Displaying video on both monitors?

[GoodToGo]

Hi, I have a dual 18FP setup and wanted to know if there was any video card that allowed video to be displayed on both the monitors. Currently i have a 9500 Pro which of course will allow the video to play on only one screen not across both simultaneously.

 

[stardust]

AiW?

nVidia gf4 and gf-FX series

matrox parhelia

 

[walk2]

I believe this is what you seek.
(Dual-DVI outputs)

 

[modedepe]

Dual dvi list.

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

man, when did people stop listening.

he isn't asking for a dual dvi card. he was wondering if there was a card out there that he could use to play 1 video stretched across both screens.

I've been there bud, as I also have a dual 1800FP setup with a Gainward GF4 TI4600 (fastest dual dvi card accessible/available). There is no card that can do this. It sucks.

 

[Peter]

I'm not sure whether this works on a non-TV secondary head too, but I'd try "Theater Mode" for this. Normal "Clone" mode can't duplicate the video overlay.

Plan B is to switch the video playing application from Hardware Overlay mode to some software mode. Then, the video is part of the computer's primary display surface (no longer a hardware inserted overlay) - and then it will be cloneable. Of course, this will create more CPU and system load.

 

[walk2]

I didn't realize he was asking about "movies" ie AVI/Quicktime etc movies. He said "video" which could mean anything and since he has 2 FT monitors I assumed he'd want dual dvi outs.

But if you just want to play a movie on 2 screens I think any card will do that. Just use video mirroring (this is what Nvidia calls it, not sure about Ati) on the 2nd monitor then maximize the MP window on the 1st. I dunno if this works for 2 monitors but I know it works on my GF FX with 1 monitor and 1 TV set.

Of course that will play the same movie on both screens. If you want to "stretch" the movie across the screens, meaning play the left half of the movie on monitor 1 and the right half on monitor 2... well then I guess you got to go with plan B, above. That's a pretty stupid thing to want to do though, if you ask me.

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

Originally posted by: Peter
I'm not sure whether this works on a non-TV secondary head too, but I'd try "Theater Mode" for this. Normal "Clone" mode can't duplicate the video overlay.

Plan B is to switch the video playing application from Hardware Overlay mode to some software mode. Then, the video is part of the computer's primary display surface (no longer a hardware inserted overlay) - and then it will be cloneable. Of course, this will create more CPU and system load.

Interesting. I've never tried that, and it works just fine on my pc. However, it still won't "stretch" the picture acrros both monitors. Just clones it.

 

[walk2]

For Windows 2k or XP, go to your Display properties, "Advanced", click the "Troubleshoot" tab, turn the "Hardware Acceleration" slider all the way down to "None". This will render movies in software. You can also do this to take screenshots of movies if you don't have any other way to do it (MediaPlayer won't let you cut/paste and normal screenshot programs - or PrintScreen - won't capture the video overlay.

 

[Peter]

Why would you want to STRETCH a video across both monitors? The aspect ratio would be all fscked up, wouldn't you think?
Video cut/paste and PrintScreen don't work for exactly the same reason why cloning the video doesn't - the video is not part of the computer's display surface, it gets inserted from a separate overlay buffer on the fly, while sending the data out to the display device.

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

Originally posted by: Peter
Why would you want to STRETCH a video across both monitors?

Widescreen DVDs?

 

[Peter]

What, 16:6 aspect ratio? With the screen split right in the center of action? I don't think that makes any sense.

 

[GoodToGo]

Sorry for the late reply but I am out of town right now Thanks to everyone for their replies

I just want to try it out to see how it looks. Having a dual display and not being to play across the monitors is pretty frustating. Some of the suggestions look pretty promising, has anyone tried it? I will definitely try it when I reach home.