How to set Dual Monitors to Span? (ati)

[Pj94z]

I have installed a 5670 ASUS ATI card in my system about a month ago. Prior to this, I had an NVIDIA card...which was able to do Span mode very easily, using NVIDIA control panel.

However, after the upgrade to the ATI 5670 card... when I attempt to set my dual monitors to "stretch horizontally" using the ATI Catalyst program.... it does not work !

When I do the "stretch horizontally" option and click "finish" ... both my screens go blank and then when they come back on... they are setup in "CLONE" mode... where both screen show the same picture.

Any idea on how I can get this to work? So far...I'm not very impressed with ATI products..


ps. I want to do this primarily to play call of duty MW2 on span mode (if possible?)

 

[Pj94z]

Use Windows's window manager and see if it works?
Driver version perhaps?

how do i use windows manager to do this ??

Driver version is 8.673 - ATI Tech, Date: 11/10/09

 

[Wolfshadw]

I'm not familiar with the HD5xxx series cards and how Eyefinity may affect this, but previously, there were two separate modes you could use for dual-monitor set ups. Clone mode (which you've found already) and Extended mode (which creates the desktop span across monitors).

I'm not at home, so I can't check this, but you should be able to, in Catalyst Control Center, first enable the secondary monitor and then choose, "Extended Desktop" as your display mode. This setting *should* span your desktop across both monitors.

What I can't remember is if both displays need to have the same resolution for this to work (or is that Clone Mode?).

What monitors are you trying to connect (resolutions/screen size) and what operating system are you running?

-Wolf sends

 

[Pj94z]

I'm not familiar with the HD5xxx series cards and how Eyefinity may affect this, but previously, there were two separate modes you could use for dual-monitor set ups. Clone mode (which you've found already) and Extended mode (which creates the desktop span across monitors).

I'm not at home, so I can't check this, but you should be able to, in Catalyst Control Center, first enable the secondary monitor and then choose, "Extended Desktop" as your display mode. This setting *should* span your desktop across both monitors.

What I can't remember is if both displays need to have the same resolution for this to work (or is that Clone Mode?).

What monitors are you trying to connect (resolutions/screen size) and what operating system are you running?

-Wolf sends

I am using a 24" monitor and a 20" in monitor....so they both have different resolutions. (1600x1200 on 20 inch and 1920 x 1200)

Running Win XP media center edition.


Would setting both monitors to 1600x1200 help?

 

[daedalus685]

For "span" both displays have to be the same resolution. True span treats the display as one as far as the desktop goes. You should be able to do this with eyefinity as well, which willa llow it to function in games as well.

I'm not sure how well eyefinity works in XP. You might want to look up a tutorial though. The issue is not the functionality but just that you don't seem to be able to find it.. The layout of the CCC is sometimes not very intuitive, and much different from nvidia control panel.

Why would you want to play in span with different sizes? that will create a very strange look in a game. You won't be able to span onto a different sized display (they must at least match vertically as far as pixels go)

Span, clone, and extend are windows features though, span does not exist in vista either... thus you shoudl be able to do this from teh display manager, not the CCC. Make sure to update your drivers as well, if you need to use eyefinity they often add functionality for it (specifically in 10.3)

 

[Wolfshadw]

I'd go ahead and give it a try, but thinking on it, you shouldn't need to. My HTPC uses Clone mode (HDTV and projector) and it requires both resolutions be identical (in my case, 1280x768). So if Clone Mode requires the same resolution across both monitors, Extended Desktop mode should not. At least, that's how I remember it.

I'm still wondering if Eyefinity has something to do with this.

-Wolf sends

 

[Pj94z]

I'd go ahead and give it a try, but thinking on it, you shouldn't need to. My HTPC uses Clone mode (HDTV and projector) and it requires both resolutions be identical (in my case, 1280x768). So if Clone Mode requires the same resolution across both monitors, Extended Desktop mode should not. At least, that's how I remember it.

I'm still wondering if Eyefinity has something to do with this.

-Wolf sends

What is eyefinity? and what do you mean it has something to do with this?

On a side note..... my PC is unable to resume from standby after installing this card. After doing a ton of research, it seems there is no fix for it.
Prior to installing this card.... standby and span mode were working fine on my old NVIDIA card.

 

[Wolfshadw]

The HD5xxx series of ATI graphic cards come with a new feature called Eyefinity. On higher end models, it allows you use three of four video outputs on a single graphics card to span your desktop across three monitors for an extra-wide screen. One model even has six outputs for display across six screens. This is a feature that comes with ALL of the HD5xxx series cards; even those with only two or three outputs. In those cases, Eyefinity is limited to two displays. Regardless of how many monitors you have connected, they must all have the same resolution for Eyefinity to work. That's why I'm wondering if Eyefinity is the problem here.

Essentially, what you're trying to do is set up your display just like you would in a two monitor Eyefinity setup, but since your monitors are not at the same resolution, it's choking. I'd check CCC to see if there is an Eyefinity option set and disable it if there is.

Concerning recovery from Stand-By, I've seen a thread or three here on Tom's, but never delved into them. Again, as I don't have an HD5xxx series card, I'm limited in what I can do to help.

-Wolf sends

Edit:

Ok, so I'm home now and just tested some options on my Windows XP MCE 2005 HTPC. It's hooked up to my HDTV (1280x768) and my projector (1280x720).

1) Without going into Catalyst Control Center, Right-Click anywhere on the desktop and select, "Properties" from the menu. This brings up the Windows Display properties.
2) Click on the "Settings" tab and you should see both of your monitors in the window; primary as #1 and secondary as #2. The secondary may be "greyed" out.
2a) If it is, right-click on it and select "Attached". This should enable options below; the last being, "Extend my Windows Desktop onto this monitor".
3) Check "Extend my Windows Desktop onto this monitor" and click apply.

See what that does for you.

-Wolf