URGENT! Playing Video across dual-monitors? HELP PLEASE!

[bigasif]

Hey,
I just recently upgraded from dual CRT's to dual LCD's. Now I'm pretty sure I used to be able to do this, but I may just be dreaming...but is there a way to get video to play across both screens? For example, when I open a video file, and open it with say...winamp...if I drag the video window in the middle of my setup, so that half is on one side, and half is on the other, the video only shows up on one screen, when the other half that is on the other screen is all black. I've tried various video files with various video players, but always the same result. Is there a setting that I'm missing that I haven't got enabled? I'm using UltraMon if that makes a difference.

By the way, I can watch video on both screens, just not stretched across both screens. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

BiGaSiF

[TheFuteballer]

I'm pretty sure you can't do this but I could be wrong.

[Fox2k]

It would depend on your video card drivers and how you have your monitors configured. If your system is set up to display each monitor within its own frame buffer, then you wont be able to have a video playing while its being moved between screens. If both monitors are set up as one large framebuffer (i.e. your start menu spans both monitors) then it will work no problem. Depending on your card you would need to see if your drivers or graphics control panel will let you set your monitors up in single buffer mode. Sorry I cant be any more precise I've never had a need to do this in Windows myself.

[Aske001]

Most video cards using DirectX drivers write video directly to the frame buffer of the video card for performance reasons, bypassing the higher-level window handling layers, so the video window can't span two displays driven by two different video cards with different frame buffers. You may be able to do it by turning off DirectX, but performance will take a big hit.

[balou911]

u wanna turn on spanning in your vid card dual monitor options

[bigasif]

Hmmm....seems like it might not be possible from what I'm hearing from most of you. Anyways, Both my monitors are connected to a single video card, one via analog, the other via an analog adapter connected to the DVI slot. So basically, 1 via analog, the other via DVI, both on the same card.

As for possible solutions, I cannot find any option anywhere to set it to "single buffer mode". As for my start menu, it only spans across one screen, but using UltraMon I'm able to get the extended taskbar on the other monitor as well.

As for disabling DirectX, I prefer not to, so I guess that solution wouldn't work either.

To balou911: any idea where to find the "spanning" option in my video card options? I have the little ATI icon in my system tray, and there are a bunch of things available when I right click it (Rotations, HYDRAVISION, Settings, Help, Troubleshooting) but I've went through them and can't find anything called spanning....and cant' really find much on dual monitors in there either.

Anyways, if anyone else has any more suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. But as of right now, I'm guessing this may be a lost cause. Thanks again!

[evilbunny]

Which media player are you using? If there is an option to select software rendering as opposed to hardware rendering then it should work.

[bigasif]

I've tried using Winamp, VLC, and Windows Media Player. I just checked all 3 for the "software rendering" option, but couldn't find it in either one. Any video player software recommendations? Or anything else you can advise me about? Thanks!

[Calmuser]

hmm works on mine, with 1 lcd and one crt, in vista on a nvida card. both monitor are setup to operate in independently (duelview as nvidia calls it)

this was playing with media player classic.

[Aske001]

Zoom Player (http://www.inmatrix.com/files/zoompl...shtml#STANDARD) - under Audio/Video options, select Video Renderer. You have various selectable options, some of which have attached warnings that they can work only on the primary monitor, so there may be a chance there for what you want.

Zoom Player is a good option to have around anyway - it's free and it has some flexible options for things like Aspect Ratio that are more useful than other players sometimes.

[Aske001]

hmm works on mine...this was playing with media player classic.

That's actually a possibility, since WMP Classic doesn't know anything about DirectX.

[evilbunny]

In VLC it is called Overlay Video output.

I use Media Player Classic and use the option VMR7 windowed. The first 4 render options should also work.

[bigasif]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all the tips. Anyways, I tried everything mentioned above, including choosing those settings in Media Player Classic, VLC, and also downloading Zoom and trying various settings, but nothing seemed to do the trick. I have no idea what the problem is if so many of you are able to get it working.

[jetway1212]

what is your card?

[balou911]

i havent used an ati card since the x850 was fist intro'd, so im not too familir with the newest catalyst driver settings, and from what Ive read, there are those who think the previous versions where better.

anyways, with hydrvision, i think there are 3 options.
Mirror, independent and spanning.

i'll look it up and report back.

forget which program, settings etc, its a setting in your catalyst driver.