Dual display but different resolutions on XP

cyberheater

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I'm thinking of adding a second PCI graphics card to my XP machine and was wondering if it is possible to have different display resolutions for both graphics cards.
I would like to have one connected to my TFT screen at 1024 x 768 and the other connected to my projector at 858 x 480.
This would solve a lot of problems for me.

Is this do able.
 
yes, you can have 2 different resolutions.
 
cyberheater

Can you not just have one video card with dual outputs. I use an ATI card with VGA and DVI outputs (and an unused S-video) to feed a 1280x768 monitor and a 1280x720 pj. It used to work and switch resolutions automatically when I switched monitor but since a rebuild it is behaving strangely and will notsave the separate resolution for the pj. keeps reverting to the same as the monitor despite having the sliding res bar.

Maybe I should use the onboard VGA port for my monitor and the DVI out on the ATI card for the pj. Now that's a thought.
 
Originally posted by Messiah
cyberheater

Maybe I should use the onboard VGA port for my monitor and the DVI out on the ATI card for the pj. Now that's a thought.

Which is a similar idea to my setup.

It would be great not to have to keep re plugging vid cables etc...
 
Apparently you cannot use onboard VGA with an AGP or PCI card. Dual display has to be with 2 x PCI or AGP cards that support dual display.
 
most VGA cards support dual monitors now, its been over 6 years since that feature was first available in windows 98
 
Apparently you cannot use onboard VGA with an AGP or PCI card. Dual display has to be with 2 x PCI or AGP cards that support dual display.

Are you sure about that . On my old pc I had an agp card and pci card working together with 2 monitors , Think that was under winme though not XP
 
Originally posted by squid
Are you sure about that . On my old pc I had an agp card and pci card working together with 2 monitors , Think that was under winme though not XP

:confused: That's what I said. Apparently it needs to be 2 cards NOT one card plus onboard (motherboard) VGA out.
 
Originally posted by mjn
most VGA cards support dual monitors now, its been over 6 years since that feature was first available in windows 98

Yes, but can you have both monitors on at the same time with different resolutions and each displaying a different desktop (not just an extension of the one desktop). Mine certainly won't do that.
 
what do u mean by "displaying a different desktop"

I have a matrox p750 with 2 monitors and tv out, i can run differant resolutions / refresh rates and each monitor displays separate apps ..... eg: browser on 1 and theatertek on other ....

is this what u referring to ?
 
Messiah, I have exactly the same trouble as you. Infuriating isn't it? Mine was not caused by a rebuild, but a change of PJ, from Z1 to screenplay 7200. My machine is also a headbanger with extended desktop, I'd much rather just toggle between them.
 
MAW, what version of catalyst drivers are you running? I'm gonna try dropping back to 3.7 (currently 4.3) and see if that fixes it. It is just soooo infuriating :mad:

This happened to me once before and I fixed it by booting the PC with only the pj connected via DVI. Set the correct resolution in Powerstrip and saved it. Then powered down, connected the monitor to the VGA port and powered up again. Then switched to the monitor and set the res for that one. It then worked perfectly. As I type this I realise I have not done that this time so will try that first.

Good luck. Nice upgrade btw - Z1>7200 :)
 
Thanks for the tip. Will try that myself, especially as the whole thing is in bits with the painters in at present. Just ripped down the ceiling AGAIN to put in the infocus DVI-D to DVI-M1 cable, it has an M1 DVI and USB combined port, pain in the a***. Now the paint has faded, making retouching impossible. As if I didn't already have enough problems.
 

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