Commodore64 2000-09-28 07:38
GamePC recently did a review the Asus V7100/2V1D GeForce2 MX TwinView. Alas, it confirms the worst; The MX's Windows 2000 multimon implementation is just as crippled as the Matrox G4x0's. Now I'm truly bummed...
Now Im left to wonder if a G400 Max and a PCI GeForce MX is a survivable combination. It would be *real* nice if that combo supported accelerated OpenGL (which I sincerely doubt). Otherwise, it's two GeForce MX's, and I really didn't want to spend the money for TWO graphics cards right now...
If you'ld like to see all the gory details for yourself, here are the links.
GamePC's Review
The important bit (TwinView : Hardware)
(a very unhappy)
C=64
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EZToms 2000-09-29 01:11
Whooo... That's too bad, i hopped that the MX would solve the G400's problems with w2k.
At least i have nearly identical monitors, but that sucks.
I'll buy this card anyway, as it's the only dualview card that will hit the market. Guillemot seems to release a twinview with tv output only.
It's sad they didn't talk about Opengl on the card and if it was possible to use OpenGl on both screens for exemple. Nobody has a MX twinview acutally ?
EZToms
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EZToms 2000-09-29 02:04
I wrote to the author of the article concerning OpenGl on both screens, for applications and for QIII for example. Here's his answer :
------------------------
No, you cannot use OpenGL on both screens at once. On the other hand,
Matrox's G450 can have OpenGL on both displays at once. QIII will not work
over two screens on either card though.
Chris Connolly
Head of Internet Operations
GamePC - High Performance Gaming Computers
-------------------------
:((
EZToms
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Nicarus 2000-09-29 07:03
The fault lies with Microsoft, not with Matrox or Nvidia. Microsoft hardcoded a 1:1 relationship between video chipsets and monitors into Windows 2000 for some reason, and thus ANY card from ANY manufacturer that implements dual-head from a single chip will rely on a hack to work in Windows 2000.
Microsoft at one point clamed that the fix for this would be in SP1 for Win2k, but it didn't happen, and now we're apparently supposed to wait for Whistler.
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Robert Smallshire 2000-10-02 17:30
But where can I actually *buy* a PCI Geforce2 MX card - even one with only single output. If anybody can recommend a retailer - especially in the UK - where I can get one of these that would be good. I can only find AGP cards over here!
Rob Smallshire
Senior Development Engineer
Midland Valley Exploration
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Scott 2000-10-03 03:52
I know its not in the UK, but you can get some from e-bay:
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&query=nvidia+pci&categoryid=&ht=1&st=0&category1=161&maxRecordsPerPage=100&SortProperty=MetaEndSort
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James Fry 2000-11-20 18:13
I just bought an AGP twinview (Cardexpert) with two VGA ports (not one VGA and one DVI) and comp video and also 5.5ns mem in the UK.
I cost £129 inc VAT and was from falcon computers on 0191 567 6669
It seem that the twinview drivers are a bit buggy - seemed to work ok to start off with but then after a reboot the 2nd monitor seemed dead and in display properties I could only select 800x600 max for the 2nd display. Will endeavour to fix this thou :)
James
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Jan 2000-11-22 16:10
Hmm, this really is some serious problem. Will/can this be fixed in a win2k service pack, and will Whistler have better support for this problem? Anyone knows?
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Graham 2000-11-25 19:58
I bought the Cardexpert 2MX with dual monitor connections, also expecting to be able to drive 2 monitors in Windows 2000 just like I was with the G400 dualhead.
Suffice to say that Nvidia twinview is much worse under 2000 than the Matrox Dual head.
My second monitor is a 15inch Sony 15SF2, which drops down to power saving mode within seconds if no signal is available. I now have to boot with twinview disabled, then once up and running select a rescan of displays on the twinview page just after I've power cycled the monitor. This then sees the monitor and I can use twinview provided I don't go over 1024 x 768 by 2.
Unfortunately, if I forget to switch twinview back off when shuting down then the next boot up has garbage on the screen The only way out of this is to reboot in vga mode and change the resolution to anything and reboot again. This then required the monitor power cycle trick once win 2000 is back up.
Come on Microsoft - give us the FIX we deserve.
Graham
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John Megert 2000-12-01 10:19
Thanks for posting all the info about single card multimonitor support related to Win 2000. I should have read here earlier but I bought a new machine (win2000) requesting it be set up to drive two monitors. They put the Matrox G450 on it. My monitors are different sizes. If I pick another identical monitor as my main one (19") will everything be okay. Does everything else function as it should? The reason I'm asking is because I'm considering changing them out. I havn't opened the box yet.
Thanks,
John
jmegert@yahoo.com
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EZToms 2000-12-03 23:55
Yep, under win2K, same monitors are rather recommended, at least, the 2 monitors should be
able to run at same res/freq.
After 1 month with a geforce 2 twinview under win2k, I'm much happier than I was at begining.
With latest drivers, i can go up to 1280x1024 on both screen, those drivers also have some kind of tweaks than makes windows behaves more like in a classic multimon configuration (maximise to single screen, messages on 1 screen and ultramon-like fonctions).
Moreover, the fact that this card can do OpenGL and video on both screen is pretty intersting, especially with exact same monitors.
With Widescreen Divx more and more common, it's a real pleasure to watch movies on both screen.
EZToms
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Chris Ratzlaff 2001-03-02 01:08
Has anyone come across anything new regarding TwinView support in Win 2K? It's a feature I REALLY like and am almost tempted to go back to Win ME for it, despite all the bugs.
I've come across something called PowerStrip as a support program for Multi Monitor systems, but it seems only to apply to systems with multiple video cards, and not the nVidia TwinView.
...sigh...I WANT MY SECOND MONITOR BACK!
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EZToms 2001-03-08 21:05
it's the same kind of software as Ultramon, it won't be of any help with Twinview. Only nVidia can help on that. Matrox managed to get it working, maybe nVidia will find the way as well.
EZToms
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Nick Le Marshall 2001-03-13 12:36
Just to clear up (hopoefully) some stuff on geforce 2 mx on w2k.
1. It supports open GL and Directx/3d on both screens at once (eg I had deus ex running in "2560 x 1024" mode)
2. It generally treats both monitors as one big monitor with max res of 2560 x 1024, which is two monitors running at 1280 x 1024.
3. The one big monitor "feature" causes problems with windows maximising across both screens and dialogs and splash screens appearing in the middle of the two monitors.
4. If the nvidia quicktweak taskbar thingy is turned on and then, using this, the "nvidia desktop manager" is turned on, windows starts acting more like there are two separate monitors (although some things continue to be split it becomes much more usable).
5. Resolutions must be the same on both monitors, but refresh rates can be different.
6. I have 2 hitachi 715's and some versions of the drivers (early and also recent betas) seem to have problems detecting my second monitor, trying different drivers seemed to fix this.
These comments are based on the nvidia drivers v7.52 which I found to be the best for my setup, your mileage may vary.
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tuc 2001-04-17 07:15
How do I get this nVidia QuickTweak thingie some of you mention?
I'll be happy if it prevents the dialogs from apparing right at the
split between the two monitors. I'll be happier if it can stop splitting
the taskbar in horizontal mode.
Is there anyway to arrange the monitors? I have an analog screen
on the db-15 port and a digital screen on the DVI port. It puts the
digital screen on the logical right no matter what I do, even though
it is physically located to the right of the analog screen. Is there
any way around this?
I'm using the 6.50 drivers from nvidia.com. Did someone say that
version 7.52 existed? If so, can I find it?
We really have to wait for whistler for decent dual-head support??
I was really hoping that ServicePack1 would do it. Is there absolutely
no hope for SP2?
I've already asked four questions, but here's one more. Is there a
trick to getting video-out to work? TwinView works fine for me when
I'm using the db-15 and the DVI ports, but if I unplug one of those
(either one) and plug in a TV via the S-video port, I can't see
anything on the TV.
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tuc 2001-04-17 07:22
> Is there anyway to arrange the monitors? I have an analog screen
> on the db-15 port and a digital screen on the DVI port. It puts the
> digital screen on the logical right no matter what I do, even though
> it is physically located to the right of the analog screen. Is there
> any way around this?
The digital screen is physically to the right of the analog screen,
but TwinView always puts the digital screen on the logical _left_. Sorry
about that.
btw, I've got a VisionTek 72737.0 (nice card, but no fan/heatsink and
no facility for composite/RCA video-out)
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Kristian 2001-05-27 14:33
Does anyone know if Windows 2000 Service Pack 2 fixes the Twinview ratio problem? or have any of the newer nVidia drivers fixed the problem? I was using Windows 2000 for a while but switched back to 98 SE strictly for the dual display. I'd be damned if I had to run my 19" monitor at the same resoltuion as my 15".
If there are any fixes please e-mail me to let me know.
Kristian
kjs76@bellsouth.net
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Curt 2001-05-30 04:29
I too had read that the one chipset-one monitor "feature" of w2k was to blame for the nvidia twinview woes, but it look like Matrox have it beat.
The latest driver set for the G450 is supposed to have independant position/res/refresh done natively in w2k during dual head.
But (and the is _always_ a but) it only works (well) with intel chipsets, so athlon/duron/pentium+via users are out of luck.
I was hoping for a pci G450 running 2 screens on either side of the gentral agp Geforce2.
BTW this came from a magazine article that I'll type up if anyone doesn't believe me/is interested.
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Kevin 2001-06-20 06:14
The nVIDIA site and white papers say that you can configure Twinview with 2 digital monitors, but nobody has done so. I have looked EVERYWHERE for a dual DVI connector card and none exists. Anybody hear of one?
Thanks,
Kevin
king_ramen@yahoo.com
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Kristian 2001-06-21 04:36
Most digital displays can connect to an analog connector but you lose a bit of quality with the digital-analog-digital conversion. I think that's what NVIDA is advertising.
~k
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Craig Hillhouse 2001-07-12 17:21
I too have the same exact problem, 2 W2K machines, one has a Matrox Dual Head G400 the other a geForce2 MX twinview. The Matrox now works with both Win98 and W2K no probs. The geForce2 only works properly with Win98 and has this stupid lack of functionality on W2K. One thing - Nick Le Marshall - how did you get separate resolutions on the two monitors? This is one of my main problems. At 1280x1024 my Iiyama 19" should run at 75hz, but thanks to my Sony 17" that runs at 60hz at this res. my Iiyama is also forced down.
The thing I'm really wondering is - who has the inside info on nVidia? Does anybody know if they're even trying to fix this? If so has there been any announcements on when they might find a fix? This has been a problem now for 9 months - this is a long time for computer hardware & drivers in anyone's book. Surely if they know about it they must be at least *working* on it???
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Kristian 2001-07-12 23:43
read the thread "Any changes re: Win2K/XP with Twinview?"
By the way I e-mailed them again stressing the importance of this feature and that many users are switching to Matrox just for true multimon support in Win2K and WinXP. No response yet. I will post it as soon as I get one.
~K
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Craig Hillhouse 2001-07-13 03:38
Kristian - thanks. I actually saw that thread after I posted today and the response you got from Nvidia. A great post as it's the most useful info I've seen so far on this issue - internet wide.
I'd be happy to sign my name on any petition to get nVidia into gear to fix this up. Even if I "just" upgrade to Win XP, even it's not out final until October here which is a long time to wait. Otherwise I'm facing buying two new cards as I would've got geForce3, only I wanted twinview and I don't have a decent PCI card - which is not much fun.
Either way when Win XP comes out it will be a good year or so before people *really* start to upgrade... these things never happen overnight, especially cause everyone's waiting for all the bugs to be fixed before upgrading. And in the meantime everyone has to work with a flawed driver.
As they say - they're aware Matrox has done it, so they must know that they can do it too. Just get the priorities straight and we'll be right.
Cheers
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Hi$c@n BMK 2001-07-19 20:50
Does anyone knows here, how to have full screen video only on one screen (primary) with a GeForce 2 MX Dh PRO (leadtek). (under W2K)
Because i want my video only on one screen !!
Thanks a lot
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Kurt Winter 2001-08-11 05:02
I have a Cardex GS Twinview MX, and I couldn't like it better. I actually like W2K's implementation slightly better then 98's... But I have two 15" monitors that support the same resolution. My only complaint is that I can't change the monitor drivers for the second monitor - its as if the second monitor does not exist (according to Win2k). And there are no facilities to change it in the driver set. My other BIG problem with it is the VIVO features don't work with Nvidia's latest drivers. Nvidia needs to grow up a bit, and start providing more robust support for their hardware. Matrox, sad to say, is done. The G450 is their flagship product, and it can't compete with the MX, Nvidia's entry level. Bye bye matrox, nice to know ya.
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Almghty 2001-08-12 11:29
Compete in what sense?
Have you booted up with a g450 and then a geforce2mx? The g450 is so CLEAR ...the geforce2mx makes me feel like i am wearing my grandads glasses.
IF you do coding EVERY day ..or graphic manipulation ..web ..G450 is the WINNER.
if all you do is play games ..then perhaps the playstation or nintendo is best suited for you.
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Joeman 2001-08-13 00:26
What about the new Detonator 4 drivers that are coming this week, do they have proper w2k/xp multimon support? Dif. res and refresh rates on the monitors?
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Almghty 2001-08-13 16:17
The answer to THAT question can be seen by the BETA releases of drivers so far. I did not see any talk of proper dual screen support for those drivers for win2k or has windows xp come out saying nvidia will support it.
At this stage I am thinking of using a Matrox and GeforceMX combo with Matrox as my secondary that gets all the window requests and GeforceMX handling games / running my game code.
The downside to this ..is because they are different vendors cards ..i would lose on on acceleration for windowed apps like maya, 3dstudio? yes?
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Mike Todd 2001-09-18 00:29
I'm having both similar and different problems. I recently got an Asus twinview card (Geforce II MX) and a Sony SDM-M61 TFT running at 1280x1024 over the second DVI interface. On my primary interface is an analogue Iiyama CRT at 1280x1024. Seems sexy - yeah ? Wrong, under Windows and Linux the DVI inteface shakes and the display flickers every few minutes. Thought it was power, bought a new PSU. THought it was mobo, bought a new mobo. thought it was interference, moved the computer. Guess what - still broken! Asus and the shop (www.dabs.com) are most unhelpful, anyone else having the same problems? How can I prove its the card, is there a way of monitoring errors on the DVI output ?
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@hlon 2001-09-18 01:26
To the people with twinview cards, you can get TRUE multimonitor setup from it under Windows XP and the Detonator XPs...i dont believe Win2k gets this benefit though...theres a thread about it in this section of the forum so you can take a look and drop some comments in there.
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bastler2k 2002-03-07 06:13
hi yall!!
my hardware.. pc with geforce2mx... connected 2 a 17-monitor & a tv-screen...using w2k..
lately i had the best results with one of the detonator-drivers.
sadly i dont know wich one it was..
i had: twinview with: my 17-monitor in his native 1152x846x32 mode and the tv with 800x600x32 mode
at the same time (twinview) (on the tv i can scroll around on my 1152x846-desktop in 800x600)
now (after reinstalling my w2k) i could use the twinview option only in 800x600 .. also on my monitor.. the scrolling-feature just has gone...
with wich driver-version i can have the full screen-res on my 17-monitor again?? anyone had the same expereance?
regards .. bastler :)
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Axident 2002-03-07 09:21
I've just installed the 27.50 det drivers under win2k running an Asus 8200 GF3 delux and a Powercolor GF2 MX200 PCI. I'm quite impressed so far. I haven't had a chance to play around with video capture settings, but... It supports spannning of GL and Directx! Play an AVI in one monitor and drag it halfway across and it still plays. Open vis for winamp and it spans monitors. There's also a whole bunch of nview settings I'm still playing with: they seem a _little_ buggy in places, but nothing terminal. It's not quite at Matrox standards, but it's getting there.
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Mike 2002-04-12 15:48
I have a WinFast GEForce2mx. I installed the latest Nvidia drivers (28.32 as of this writing) and attempted to enable windows dualview emulation so I could have independent resolutions on each monitor, proper centering, etc.
I followed the tutorial for NView on how to do this. When you go to the additional properties -> desktop utilities tab, the panel where that checkbox is supposed to be is BLANK! wtf? I have both monitors installed and working under twinview spanning (crap) mode. frustrating to say the least? I'm thinking I'll pick up a Matrox card like I have at home. Works fine under Win2k dualview there.
Anyone have any idea what would make that option not be there, even after having multiple monitors enabled and ready to go?
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Mark 2002-04-12 18:38
To last message - read the other threads about the registry tweak to show the option to get the option "Treat multiple outputs on an nView-capable board as separate display devices" to appear.
I have a GEForce4 Ti 4400 card with an analog out connected to an older 15" LCD running at 1024x768 and the DVI-I output connected to an 18" LCD at 1280x1024. Detonator 28.32 driver. W2k sp2. DualView works great - I love it. Can't tell you about OpenGL support on both monitors as I don't use it for that kind of thing.
But bottom line is the two monitors are working as separate devices, with different refresh rates if desired and different resolutions, no dialog box problems, nView Desktop Manager, and as a bonus the Pivot Pro software supports rotating either or both monitors!
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Henry 2003-04-23 00:53
We have recently introduced Nvidia Quadro4 200nvs & 400nvs on our standard list of display cards. We seems to be having issues with the taskbar not spanning across mutliple screens. The problem seems to be the taskbar only extend across the primary screen. we can not extend it on both screens or multiple screens. I have tried all the drivers recommneded by Nvidia version 43.45 , 29.42 and also HP version 30.82 which hasn't resolved the problem. I would like to know whether there are any reqistry settings to change or an updated drivers to fix this problem.
Henry
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