Multi-monitors

Margaret · 19 Dec 2007 at 16:03

I was just wondering if it's possible to make it so MSN alerts and conversations automatically pop up on my secondary display.

It has no taskbar or anything, just the wallpaper and desktop icons, it's just hard to keep track of conversations when my TV is on another channel.

Any programs that can aid in this?

swinnie · 19 Dec 2007 at 16:05

I have just set-up two monitors on my system and was pointed to Ultramon.

http://130.94.74.217/ultramon/

Haven't looked at it yet but will look at it later!

Skeeter · 19 Dec 2007 at 21:47

if you open a program, move it to the second display, then close it, when you reopen it again (as long as you havent changed your settings) it should open on the same monitor it was on originally. I know this is how i had it working at work with my dual screens, IE, Outlook and Explorer would automatically open on my second monitor becasue thats where they were last. Dont think there any added software needed

Paul91 · 19 Dec 2007 at 21:53

DisplayFusion is a good piece of software to configure separate background images, if you don't fancy paying for Ultramon. You can also use shortcuts to transfer the open windows to the other monitor.

InvaderGIR · 19 Dec 2007 at 21:59

You can make the conversations open on the 2nd one (so long as you close them on the 2nd screen first, then they'll reopen there). But you can't make the alerts go onto it as far as I know.

InvG

yantorsen · 19 Dec 2007 at 22:13

InvaderGIR said:
You can make the conversations open on the 2nd one (so long as you close them on the 2nd screen first, then they'll reopen there). But you can't make the alerts go onto it as far as I know.

InvG

you can just turn alerts off altogethor if you wished though.

InvaderGIR · 19 Dec 2007 at 22:19

yantorsen said:
you can just turn alerts off altogethor if you wished though.

But the OP was wanting alerts on the 2nd screen.

InvG

yantorsen · 19 Dec 2007 at 22:24

InvaderGIR said:
But the OP was wanting alerts on the 2nd screen.

InvG

well he just said he didnt want it to keep interupting the main screen, so he didnt strictly say that, i think anyway.

Margaret · 20 Dec 2007 at 00:08

Cheers for the help so far, that Ultramon has given me a second taskbar on the other screen which is very helpful for everything and on msn now at least I can see my convos flash, but I'd really like a way of getting the pop up alerts to come onto the other screen as well!

This way I can properly watch TV and use the other screen for a bit without panicking about missing MSN, turning channel over = hassle!

That'd be grand.

yantorsen · 20 Dec 2007 at 00:39

could you not set the TV as the second monitor?

Margaret · 20 Dec 2007 at 00:51

yantorsen said:
could you not set the TV as the second monitor?

It's higher res than my monitor and I use it for gaming, it's hassle to switch them round!

yantorsen · 20 Dec 2007 at 00:55

Jihad said:
It's higher res than my monitor and I use it for gaming, it's hassle to switch them round!

create two profiles in windows then, one setup for gaming which has the TV as the main screen, and then another one the other way around.

this way you could quickly switch between the two.

Rebelius · 20 Dec 2007 at 01:21

or you could just set the TV as the 2nd screen and have ultramon make your games open on it via the ultramon tab in properties on the shortcut.

yantorsen · 20 Dec 2007 at 01:32

Rebelius said:
or you could just set the TV as the 2nd screen and have ultramon make your games open on it via the ultramon tab in properties on the shortcut.

i suggested that but he didnt like.

Rebelius · 20 Dec 2007 at 01:38

yeah, but I think he's just lacking some knowledge - It's possible to change almost everything from one monitor to the other, except the MSN alerts - so if you switch the monitors names, and move your main taskbar and all that lot to the TV, then it's the same as it was before except your monitor's called 1 and your TV's called 2 and the MSN alerts pop up on the monitor.

No?

yantorsen · 20 Dec 2007 at 01:43

Rebelius said:
yeah, but I think he's just lacking some knowledge - It's possible to change almost everything from one monitor to the other, except the MSN alerts - so if you switch the monitors names, and move your main taskbar and all that lot to the TV, then it's the same as it was before except your monitor's called 1 and your TV's called 2 and the MSN alerts pop up on the monitor.

No?

you can only have the main taskbar on monitor 1.

Rebelius · 20 Dec 2007 at 02:02

not true - although from a little experiment, trying to get a screenshot for you of taskbar on 2nd monitor, MSN thing on 1st monitor... It turns out that MSN just sticks the alerts above the main taskbar, not just on the main monitor

but you can have the main taskbar on either monitor. (at least with Vista x64 SP1 RC)

edit: I actually might keep my monitors set up like this, I watch a lot of FS videos on my bigger monitor.