Dual-Monitor Issue

[Shai]

Ok, here is my current setup:

I have an NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT with a DVI-D, HDMI and S-Video port. I have two Acer X223W LCD monitors, which have a DVI-D port and a VGA port, native resolution 1680 x 1050. I have an Insignia HD-TV, with an available HDMI port.

I want both Acers to have independent displays, and the TV to have the same output as one of the Acers. Currently, I have an HDMI to DVI-D cable going from my graphic card to my primary Acer display. I have a DVI splitter splitting up the DVI-D port on the graphic card. I then have a DVI-D to HDMI cable going to the TV from the splitter, and a DVI-D cable going from the splitter to the second monitor.

This works nicely before Windows Vista Home Premium finishes loading. I think NVIDIA kicks in after this. If both the Acer and the TV are plugged into the splitter, I can't use either display. If I unplug them both and plug in the Acer, set it up as the second display, then plug in the TV, I can get both to work, but only at 1024 x 768. If I plug in the TV first, set it up, then the Acer, I can get a higher resolution on the both screens, as long as I don't mess with the settings or open up the NVIDIA control panel. If I have both displays going at once, and I turn off the Acer, the TV does weird stuff (turn the display on and off seemingly randomly, but as soon as I turn the Acer back on, TV stays on fine).

I'd love to have max resolution on both displays, without having to worry about going underneath my desk and plugging stuff in and out everytime I want to do something different. I think the problem is stemming from the graphic card trying to figure out what the displays are, and getting confused when two displays are giving information at the same time, to the same port. Is there a way to tell it there is a splitter there? Or a way for it to not auto-detect the monitors? Thanks in advance!

[mosc]

is it so bad to run the TV off of the S-video output?

Another brilliant option is to buy another graphics card (PCI would work fine) that has a DVI port.

[Shai]

is it so bad to run the TV off of the S-video output?

Another brilliant option is to buy another graphics card (PCI would work fine) that has a DVI port.

For some dumb reason, the graphic card doesn't allow me to have 3 independent screens, for one thing. Another issue is that my new computer has a blu-ray player, and so I want to be able to watch HD movies in HD. And I don't think I have any more PCI slots left, there's one PCI-Express but I don't want to use that up with another graphic card.

It's not the worst thing in the world to get down underneath my desk, but it's not optimal.

[Endless Mike]

is it so bad to run the TV off of the S-video output?

He probably doesn't want his HDTV running at interlaced 640x480 (or whatever goofy PAL is if he rolls that way). I can't say I blame him.

[mosc]

Is this where I bring up the fact that DVD is only 480p and that the vast majority blu-ray movies released today are simple upscans. Any older movie is not going to be in that resolution. SVIDEO works fine for DVD quality which is more than you'll get from anything pre-2006 (any many after).

Also we haven't mentioned the native resolution of the TV? Most HDTVs on the market (especially if it's not a brand new TV) are natively 720 tall, not 1080.

Anyway, I still say the best way to handle this is a additional graphics head (another video card).

[tradiuz]

Your best bet is a) get rid of Vista and/or b) get a second video card.

[quizme2000]

I have a similar setup.

Cables: Plug your primary LCD into the DVI-D port and leave it alone. Then run a HDMI cable from the graphics card to a 1X2 Powered HDMI Splitter (monprice approx $70) Then connect a HDMI to DVI-D to the second LCD and an HDMI cable to the HDTV. Your HDTV will replicate the LCD pluged in to the splitter.

Config: Open the NVIDA control panel goto "select task/display/setup multiple displays". Select "Dualview" and Select the Primary LCD. Then go to the windows display control panel to set the resolutions for the Primary LCD and the LCD/HDTV

Good Luck

[Shai]

I have a similar setup.

Cables: Plug your primary LCD into the DVI-D port and leave it alone. Then run a HDMI cable from the graphics card to a 1X2 Powered HDMI Splitter (monprice approx $70) Then connect a HDMI to DVI-D to the second LCD and an HDMI cable to the HDTV. Your HDTV will replicate the LCD pluged in to the splitter.

Config: Open the NVIDA control panel goto "select task/display/setup multiple displays". Select "Dualview" and Select the Primary LCD. Then go to the windows display control panel to set the resolutions for the Primary LCD and the LCD/HDTV

Good Luck

Is there a reason that this setup would work whereas mine doesn't? I'm just asking because I've already sunk a fair amount of money in. I think the difference between your setup and mine is that I'm splitting the DVI instead of HDMI, and the splitter isn't powered. Thanks!!

[b.i.o]

My advice would be to try different (newer?) video card drivers--I seem to remember some versions not doing so well with multiple monitors.

[quizme2000]

[cite]Is there a reason that this setup would work whereas mine doesn't? I'm just asking because I've already sunk a fair amount of money in. I think the difference between your setup and mine is that I'm splitting the DVI instead of HDMI, and the splitter isn't powered. Thanks!![/cite]

It could be that the max/supported resolution for your HDTV isn't able to display 1680 x 1050 @ 60Hz even though it may fall within a 1080p/i spec but not 720p. Remember the Windows Vista boot screen is 800x600 or 1024x768 (in high-res mode). When windows hands off the display to the nvida driver, the driver then sets your selected resolution which may not be supported by the HDTV set.

BTW the video cards we (consumers) use won't be able to detect multiple displays connected to one output, only one display per port.

[b.i.o]

[cite]Is there a reason that this setup would work whereas mine doesn't? I'm just asking because I've already sunk a fair amount of money in. I think the difference between your setup and mine is that I'm splitting the DVI instead of HDMI, and the splitter isn't powered. Thanks!![/cite]

It could be that the max/supported resolution for your HDTV isn't able to display 1680 x 1050 @ 60Hz even though it may fall within a 1080p/i spec but not 720p. Remember the Windows Vista boot screen is 800x600 or 1024x768 (in high-res mode). When windows hands off the display to the nvida driver, the driver then sets your selected resolution which may not be supported by the HDTV set.

Hadn't thought of that, but it sounds like it could be the case, now that I've heard it.

[Shai]

BTW the video cards we (consumers) use won't be able to detect multiple displays connected to one output, only one display per port.

That's what I've been thinking, too, since I can get 1824x1024 at 60 hz on the TV if it's the only display hooked up to the splitter. I'm thinking if DVI-D uses two way communication (which it must, if it can detect what monitor/TV is plugged in) then it must be getting confused when there are two inputs sending back information at the same time. That's why I was hoping it was possible for it not to actually try and detect, but let me tell it what to display. I'd be happy with 1680x1050, 60 hz on all screens. It's not quite 1080p but c'est la vie.

I can get nice resolutions on any monitor, and I might even be able to get it on all monitors, but it involves plugging things in and out in just the right order, which is something I'm trying to avoid. And it means doing it everytime I restart my computer. Thus, my dilemma. Thanks again for any input, though. Much appreciated.

[quizme2000]

That's what I've been thinking, too, since I can get 1824x1024 at 60 hz on the TV if it's the only display hooked up to the splitter. I'm thinking if DVI-D uses two way communication (which it must, if it can detect what monitor/TV is plugged in) then it must be getting confused when there are two inputs sending back information at the same time. That's why I was hoping it was possible for it not to actually try and detect, but let me tell it what to display. I'd be happy with 1680x1050, 60 Hz on all screens. It's not quite 1080p but c'est la vie.

Its not really 2 way communication, its an Extended Display Identification Data (EDID) stored in the HDTV set and the LCD panel. It's used by windows/nvida driver for user config for supported resolutions but not for much more than that. To understand how that DVI signal works is that the graphics card pushes a signal to the LCD/Hdtv and the display hardware is responsible for sync with the signal not the graphics card. The passive splitter only sends a duplicate of the signal from the graphics card to the display connected and again the display is responsible for sync with the signal. So you probably need to find the greatest common resoultion thats shared between the devices connected to the splitter.

You'll probably get some funky results by leaving the HDTV off until windows fully loads then connecting the dvi cable, bypassing the video sync settings temporarily. But with NVIDA the card will get confused with a hot plug event with an EDID lower than what is currently selected and try to reset the resoultion to ???, while ATI would just continue to push the same signal. I guess this is one of the diffs between the whole SLI vs crossfire setups.

[enk]

:%s/nvida/nvidia/g

['; DROP DATABASE;--]

Another brilliant option is to buy another graphics card (PCI would work fine) that has a DVI port.

I tried to use 2 video cards with XP once. It was a massive pain and I quickly gave up.

[Endless Mike]

Is this where I bring up the fact that DVD is only 480p and that the vast majority blu-ray movies released today are simple upscans. Any older movie is not going to be in that resolution. SVIDEO works fine for DVD quality which is more than you'll get from anything pre-2006 (any many after).

Also we haven't mentioned the native resolution of the TV? Most HDTVs on the market (especially if it's not a brand new TV) are natively 720 tall, not 1080.

Anyway, I still say the best way to handle this is a additional graphics head (another video card).

1080p displays are increasingly common, and not terribly expensive at this point. Regardless, you're assuming all he wants to do is watch movies on his TV. Maybe he wants to play games on it. In ANY case, higher resolution is better and nothing looks good deinterlaced. Seriously, why even bother with an HDTV if you're just going to use it for standard definition?

[Jiggsy]

...I don't think I have any more PCI slots left, there's one PCI-Express but I don't want to use that up with another graphic card...

New Motherboard. And i wouldn't bother using NVidia's setup utility. It wreaks havok with Vista (or Vice-Versa).

[FACM]

I'm not totally certain, but I think the Nvidia driver release notes say something about this. Check the notes for your drivers, you should be able to find them online.