middle of the two monitors....lol

[falcon409]

. . . .Both Nvidia and ATI have the dual monitor program already set up in their driver download.

I can't count how many times I've had this discussion, and here it is yet again. I run an NVidia 9600GT (with the 196.X drivers) and there is no "Dual Monitor" Setup available. It only gives me the option to choose a "primary" and "secondary" monitor. In XP, I had the option to "clone" along with several other options, but no more. Once I switched to Vista. . .those options no longer were available. Now if you can tell me where I'm not looking, I'd be more than happy to run that puppy and have what I've been trying to do for 3 yrs now.

[Tylerb59]

Here is my triple monitor rig, I use to have a dual monitor but Jet was right, I forgot everything was right in the middle of the two monitors....lol

Fan for added realism?

Looks like a great setup!

[guzler]

I think the missus would kill me if she came home to 3 monitors on the home pc !!! All this money, I might as well get my microlight license back to current and fly for real !!!!!!

That 3 monitor setup looks the dogs danglies. How does having three monitors affect the frame rates ?