Multiple DirectX Windows...

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BombermanX

Gawd
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Apr 17, 2004
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Well, I looked for quite a while, and did some research, but I couldn't find anything conclusive, so I thought I'd see if you guys had any ideas. I'm looking for a way to render multiple directx windows (i.e. a full screen game and a windowed/full screen movie) simultaneously on one (or multiple monitors) from a single (current and high end, in this case) video card. It seems like swap chaining is the norm, but I'm wondering if there's an easier way to do it via generic software, program/driver settings, or even if there's a cheap hardware solution (I know the workstation cards have hardware support, but I can't spend that kind of money on it). Let me hear your thoughts, thanks!
 
Are you gonna try running aquamark and 3dmark on dual monitor or something? :confused:
 
BombermanX said:
Well, I looked for quite a while, and did some research, but I couldn't find anything conclusive, so I thought I'd see if you guys had any ideas. I'm looking for a way to render multiple directx windows (i.e. a full screen game and a windowed/full screen movie) simultaneously on one (or multiple monitors) from a single (current and high end, in this case) video card. It seems like swap chaining is the norm, but I'm wondering if there's an easier way to do it via generic software, program/driver settings, or even if there's a cheap hardware solution (I know the workstation cards have hardware support, but I can't spend that kind of money on it). Let me hear your thoughts, thanks!
Click to expand...
I don't know if you have this is the same thing.. but I'm using a 6800GT in my system, connected to 2 monitors, and I can have a full screen game on 1, and a full screen (or window) movie on the 2nd one no problem....?
 
You should be able to do it, but you better have a good card.
 
OT: I've done those too, but i'm also curious if it's possible to run *two* 3d applications simultaneously in full screen on each monitor?
 
no it isnt, 3d apps will default to the main monitor and you will not be able to run 2 3d apps on both screens at the same time, I assume you are using an nvidia card ? if that is the case, then only one full screen game can be run at one time and it will default to the main screen.

That is unless nvidia have fixed there drivers and made what you want to do possible....
 
It's possible to run two seperate 3D apps on different monitors but the program more than likely needs to allow for it. The app would have to know when it starts up that it's supposed to run on either monitor 0 or monitor 1.

Also running two apps, while possible, can really kill performance on a single video card. The apps would essentially have to share all the resources of one card which isn't something a developer would typically take into consideration. So you could run out of video memory real quick.

Running two seperate video cards in a system might make it somewhat easier to do using existing programs but I'm not sure that would even work easily. But if all you're wanting on the second monitor is simple 2D apps then it might not be to hard to pull off. It's also been a while since I've seen any apps that actually enumerated available display drivers on a system so that would be an issue as well.

Making a single 3D app that can take advantage of two monitors is possible though but I'm not sure of any programs out there other than debugging in visual studio that actually do it with 2D and 3D apps at the same time. A developer could allow the game to be run on a screen of the user's choice but I can't think of any that actually did it. Might be some really weird console command for some games but can't say I've looked into it very heavily.
 
cyks said:
You should be able to do it, but you better have a good card.
Click to expand...

Do you have any further information than "should be able to"?

Danith, your comment has me perplexed. I'm using a 7900GT and it will not do what you have indicated your 6800GT does. Have you installed special software/drivers/etc to get it working or was it just working from the get-go? Additionally, what types of games/media players are you using?

Anarchist, do you know of anyone that has succeeded in doing this with SLI (or even a cheap PCI VGA card - preferably)? I'm not too worried about the performance hit, all the games I play are already max settings and roughly 100 fps. Let me know though.
 
fullscreen 3d apps are run threw the main dvi/vga connector on your video card, so even if you have 2 monitors, it is nigh on impossible to have 2 games running off of 1 video card and onto 2 monitors, heck, its even hard enough to have 2 videos running off of the 1 video card and onto 2 monitors.

I tried doing what you want ages ago, and all i could get was this.

Either a game on one screen and desktop on the other, or game on one screen and blank screen for the other, the same went for videos, also, videos and games all default to playing threw the main monitor/main dvi-vga connector, for some reason when 2 monitors are attached, games and videos prefer to use the main screen and will always default to that, even if you try and force the app over to the other screen using nview, the app would open on the other monitor, but the picture would only be seen on the main display, thus i had to move the app back over to the main display to see the picture ????

I would see 2 desktops etc, but as soon as i tried to play a game or video, sometimes the spare screen went blank and other times it would be ok and show its normal desktop background, but when i tried to play 2 videos, i could see one and hear the other but not see it....

I think you will find it hard to get 2 games to show up on 2 monitors via 1 video card. But its easy to get 1 game spread over a few monitors....

more hassle than it was worth, my experience was.

I dont think you will get it to work, but if you do, then you can tell me the way you set stuff up, cuz i couldnt do it and it bugged the shiat outta me ages ago.


goodluck

P.S.

maybe future drivers will help, as when i last tried, the driver versions were in the early 70's

P.P.S

My 6800gt cant do what the other dude says his can either, i can play a game on one screen or a video on the other, but not both at the same time, and depending on the game, sometimes the second screen went blank and sometimes it wouldnt, so i would end up with game and a desktop showing, or game and blank screen or game and a 2d app etc. exactly the same as my 78s.
 
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