3-screen setup, backglass and dmd gets switched

[pintris]

Hi,

I have 3 screens cabinet, with windows 10. Windows assigned each monitor a number, and this is the same every time that I boot my PC, so that number does not change on reboots. I configured pbx to use backglass and dmd to a seperate monitor, however on each reboot, pbx seems to randomly assigns the backglass and dmd to either screens. So sometimes it seems to think that monitor 2 is the backglass monitor, other times it thinks that this monitor 2 is the dmd monitor.  So sometimes the backglass and dmd are displayed on the correct monitor, but other times after rebooting, they are displayed on the wrong monitor (backglass is displayed on dmd monitor) while i did not change the pinballx settings.

The monitor number that I need to select in pbx config are NOT the same numbers that windows assigned to the screens, but I read in another thread that this is normal. This would be okay for me, if the internal numbering in pbx did not change after each reboot. But it seems it does, since pbx is not consistent in displaying backglass and dmd Always to the same screen that was assigned to it in the config. The playfield (monitor number 1) is Always correct, so it seems pbx is only changing assignments for backglass and dmd (monitor 2 and 3).

Anyone else have this problem?

[rablack97]

Used to and its a PITA to get the configuration correct.  The registry gets confused on what needs to go where.

So, try unplugging all monitors plug them in one at a time.

So boot up with playfield plugged in, then configure that in PBX and whatever emulator your using.  Then shut down, plug in the 2nd, configure, then shut down and do the same with the 3rd.

There is a registry where you can hard code these but i cant remember where.  In my setup the numbers don't match up either, my playfield is 2.

So in your display settings go an look at what the PC assigns each monitor after setup, and move those around until it resembles your cabinet setup.

 

[pintris]

Thanks for your reply. I followed your steps. With playfield and backglass screens enabled only, pinballx seems to remain stable displaying them correctly each time. From the moment I introduce and enable also the dmd monitor, pinballx start to switch them around after each reboot randomly.

My screen numbers remain stable in windows 10 itself, playfield is 1, backglass is 3, and dmd monitor is 2. This order and numbers remain the same and do not alter between reboots.

In pinballx I had configured playfield as screen1, backglass as screen 2 and dmd as screen 3. This was displayed correct at the time I made the configuration. After a reboot however, the dmd and backglass got switched. Now I have the situation again that one reboot everything displays correct, other reboots the dmd is displayed on the backglass  and visa versa. Its completely random although the config files remain unchanged. The playfield seems to Always be stable on screen 1.

 

[rablack97]

Post screen shots of your screen config in PBX and your display config on your PC.

 

Yeah your registry is hosed, try this.....I had the same problem, drove me nuts

Your unplugging them from your video card correct? Also are your screens in the wrong place in PBX or after you select a table?

You can try this too.

HOW TO FORCE WINDOWS TO REDISCOVER MONITORS
Whenever Windows sees a new monitor it adds it to the end of the current configuration. However, this doesn't change the current configuration.To force Windows to configure monitors properly if the numbers aren't correct, you need to delete these two registry keys, and then add the monitors one at a time.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Systems\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Configuration
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Systems\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDrivers\Connectivity

[pintris]

Hi,

I followed above advise (thanks for posting that) and removed the 2 registry keys. After that I connected the screens one by one. Windows 10 initially named my playfield screen 1, backglass 2, but after plugging in my dmd monitor, windows numbered the backglass 3 and the DMD 2.

So I than physically moved both screens to the other ports on the graphics card (I switched backglass and dmd) and started over. Now Windows has them numbered in the correct order:

playfield = 1

backglass = 2

dmd = 3

my setup looks like in the screenshot attached. I configured windows to "extend the screens" on the 3 monitors.

I configured PBX with the same settings, and gave the monitors there the same number (see screenshot 2). This initally worked when i tested it.

But, after a reboot, pinballx changed the order of backglass and dmd again (sometimes!)... displaying the dmd on screen 2 (backglass) and the backglass on screen 3(dmd) as you can see in screenshot 3.

After I made that photo, I just rebooted again, without touching any config files and as you can see in screenshot 4, pinballx displayed everything again on the correct screen.

So it's completely random what screen pinballx picks for backglass and dmd. The order in windows stays fixed so in Windows, it does not change on reboots, only in pinballX.

Also, in Visual Pinball, it always is correct. I configured B2S to use screen 1 for backglass, with an x offset of 1920 . So it is not configured to use screen 2 or 3.

However, pinballX does not allow me to select screen 1 for both playfield and backglass (with an x or y-offset) because than the backglass is not displayed at all on any screen.

[Outhere]

Post your  ScreenRes.txt and your PinballX.ini

[pintris]

Both attached.

Thanks

ScreenRes.txt

PinballX.ini

[Outhere]

There should be no need to have a offset

This is my setup

1920
1080
1360
768
2
0
0
1851
602
1395
211
0

[rablack97]

i have real dmd, so i only have 2 settings

1920
1080
1920
1080
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

My autoposition direct2 b2s is set to to yes though....

[rablack97]

To give you an idea of i feel your pain, look at my whacked out numbering....2 is playfield, 3 is back glass, 1 is third video screen.

Yet in PBX setup.....Display 1 is playfield, Display 2 is backglass, Display 3 is 3rd video screen.

My cab is on another PC so this is makeshift graphics.

[pintris]

Maybe the development team of pbx can let us know where they get the info from or what the logic is behind their screen numbering code. The fact that pbx sees screen numbers different than windows means that they have their own logic probably.

Is it a registry key somewhere? If so, i could script it to change it automatically to the same values on each reboot or something so the monitor numbers stick...

I do not care which number is assigned to which screen as long as it is Always the same each reboot... and for windows it is always the same, but for pbx it currently is not.

 

[rablack97]

what version of pbx are you using, the latest?

also for your backglass did you try the standard res for a 720 p TV.

1280 x 720

That seems like a weird res.

width=1360
height=768

 

[pintris]

I tried 1080p first with sqme result but this 1360x768 is the ‘recommmended’ resolution in windows (‘recommended’ behind it) so that’s why I tested with that.

i use latest version of pbx. You said you had same problem earlier. So pbx was changing screens randomly as well with you? And when did it stopped doing it? Just by luck?

i am wondering if reinstalling my pc would make  a difference... a bit drastic perhaps 

[rablack97]

did you also enable the b2s to true.

Yeah, and it drove be crazy, but my issue was the actual PC swapping the screens.

If i exited out, my desktop would be on a different screen altogether, also if i had a hard crash the screens would get out of whack.  I would have to unplug all screen and plug then back in the order i wanted them recognized.

In your case your playfied is fine.

Are you trying different table or just the dirty harry?

Have you tried disabling the dmd and rebooting with just your backglass multiple times.  If it sticks then there's something up with your DMD settings or try a different dmd video.

[sherrmac]

I’m attempting to set up 3 monitors as well, having been able to get FP to work, but still don’t understand how exactly to edit he registry to offset the physical monitor real estate. The backglass monitor is a 22” display set at native 1260x768; and the DMD display a 19” at the same resolution. I've tried modifying various windows10 registry settings (graphics display y coordinates and communication “00” and “01”) with no effect.

Can someone explain how to “stretch” the Backglass to display on to the DMD display, and/or how and where  to change the registry.

thanks

[Outhere]

Can someone explain how to “stretch” the Backglass to display on to the DMD display?  --  Why are you trying to do this