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Author Topic: Multiple monitors  (Read 1979 times)

IkhCel

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Multiple monitors
« on: March 04, 2007, 11:36:06 pm »

Does anyone know how MC works with multiple monitors?

I was thinking of adding a video card to my PC and having one feed to my TV and one to my Media Center PC.

I would like to have the PC have the utilitarian functions of selecting music and maintaining the libraries and have the TV show the visualization and cover art fluff.

Would this work seamlessly or would I have to keep switching displays?

Thanks
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benn600

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2007, 12:12:30 am »

Excellent!



Except a problem I noticed a while back.  If you stretch MC (in album thumbnail view) out to close to 3200 pixels wide, things disappear in the interface.  Sorry my picture doesn't have MC up.  But on those monitors (21", 20", 20") MC works GREAT.  Sometimes you have to change the setting to decide which monitor to play video on.  Sometimes I have issues there.  I am running a PCI-E X1300 and PCI X1300 video card.  I also have a fourth S-Video television hooked up that can run simultaneously, too.
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johnnyboy

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2007, 03:01:45 am »

I notice all 3 have the same wallpaper - google 'Ultramon' and forever see the light! :)
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benn600

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2007, 07:41:30 am »

I already looked at it and am not willing to spend the money.  Wasn't it $40?  I actually use AWG (auto wallpaper changer) that pulls from a network folder just like every other computer in our house.  That's great because then we get fresh, but similar photos across all our wallpapers.  I can even put personal photos in there.

I like the same background.  Stunning.

I like that particular background, too.  When I used a flash, it looked even better.  Unfortunately, I have since (that was a while ago!) downgraded to 2 monitors.  I like 2 better because I can fit 2 under the hutch area so I pushed them further in and I have a lot more frontal desk space.  I put the 3rd on our main floor secondary system and now I have an extra monitor that I will use for testing purposes and eventually get another system set up somewhere.
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NickM

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2007, 08:52:19 am »

ATQ...

Yes, it works fine the way that you would like; you can detach the "Display view" and keep an MC window on one screen with a viewing window on another screen.

Benn600; jealous of your screen set-up (!)
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Mr ChriZ

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2007, 11:22:39 am »

Ben is that the latest Logitec Cordless Natural Desktop?
http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/GB/EN,CRID=2162,CONTENTID=11986

I'm looking at getting one.  I much prefer natural keyboards
than flat ones, which give me RSI's.

How do you find the logitec?  I had the previous one
where I used to work.  I much prefered it to my MS one I've
got here, which is comparitivley clunky.  MS have brought
out a new natural one but don't do it in wireless, which
is shame as it's a fantastic keyboard.

vine-au

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2007, 12:05:41 pm »

I use Ultramon and have MC designated to fire up on my second monitor full-screened.
Works like a charm :)
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Efjay

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2007, 12:12:36 pm »

The two monitor display works great. I use a 15" to display what is be played and a 19" to function as the library and controls. This works much better in MC 12 than MC 11. Ultramon is a great program as well giving you a great deal of control over the settings in a multiple monitor system.
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benn600

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2007, 01:24:01 pm »

It is actually the latest keyboard as the link you sent is.  Interestingly enough, I had another Comfort Duo and the back button stopped working.  Logitech sent me that as a warranty replacement.

Even more interesting is that I have another identical Comfort Duo which is older than the one that "broke" and it's still running fine...my first Logitech wireless is also working fine (probably 5-7 years old now!)

I absolutely love that keyboard and mouse.  The mouse has more buttons than I can even use.  Unfortunately, the wheel tilts, scrolls, and is a button.  The reason I say unfortunately is because the button almost never works right.  I almost always tilt it sideways instead of pushing it.  So, I just mapped the button to nothing and everything works great.  Here is my "ultimate" configuration for the mouse.

Left Button: left button
Right Button: right button
Middle Button: NOTHING
Wheel Tilt Left: Browser Back
Wheel Tilt Right: Browser Forward
Zoom Buttons-------------
+: Ctrl + T for new tab in Firefox
-: Ctrl + W closes tab and many applications
100%: Middle button substitute
Thumb Buttons------------
First: Ctrl + Tab to cycle through Firefox tabs to the right
Second: Ctrl + Shift + Tab to cycle through Firefox tabs to the left

I just now realized I should change the Second Thumb Button to something else because I can always get to a certain tab by just going all the way around the "circle of tabs"

Anyway, this seems to work perfectly.  Another great feature is that the keyboard, instead of trying to guess what programs you like, just uses numbers if I'm not mistaken (I'm not at home now).  So I program 1= Firefox, 2= Thunderbird, 3= Media Center (duh), 4= Photo application

For some crazy reason, the media buttons don't always seem to work correctly and I haven't figured this out yet.  With two monitors, I usually see MC anyway and can just click what I want but those buttons are handy.  I'll have to keep checking that out.  They seem to always work when MC is in focus but that isn't even very helpful.

Addition: I forgot the calculator button.  It is so dang useful I can't believe it.  How many times do I need to calculate a simple calculation and end up having to dig all the way to Accessories, blah, blah.  And I often open two or three calcs at once.  I love this button.  I used to make it Microsoft Money but now I don't think it can be customized...it's the calculator.

When I got my first ergonomic keyboard it looked crazy and really strange.  It looks really thick and just plain strange.  After a while, it looks completely normal and I can hardly tell the difference with typing now.  I don't do huge huge amounts of typing each day so I don't seem to have problems but it does seem to type nicely.

One drawback is that it's a bit pricey.  They always say the keyboard is SOOO important.  Well, the monitor is SOOO important, too.  And speakers are SOOO important if you listen to music (most do) and that means the soundcard is SOOO important, too, or you will get stressed from poor music quality.  Don't forget the hard drive.  If you're computer is slow you'll get stressed and get SOOO upset.  That means the CPU is also SOOO important...and lots of ram is SOOO important.  Everything in a computer is SOOO important.

But I guess I can spring for an $80 keyboard when I've got $1200 invested in LCDs.
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Mr ChriZ

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2007, 03:22:52 pm »

Everything in a computer is SOOO important.
Hehe, true.  I can't believe the number of people that will spend silly money on
a computer though and then use it on a keyboard like what's just come with mine.

Short cut keys on my MS keyboard are good.  It's got almost every
thing you could possibly want.  I think you can never have to many well placed buttons =0)

Think I'll place in an order for the logitech desktop tho, Definitley gonna need
wireless for this new machine.

benn600

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Re: Multiple monitors
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2007, 04:51:06 pm »

Not a single computer here is using a wired keyboard/mouse.  But not a single desktop uses wireless lan, yuck!
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