Status of feature request-secondary display (1 Viewer)

CHli

Portal Pro
July 5, 2005
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Switzerland
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Can someone point me on the Microsoft Documentation where it is stated that only the primary monitor can be accelerated ? Because at work I'm using Direct3d to display a fullscreen texture which displays a video on the second monitor and if I create the direct3d device using the second monitor in constructor it seems that it is accelerated because if I set it with the other one the performance are horrible.

So perhaps it's not as accelerated as it should be but it is more than if it was no accelerated at all ???

I'm just curious :roll:
 

Don_Szturchen

Portal Member
June 6, 2006
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How can this be a DirectX issue? Doesn't meedio also use VideoOverlay via DirectX ?? I dont think this is the problem, but maybe i'm wrong, i'm a lamer ;P in this matter ;)

Besides ATI CatalystControlCenter also uses .net and makes possible to change displays via this tool.

this is also my idea for MP to use it on a second screen and do something else on primary. Right now i'm using UltraMon to swich automatically to second screen when entering MediaPortal but that doesn't solve the problem, i can't work at the computer while watching a movie, playing music via MP etc...

P.S. for me comparing Meedio with MediaPortal is a misunderstanding. I've used Meedio for some time, the fact is that you can use your computer while Meedio is on, and the configuration possibilities are great, but when we're talking about possibilities that these applications offer (like f.e. integration with internet services) Meedio is nowhere close to MP! MP Rules !! :)

BTW. Thanks to all people involved in this project, what i can do is only translate because my coding, graphic skills are .... eee... there is none ;P and may i add anyone interested in trying out my Polish translation (i mean people who understand our beautiful language ;) are welcome to PM me :)

Once again respect to all developers :)
 

toddbailey

Portal Pro
April 25, 2006
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Pac NorWet
My point exactly, I think it an issue that has been over looked.
I have several apps that use direct x and they run fine on a secondary monitor. Meedio, several media player type apps, video games to name a few.

I bet it's one of those things that if you want it fixed, you fix it.
 

toddbailey

Portal Pro
April 25, 2006
66
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Pac NorWet
And in my installation it's the main block keeping me from deploying MP. Hopefully with my vacation coming up I'll be able to resolve the issue. But it might be easier said that done.
 

jawbroken

Portal Pro
August 13, 2005
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Have you tried just having your TV set as the primary monitor and running other programs on the secondary monitor? The MediaPortal wiki:
http://wiki.team-mediaportal.com/Fr...head-1d44a9f8ea8eb73b087c770db2a4db3313a75045
has this to say on the matter:
"Can I run MediaPortal properly on a secondary display?

MediaPortal can not run properly on a secondary display. It can run on your second monitor (or TV set) only if you set it up as "primary screen".

This is because MediaPortal uses DirectX 9 acceleration and Windows XP is only able to support DirectX 9 acceleration on primary screen. Thus the display used for MediaPortal needs to be the first or "primary" display in windows."
 

toddbailey

Portal Pro
April 25, 2006
66
0
Pac NorWet
yes I tried this, unfortunantly, in doing so the entire windows desktop is then moved onth the projection screen. So yes it solves one problem by creating another. Anytime I want to use the computer, I have to have both monitors powered on and instead of having the windows desktop display on the desktop monitor it's on the projector screen.

Also I don't buy off on the statement that direct x can't support a secondary display, my current media appl (meedio) supports direct x just fine on the secondary display. as do several direct x games.

I think someone didn't research this very well or it's just not a high enough priority item to look into it further. But I 'd wouldn't mind seeing any documentation on direct x that supports the fact that secondary display are not supported.

But I seriously doubt MS would be so shortsighted to release a api with a limitation such as this.
 

jawbroken

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August 13, 2005
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I believe that it is not a problem with directx in general, just acceleration and exclusive modes and the like on the non-primary display.

A search on the internet such as http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=directx+limitation+dual+screen&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
will lead you to many people having issues with video on the non primary monitor, even including issues with smooth playback in Windows Media Player.

Perhaps there is a workaround for accelerated video on the secondary display, but it seems it is at the very least not very well known amongst application developers.
 

EMKO

Portal Pro
May 4, 2006
175
3
for me i just right click on a video and click play on my tv then i get to see the video on both screens without lagg even if i play video games. but if i choose clone, on the primary i will get full fps and on the second monitor i will have low fps
 

mzemina

Retired Team Member
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  • February 23, 2005
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    Tulsa, OK
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    toddbailey - I hope that you continue and provide your expertise & experiance in this area to continue to develope a way to resolve this issue.
     

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