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csmith · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:29 am Post subject: Dual monitor system

I would like to be able to use the software on a dual monitor system wherby the laptop computer displays only the admin screen and the second monitor displays only the main console.

This came up because our projector only works with 800 x 600 screen resolution. This works OK for the main console screen but is too large a resolution for the admin screens.

MaxPower · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 12:42 pm Post subject:

Oooh... That's a good one!

-Max

JBWilkins · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:07 pm Post subject:

To me this sounds more like a hardware issue......I know you can get dual head video cards and XP supports running different screens off each head (or even card)...but can your laptop support outputting one image to the VGA output and displaying another????

csmith · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:15 pm Post subject:

Works perfectly with a "windowed" app. I can "drag" Outlook to the analog monitor while working with another app on the laptop screen for exampe. The TM software won't allow you to drag or resize the main console though, as it expands to the extent of the screen and is not in a windowed "container".

I can't find a way to force the main console to open only on the analog screen for the players and allow me to run the tourney from the TM admin screens.

JBWilkins · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 4:01 pm Post subject:

So the fix would be to 'window' the console........sounds simple, but I bet we lose the ablity to auto size to the desktop if this happens.....

csmith · Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2005 4:06 pm Post subject:

I think you are right. I think Jeff designed the console to autosize on different clients along the network that may have different resolutions. Maybe we need a check box to toggle the console to be in a window container or autofit the screen? :idea:

Gallandro · "Ace High" Joined: 30 Jul 2005 Posts: 8

I think this is a great idea. I don't think the *only* solution is to window the console, because I know that Windows has a multi-monitor API. An example is say Powerpoint. It has a single option that says to display the actual presentation on a secondary monitor while leaving the presentation notes on the primary monitor. This is exactly what I think people would like with TM. You display the Console on your secondary monitor (say a big projector or TV) so that all the players can see it, but then leave the Config screen up on the actual monitor so you can continue to make adjustments when necessary.

i8dbear · Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2005 12:18 pm Post subject:

I was thinking about this feature just yesterday. the MacOS has video mirroring as a built in option, which is how I usually run my tourneys. But it also will support two monitors working side by side. I could drag the admin window over to the external monitor, but obviously that's where i would like the console to be. It would be great for the console to be "windowed." I don't see a problem with manually resizing it during set up.

Dix · Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 2:50 am Post subject:

If you're thinking about using a TV for the second display (using a video card with a "TV-out")...

The card manufacturers don't seem to put a whole lot of flexibility in the driver & software packages. I guess they assume all you'd ever want to do is watch DVDs or play games on a big screen. The flexible functionality is there... it's just that the software writers don't seem to put in the access to it.

There are a couple third-party solutions however...

For an nVidia based card with a TV-out for the second output from an original TNT through the FX5900 (not sure about support for later cards) one good solution is here...

http://tvtool.info/index_e.htm

TVtool will give you much of the same functionality from a TV-out that you would get from a dual-head or second video card.

NOTE: Cards using the Conexant CX25871 TV chip work best as far as display quality goes, and it's one of the very few that supports resolutions up to 1024x768 - ABIT's Siluro GF4 Ti4400 was one - Many of the GF4 MX-4xx & the later FX5xxx series use a proprietary nVidia circuit integrated into the graphics chip itself that's crap... don't even bother with it

If you have a card, or are looking to get one, you can find out what TV chip is on it here...

http://ssl.jbmedia.de/cardbase/cardbase_query.asp?lang=en

For ATI-based cards, GF-6200 & up nVidia cards, & anything that supports HDTV, although I've never used it I hear "PowerStrip" works well...

http://www.entechtaiwan.net/util/ps.shtm

drneau · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:06 am Post subject:

This functionality should be in the next release.

If all works as planned...

By default, the console will appear in a window that you can move whereever you want and size how you want. The window will have the decorations around the outside, but you'll be able to right-click to remove decorations.

I have it working on a dual monitor system at home with the console maximized on one screen and the input screen maximized on another.
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MaxPower · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:47 am Post subject:

Sweet!
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