Multiple Desktops

[Roomie]

I got a question: I’m looking for a graphic card that can handle multiple desktops on two monitors. NOT a copy of the first screen and NOT an extremely wide screen resolution split up on two screens, but TWO different desktops on two monitors.

If anyone knows of a graphic card that could handle this please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

/Roomie

 

[cleeve]

Do you mean you want to show duplicate of the same desktop on two screens?

Or two distinct separate desktops? With two separate keyboards and two separate monitors?

------------------
Radeon 9500 (hardmodded to PRO, o/c to 322/322)
AMD AthlonXP 2400+ (O/C to 2600+ with 143 fsb)
3dMark03: 4055

 

[Roomie]

Two distinct seperate desktops on two seperate monitors but with the same keaybord.

 

[ecar016]

Umm....that setup is really redundant and useless.
I have a 9800 pro with dual displays. I just installed new 3.8 catalyst with hew basic hydravision (which I really like so far)

I have 1 desktop with 2 monitors and different resolutions. I can drag icons or applications to either screen and have both running at the same time. One I have at 1280x1024 and the other is a widescreen running at 1024x768. I can access any application on any screen with a click of a button and if I close an application on a specific screen, it will rmember and reopen on the same screen. I can overlap applications (half on one and half on the other). The only function that I dont use is full span across both monitors because it requires the same reolution on both screens (which I'm not using). I'm sure that this setup will be move than sufficient......2 seperate desktops ould require multiple users and not be very efficient.

EC


<font color=red> Quantum Computers! - very interesting </font color=red>

 

[Roomie]

I have a Radeon 7500 and and also use the hydravision system but I can't have two diffrent resolution instead I have one large resolution at 2560x1024. The problem with my setup right now is that I can't run a some of the applications a need to use, like 3ds max plus some most games.

Maybe ecar016's setup work. But didn't Matrox use to have something like what I asked for?

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Matrox is the only card that allows two distinct desktops. However games will almost ALWAYS cause problems with other apps, running on the other desktop. Most games don't like sharing computers.

Matrox will allow you to have two distinct desktops, but won't run 3DsMax as well as the Quadro and FireGL cards. I'm not sure if the Wildcats are good at multi-head or even games for that matter. But since you're using an R7500 the P750 and Parhelia will likely do games better.

But if you want 'most games' I think you'll have to be content with running one at a time.


- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com" target="_new"><font color=green>RED</font color=green> <font color=red>GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK

 

[ecar016]

I would never reccomend a matrox.....now that I've experienced the 9800pro with 2 monitors. True, 2 games running at the same time is not great but then again most games want to access the cdrom and you can only run 1 at a time. BUT running a game while surfing the net is a charm. I suggest a 9800pro. I also plan on getting a TV tuner card, that way I can play a game and either surf, watch a DVD, watch TV or do work. Maybe all at the same time. Actually I'm dreaming of MS media PC but I'm not patient so I'll have to build one myself as best I can with existing components. So far so good.

I like playing Neverwinter nights while watching TV (business news).

EC


<font color=red> Quantum Computers! - very interesting </font color=red>

 

[Roomie]

OK, so what you're telling me is that the 9800pro will let me run, for example, two high resource demanding games or applications and at the same time (though I understand that running two games at the same time is not optimal).

To clarify what I'm after, this is mostly what I have running at the same time:
3ds max, PhotoShop and maybe After Effects plus a couple of browser windows.
If anyone knows if this would work on a 9800pro card on two monitors please let me know.

BTW, thanks for all the replies, great forum you got here.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

ecar, yes but then agin I wouldn't ignore MATROx when it comes to dual monitor support. Your media PC system is unlikely to work with current ATI cards. I will with Matrox. Like I said it doesn't do gaming well, but it does 2D and multi-monitor better than anyone else, and that's by a great distance! The TV out on the Matrox's is the best as well. They don't do games well (other than surround gaming) but they do those things better than anyone else.

If the main focuse is gaming, then go with the ATI's, you're not going to beat them for games, and they offer OK multi-head support. If the main focus is the Photoshop & 3DsMax, etc. plus Multi-Monitor support, then Matrox IS the way to go, and even the P750 would be a big step up from the R7500.

Also, I think you guys are confusing two seperate destops for simply an extension of one desktop (even at different res.) which I've been able to do since my RageFury + AIW PCI years ago. Only Matrox allows two desktops.

Anywhoo, as always, that's my two frames worth.

- You need a licence to buy a gun, but they'll sell anyone a stamp <i>(or internet account)</i> ! <A HREF="http://www.redgreen.com" target="_new"><font color=green>RED</font color=green> <font color=red>GREEN</font color=red></A> GA to SK

 

[cdpage]

Ok this two seperate decktop thing has me all confused too.

I have a 9500pro and have a dual monitor set up

<font color=red>Monitor 1</font color=red> is a 17" and is my main monitor i have set to 1024 x 768 right now.
<font color=red>Monitor 2</font color=red> is a 15" and i have that currently set to the same 1024 x 768.

If i want to i can set either montor higher or lower in res or possitioning. if you like you can have the monitor above or below or to the left or right. if you have set one monitor at a differnt res. it will snap your monitor to be flush with just the top, center or bottom... or you can adjust it to any pixel amount you choose

sometimes I run Photoshop, Illustrator and flash all at the same time.

Sometimes i will have all the programs running in my main window and put all the tool pallets on the 2nd monitor...which i have chosen to be on the right side... flush top and bottom with my main monitor.

however sometimes ill have Flash full screen running in my main and have Illustrotor full screen on the 2nd becasue i'll be using the image as a refrance or dragging and dropping images from one program to another.

something no mentioned was the start line. It only stays in the main window and does not carry over in to the next monitor.

as for playing games, i have yet to find a normal reaction to having both monitors running.

one game i play changes the resulotion of the second monitor...sorta. what it does realy is it makes a massive boarder around making a smaller window in the center.

another game just turns it black.

some games alow for my mouse to travel out of the game an into the 2nd monitor(Con: sux if you tring to make the screen in that game move. Pro: great if you are chatting with someone or working at the same time.) but it can be the other way too where you have to ALT+TAB to use the program you have running in the other window.

It's nice when you find a game that keeps the screen the same and you can leave the second montitor on to have other things going on. like watching TV(for those with that option) or reading sometihng off the internet, or talking to someone on MSN or watching to see when sometihng is done rendering.

Im not sure if this answered any of you quetions but this is just the way i have always know dual monitoring to work...even when i was on a 10 yr old Mac in high school.


ASUS P4S8X - P4 2.4B - 2 x 512M DDR333 - ATI 9500 Pro(Sapphire) - WD 80G HD (8M Buffer) - SAMSUNG SV0844D 8G HD - LG 16X DVD - Yamaha F1 CDRW - Iomega Zip 250 int.