Multiple monitors?

[Adultery]

Hi all.

I turned my GameExtender Viewer on to run in the secondary monitor but it doesn't seem to be working... Any help would be greatly appreciated.

PS - I configured MAME to use both screens effectively, but I would like the emulators to use the other screen for the GameExtender. Is this even possible? If so, am I making a mistake?

[emphatic]

Since GameExtender is a part of GameEx and not MAME, you shouldn't configure MAME for two monitors, right?

I only have one monitor, so I can't help you more than that. Still, at least I tried.

Emph

[U2Edge]

  emphatic said:

Since GameExtender is a part of GameEx and not MAME, you shouldn't configure MAME for two monitors, right?

I only have one monitor, so I can't help you more than that. Still, at least I tried.

Emph

Yeah, if you set MAME to run on both monitors, you'll never see GameExtender -- you'll see whatever MAME is running. If you set GameEx to run GameExtender on the secondary monitor and have MAME set to run on just the primary, it should work just fine.

[Adultery]

Couldn't I leave MAME to run two and only show the GameExtender on the cosole emulators?

It's just too bad GameEx doesn't have a way to broadcast my console emulators to two screens like MAME does.

[U2Edge]

  Adultery said:

Couldn't I leave MAME to run two and only show the GameExtender on the cosole emulators?

It's just too bad GameEx doesn't have a way to broadcast my console emulators to two screens like MAME does.

It's funny that you mention that. I just put it in the request for new features list. Maybe if enough people put it in, we'll get it.

[headkaze]

Why not just use the video cards ability to broadcast to both screens? Most recent video cards can either run two monitors as one big desktop, one desktop that extends to the other monitor or both monitors showing the same output.

Rather than have Mame broadcast to both screens use the video card.

Also, even if GameEx added the ability to broadcast a game to the second monitor, it would not have the same FPS as the real screen. It would also be choppy and slow down the game too much. On the other hand using your hardware to do it will no slow anything down at all.

[U2Edge]

  headkaze said:

Why not just use the video cards ability to broadcast to both screens? Most recent video cards can either run two monitors as one big desktop, one desktop that extends to the other monitor or both monitors showing the same output.

Rather than have Mame broadcast to both screens use the video card.

Also, even if GameEx added the ability to broadcast a game to the second monitor, it would not have the same FPS as the real screen. It would also be choppy and slow down the game too much. On the other hand using your hardware to do it will no slow anything down at all.

I already have my video card set to stretch across both desktops...so technically, my resolution is 2560 x 1024. I tried forcing GameEx to run at that resolution and it didn't work -- it just ran on one monitor. I also tried just letting it run normal, and it didn't work, either.

There is an option to "clone" monitor 1 to monitor 2, but since I don't usually operate in that mode for normal work, etc., I have to enable my Nvidia desktop wizard (which does crazy stuff to my computer and hogs major resources) just to clone 'em. I would think for people who want the true arcade feel but still use their computer for other work, they wouldn't want to run a setting everytime they went in and out. For those with a dedicated cab and dual monitor setup, setting the monitors to show the same output might be the solution.

MAME doesn't seem to bog and runs the same FPS when running on both monitors, is it because it just uses minimal resources where I don't notice a difference?

[Adultery]

I'm with u2 on this one.

I use extended desktop on my PC and GameEx only uses that screen if I have MAME configured for two screens or I tell GameEx to run on it.

Otherwise my other monitor always shows the 2nd half of my desktop when GameEx is running. Can't even get GameExtender to show up on it at all. So the dual monitor thing is pointless?

[U2Edge]

  Adultery said:

I'm with u2 on this one.

I use extended desktop on my PC and GameEx only uses that screen if I have MAME configured for two screens or I tell GameEx to run on it.

Otherwise my other monitor always shows the 2nd half of my desktop when GameEx is running. Can't even get GameExtender to show up on it at all. So the dual monitor thing is pointless?

I use UltraMon to help configure my dual monitor setup -- it has an option to "mirror" from monitor 1 to monitor 2. I even built a script/batch file combo so that GameEx would fire off the batch file and script to turn the mirroring on/off when it launches/exits....but it doesn't like "mirroring" -- the batch file runs like it is supposed to, but the second monitor never draws out. If I move my mouse around it will "paint" screen 1 over to screen 2....but it just looks rediculous. It only likes true "cloning" which I have to set using NVidia controls...and not only is NVidia desktop wizard a major resource hog, you get a ton of flickering and stuff when it does a true clone.

[Ricci]

Another method, if you have an HD monitor (tv without tuner) and MCE, you can have a hellavu display! I am running my system off my 60" screen and it works excellent!!

[emphatic]

  U2Edge said:

I would think for people who want the true arcade feel but still use their computer for other work, they wouldn't want to run a setting everytime they went in and out. For those with a dedicated cab and dual monitor setup, setting the monitors to show the same output might be the solution

Actually, people who want the "true arcade feel" use ONLY a dedicated cab with real arcade monitors.

Emph

[U2Edge]

  emphatic said:

Actually, people who want the "true arcade feel" use ONLY a dedicated cab with real arcade monitors.

Emph

Oh, that's coming this week. I've got it narrowed down to one of three arcade cabs. Does a 34" arcade monitor suffice?

As far as other people using real arcade monitors, there are arcade cabinets with dual monitors...X-Men being one of them.

[Ricci]

You are right Emph!

Getting there slowly..but tell me this...does the "true" arcade monitor measure up to a monitor with a 512 card?? (quality wise?)