2nd Video Card - MP with Dual Video Card/Dual Monitor Setup? (1 Viewer)

[gdirwin]

Area: Media Portal Program
MediaPortal Version: 0.2.0.3 (2006-07-29)
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: Windows XP (SP2)
.NET CLR Version: 2.0.50727
DirectX Version: 4.09.00.0904 (9.0c)
Audio Codec: AC3Filter
Video Codec: InterVideo Video Decoder
CPU Type: AMD Athlon 64 3000+
Memory: 1 GB
Motherboard: K8VSEDX (ASUSTeK Computer Inc.)
TV Card Model: Hauppauge PVR-150
TV Card Type: Hardware
TV Card Driver: 2.0.35.23258
Video Card Model: Radeon 9600 Series (128 MB)
Video Card Driver: Catalyst 6.6
Video Card Resolution: 1180x1024(monitor 1, via VGA), 1920×1080 (monitor 2, via ATI DVI to component adapter)
Video Render Type: VMR9
Audio Card Model: SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio
Audio Card Driver: 5.12.1.3663
Synopsis::

With previous MP versions, it was possible to switch between between 2 monitors using the File ->Change Device menu. I used this (and the tips/tricks "Auto start on 2nd monitor program":
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/viewtopic.php?t=12045
to switch to the 2nd monitor) allowed me to run MP on my 2nd monitor while still using the computer normally on monitor 1. Monitor 2 is about 50ft away on the wall in the next room (hand-made coax component video cables). Worked reasonably well! ...that is until the latest releases.

Now (0.2.0.3 - latest release with patch, no SVNs), the File->Change Device is removed, and running on the 2nd monitor is painful to setup, not reliable (frequent crashes) etc... MP on primary Monitor 1 works great!

I also understand that nobody is working on this problem despite plenty of interest in the forums (the reason being it is a Microsoft direct X issue?).

1) I am willing to buy another low-end video card (probably another ATI 9xxx since they have a cheap DVI to component video adapter) dedicated to MP but will this do the trick?

2) How would I setup MP with 2 video cards?

3) Can they both be setup as Primary somehow?

Help![/url][/b]

 

[b0rna]

plz search, i added this the forums yesterday.

https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/viewtopic.php?t=17605

hope it works, leme know.

edit: i also found no way of adding it back after searching the forums for 3 or so hours, so i did it myself. removing this option was done for a reason, being it no longer working properly for many. i must warn you, although it still works, recent changes in mediaportal have made multi monitor setups very very very unstable. if you want what you had before, you may want to go to an older build. its still functional though. give it a try.

 

[gdirwin]

Thanks b0rna - that is always an option (to re-enable the change device menu) albeit a temporary one.

Hopefully formal/official support will be added for dual monitors (with one card) when someone figures out the primary/secondary/direct X issues.

Ideally I want my PC to run exactly as it is now (desktop, start menu, starting of new program etc... on PC monitor) with MP running on a 2nd monitor or on a second video card...



Has anyone tried MP with dual video cards? How does it work?