dual monitor support with Win7

rangor gubbins · 7 Oct 2009 at 10:23

Anyone managed to get dual monitors working properly with win 7.
PC spec as in sig, with a TV plugged in via HDMI from the gfx card. I've got the recent ATI drivers installed and CCC and i want to duplicate my desktop onto both screens but have different resolutions refresh rate etc. I can duplicate the desktop onto both TV and monitor, but then i lose the options to set resolution and refresh rate for each screen. If i have extended desktop i can set different res etc, but not if i duplicate the desktop. No problem doing this with XP.

Moredhel · 7 Oct 2009 at 13:33

As far as I'm aware this isn't possible with WDDM based systems (Vista, Server 2008 and Windows 7)

Burnsy2023 · 7 Oct 2009 at 13:42

I've just tried to do this with nVidia drivers and Win 7. Can't seem to do it

rangor gubbins · 7 Oct 2009 at 17:34

bugger.

thats very annoying. Cheers for your replies though.
So i guess my only option is to have an extended desktop, which in my circumstances is not ideal at all. I only turn the TV on when i want to watch something so in normal circumstances i don't want my mouse and apps to be falling off my monitor onto the TV. (TV and monitor face different directions and are quite far apart).

rctneil · 7 Oct 2009 at 18:01

Can't you just use Ultramon and mirror them?

rangor gubbins · 8 Oct 2009 at 07:39

Ultramon you say. Sounds interesting. I will check it out.
Cheers

meths · 8 Oct 2009 at 08:10

Edit: Never mind.

Aod · 8 Oct 2009 at 08:13

frankly, i find that "clone" mode is largely useless. if you need to show something on the second screen, just move it there

kylew · 8 Oct 2009 at 08:15

You can't clone unless both screens are the same res.

Moredhel · 8 Oct 2009 at 08:19

rangor gubbins said:
bugger.

thats very annoying. Cheers for your replies though.
So i guess my only option is to have an extended desktop, which in my circumstances is not ideal at all. I only turn the TV on when i want to watch something so in normal circumstances i don't want my mouse and apps to be falling off my monitor onto the TV. (TV and monitor face different directions and are quite far apart).

Just don't extend unless you've got the TV on. It's only a tick box.

rangor gubbins · 8 Oct 2009 at 19:11

kylew said:
You can't clone unless both screens are the same res.

Thats the problem I've found.

Moredhel said:
Just don't extend unless you've got the TV on. It's only a tick box.

Yes, but in good old XP, if i wanted to watch TV/film, all i had to do was turn the TV on, and start whatever i want to watch. Now i have to turn TV on, turn extend on, move video over to other screen, and remember to undo it all afterwards. Its just more hassle (not much but a little), and i thought Win7 was supposed to be making things easier, not harder.

cokecan · 8 Oct 2009 at 19:54

with ultramon you can setup profiles (even hotkeys) that allow you to just switch between a single monitor and extended.

you also get 2 extra buttons added to the top bar that let you move a window to the second screen or extend it across both screens. Not sure how this works in win7 but might be worth giving the trial a go to see if it works anyway

Gman · 8 Oct 2009 at 20:36

in my setup i've got a 24" lcd and a 17" lcp then a 32" in my room for the tv.
i've got a digital vga switch to allow my to flick between my 17" and the tv in my room.

So when I want to watch a movie I press the button on the switc,h double click the profile shortcut in ultramon to change the 2nd screen resolution and then use my logitec universal remote which auto starts media portal on my 2nd screen.