Matrox 450 dualhead question

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Nicodemus, Oct 24, 2001.

  1. I just got this card and installed it ok. I have been using multiple monitor setups for awhile but have never used anything other than a single monitor card. Everything works ok but it seems to work differently than what I'm used to. It actually splits the screen. The taskbar stretches all the way across the bottom and when you open an application it opens in the center, split between the two screens. Do I have to live with this? When you go to display properties it actually shows the two monitors as one single monitor with one resolution. I did a quick search here and at the Matrox website but couldnt find an answer. Is there a way to split it into two separate displays? tia
     
  2. what is the problem???? so what??? is it really all that bad??
     
  3. No its no big deal, doogie. But if I can improve on it I want to do so. It's that way with everything I do.
     
  4. tenaru

    tenaru

    I also use the Matrox Millenium G450 DualHead with 2 monitors. My taskbar is only on the 1st monitor. On the quotescreen and charts I do stretch it over both monitors for trading, but on other applications eg other websites, Word etc , it is only on one monitor, with the other monitor used for another application.

    On my Display Properties it shows 2 monitors labelled 1 & 2 with a drop down menu so I can choose either Monitor 1 or 2 and change the resolution of either if I choose to.

    I am no computer geek, so I hope this helps.
     
  5. tenaru

    This is what confuses me. When I go to display properties it does not show two monitors, just one. The way yours works is the way I want mine to work. I guess I'll try reinstalling it.
     
  6. I use the G400 dual head and I believe that the drivers are virtually the same functionality wise so here is my take on this. I have actually been able to set up my card in either of both ways described here: 1) to have the taskbar stretched across both monitors, or 2) to have taskbar on only one window.

    This comes down to an option you select during the driver setup process: to get the first result choose the option to have the same resolution on both monitors; to get the second result, choose the option to have different resolutions on the monitors.

    In the first case the Matrox driver controls both monitors directly from the video settings menu. In the second case, Windows controls the monitors, the same as if you were doing multimonitors with separate video cards.

    Hope this helps.
     
  7. kenstl

    kenstl

    when you have a card that uses one graphics chip to generate multiple screens, win2k defaults to making it one big stretched monitor. this can be fixed - check out my post on 10/10 entitled "win2k + g450"

    it is under the "Dual Matrox G400s" thread

    hope this helps,
    ken
     
  8. Thanks kenstl. I did a search here but I used 450 instead of 400 so your thread didn't show up. I figured I would get an answer here before I could find it elsewhere.:)
     
  9. nic,

    my gawd man what is it that you want to do? dont do display properties, do the matrox icon in your tray. its got what you want. matrox software is what you want. do you know anything about computers? set it up anyway you want, just go there.
     
  10. Wirehead

    Wirehead

    Nicodemus

    As far as I know there are two ways to handle this. I am assuming that you have Win2k. The first is you can reduce the size of the window using the middle button in the upper right hand corner of the window. Then grab the sides and top or bottom and stretch it only on one screen. Close the window to save the settings when you have it on one monitor only. From then on whenever that window opens it will open only on that monitor and fill up the screen or fill up to the size you stretched it to. The second is you can download the new drivers for the G450 for Win2k that have been available since mid September. This will allow you to set up two monitors with each their own resolution.

    Also as a double check, go to the Device Manager and make sure you have the correct drivers for the monitors you are using.
     
    #10     Oct 24, 2001