Multi Screen Gaming

Implementation of Multiple Displays

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Thomas) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:11:00 +0000

Well, if you made it to this site you probably have an above average understanding of how to setup multiple displays. For the sake of everyone else I will try to be as thorough as possible in this explanation.

The Basics

We’ll start with trying to identify what different things everyone reading this might have. Most people start with one display and then for whatever reason decide that it would be cool to add a second display. Let us assume for one minute that you are one of these people. First things first. We need to do an equipment check.

Graphics card

What type of graphics card are you using? Most people have something like this:

This configuration shows VGA, SVIDEO, and DVI connectors. However, this is not the only configuration possible, there is also this possibility:

This configuration shows VGA, HDMI and DVI connectors.

Now, if you have a VGA connector and a DVI (or an HDMI) connector, you are in business. At this point we just need to make sure that you have two monitors. Just in case you only have VGA connectors on your monitors you can get a VGA to DVI adapter.

I am using an ATI Sapphire 4850x2 with four DVI ports, but I am only using two of them. So, my setup looks like this:

At this point everything is pretty straight forward. I hope you connect everything with your PC powered off. Assuming that you have, then at this point go ahead and power on your PC.

Setting up your displays Is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3!

Step 1 - Go to your Control Panel

Step 2 – Select Display

Step 3 – Select Change Display Setting.

All you need to do now is make sure that the multiple display drop down is set for extend these displays. Of course you’ll want to ensure that your left monitor is monitor 1 and your right monitor is monitor 2, if not then just switch them around on your desk. If you have windows XP you will have an additional option called Span. Select this option now. What this does is treat the two monitors as if they were one big monitor. This puts you ahead of the VISTA and 7 users, who will not have this as an option.

Dual Head2Go

Triple Head2Go

Once you get either of these devices, the setup is a breeze. The above captions illustrate most of what setup is involved. You’ll notice that two (or three) monitor cables go into the box and then one coming out of the box. That one monitor plugs into your graphics card. Your graphics card will then see your two (or three) monitors as one very large monitor. At this point you can go into World of Warcraft (or whatever compatible game you prefer) and select the appropriate resolution, and you’re all set.

ATI & Nvidia

ATI and Nvidia have recently introduced graphics cards that support 3+ monitors, which I believe will ultimately lead to the demise of the Triple Head2Go. The TripleHead2Go is more expensive than the mid-range ATI and Nvidia offerings. In addition, the Triple Head2Go only does half of the job of these cards. because even with the Triple Head2Go you still need a graphics card. So in my opinion, it’s dead. However, If you already have a Triple Head2Go set-up, it is still effective and get’s the job done. But if you don’t already have one, I would pass on it and go for ATI’s 5000 Series cards that Support Eyefinity Technology. I say ATI and not Nvidia because ATI has such a head start with multi-screen technology. Please visit ATI or Nvidia for the latest information.

What Are Your Options?

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Thomas) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:21:00 +0000

This is where the use of extra displays gets to be serious fun. There are a lot of ways that extra displays can be advantageous. Having one screen for the game and another screen showing something else like the internet or whatever is one way, but the main focus here is how best to enjoy games stretched across multiple monitors. In this post I am going to look at the advantages of both the dual screen and triple screen approaches I will use my Paladin from World of Warcraft to demonstrate how they differ from each other.

Single Monitor

Dual Monitor

Triple Monitor

Obviously the triple monitor option is superior to the other choices. I have heard that there is a way that your player can be made to be a little more to the right or left in dual screen mode, but I have yet to see someone accomplish it. In this instance, assuming that you could do it, it would appear this way:

Dual Screen Display (center shifted to the left)

This version of the dual screen is, in my humble opinion, superior to the first dual screen example.. The left(or if you preferred the right) screen is the center focus and the right screen serves as what could be considered you right peripheral vision. In the absence of a third screen it takes some getting use to. It is, basically, the triple monitor system without the left monitor.

Dual Screen (stacked)

This configuration, I would think, would be reserved for flight simulators or something really unusual. I am not going to bother showing three monitors stacked because that would just be silly. I will leave it to you to decide what works best for you.

Wallpaper for Multiple Displays

noreply@blogger.com (Brian Thomas) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:47:00 +0000

     I have spent hours trying to select the perfect wallpaper for my dual monitors. Not just any image will do. It has to do more than just span both monitors. It has to do it seamlessly, or virtually so. It has to have some kind of wow factor, while at the same time express my personality. An image of a stand of trees would never do. No matter how beautifully green the trees may be. No matter how breath-taking the photography that bore the image. A stand f trees, to me, is still just a stand of trees.

     The wallpaper you selected for your system has probably been a product of a similar decision making process. Anyway, today I am going to recommend some dual screen wallpaper sites. To be fair to the sources of these images I have chosen to pull a single image from each site. the image will serve as a sample for that site. From there you will be able to select what images you are actually interested in. I have selected sites that have good content and not too much BS going on so that you can enjoy perusing through their selections.

Desktop Pictorials

Free fun and Games

Toshiba Life

The Lance Life

Qapla