Couple of 2nd monitor questions

MotherMayI · 14 Jan 2010 at 14:06

So, I love using 2 monitors.. Im fairly new to it, but honestly dont think I could back to just using one. At the moment Im using:

1. SyncMaster 2233 @ 1680x1050 120hz
2. SyncMaster 2032BW @ 1680x1050 75hz

Powered off an ATI 5770HD, using Windows 7 64. Now for my questions:

1. In games, the 2nd monitor often appears with just whatever desktop items I still had open - Firefox, Songbird etc. Will the game still display on the primary monitor at 120hz, or will it scale down because this 2nd monitor is still active?

2. Is there any way to clone the taskbar on to the 2nd monitor?

Confused · 14 Jan 2010 at 14:59

You can use UltraMon to get a taskbar onto the second monitor, among other things (such as automatically disabling secondary monitors when opening certain applications, for example)

MotherMayI · 14 Jan 2010 at 20:49

Thanks a lot.

Anyone have any ideas about the Hz?

NathanE · 14 Jan 2010 at 20:55

The Vista/W7 desktop is basically rendered in the same way as a game (Aero Glass implies DirectX rendering via GPU)... so if that can show both your monitors at separate refresh rates (which it can) then I'm sure games can be as well.

Burnsy2023 · 14 Jan 2010 at 21:03

Confused said:
You can use UltraMon to get a taskbar onto the second monitor, among other things (such as automatically disabling secondary monitors when opening certain applications, for example)

I much prefer Displayfusion, much cheaper too.

Paul91 · 14 Jan 2010 at 21:20

I quite like Zbar - it's free too!

Confused · 15 Jan 2010 at 09:22

Ooh, I didn't know about those others!

bloodhunter · 15 Jan 2010 at 18:02

You should be using an Nvidia card for Samsung 2233RZ then you can use 3D vision.

Temi_D · 15 Jan 2010 at 18:10

Why dont you use eyefinity?

pat_c · 15 Jan 2010 at 23:54

I just have my old 8800 driving the second monitor, so anything displayed on that doesn't slow the primary monitor graphics. I doubt I even needed a fraction of the power of a 8800, the 2nd screen only usually runs IM, explorer and a browser.

Why clone the taskbar? I simply dragged mine to permanently reside on the 2nd screen - thus the primary monitor has a full clean area to work with. A pic of my desk is in the sig link.

MotherMayI · 16 Jan 2010 at 03:17

pat_c said:
I just have my old 8800 driving the second monitor, so anything displayed on that doesn't slow the primary monitor graphics. I doubt I even needed a fraction of the power of a 8800, the 2nd screen only usually runs IM, explorer and a browser.

Why clone the taskbar? I simply dragged mine to permanently reside on the 2nd screen - thus the primary monitor has a full clean area to work with. A pic of my desk is in the sig link.

Ooo, Im going to try that - Seems like it might be a good idea.

Thanks for your other replies guys, going to give them all a shot.