hi guys,
I've got a bit of a dilemma. I've got a media/desktop pc which has a 1280 x 720 monitor connected via vga cable. The pc also has a hdmi cable running to the tv. Now the tv is a full 1920 x 1080 resolution. The issue I have is that when my family want to watch a movie, both screens are being forced to have the same low resolution as the pc monitor.
I want both screens to work, but XBMC to switch TV to FULL HD resolution, whilst the pc monitor can be WHATEVER is possible via xbmc, so long as it works and the text is readable.
Can this be done? If so, how?
Thanks
FYI: I'm running XBMC Eden 11.0 and this runs via a dedicated windows 8 user account - i.e. a batch file starts up xbmc as soon as I login to the account MEDIACENTER
A lot of this s dependant on how your graphic card handles two displays, different resolutions on each device, one is digital and the other an analog signal. XBMC is not a multi-tasking program and in some cases a dual monitor set-up will not work, while many have found O/S workarounds or gfx cards that do work. Using the win+p key brings these options.
Computer only: well that's obvious
Duplicate: here the graphic card has to launch two displays, are they aspect stretched, or you have black borders?
Extend: depends on your graphic card again
Projector only: you can set this one in some graphic cards.
XBMC in windowed mode will clone the display size, so if you set up your desktop on both monitors... XBMC will run within those confines.
In full screen mode XBMC will give you the option to display the max size of what the display adapter to handle, but if your running separate displays up at the same time, this may limit your ultimate screen size. Also note that most skins run 1280x720, while video's play 1920x1080
What kind of gfx card do you have? A lot of users use a script to start XBMC on their TV using C:\Windows\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe
(2013-08-04, 17:38)PatK Wrote: [ -> ]A lot of this s dependant on how your graphic card handles two displays, different resolutions on each device, one is digital and the other an analog signal. XBMC is not a multi-tasking program and in some cases a dual monitor set-up will not work, while many have found O/S workarounds or gfx cards that do work. Using the win+p key brings these options.
Computer only: well that's obvious
Duplicate: here the graphic card has to launch two displays, are they aspect stretched, or you have black borders?
Extend: depends on your graphic card again
Projector only: you can set this one in some graphic cards.
XBMC in windowed mode will clone the display size, so if you set up your desktop on both monitors... XBMC will run within those confines.
In full screen mode XBMC will give you the option to display the max size of what the display adapter to handle, but if your running separate displays up at the same time, this may limit your ultimate screen size. Also note that most skins run 1280x720, while video's play 1920x1080
What kind of gfx card do you have? A lot of users use a script to start XBMC on their TV using C:\Windows\System32\DisplaySwitch.exe
I do apologise for not giving you the gfx card details. It is an integrated ATI HD Radeon 4200 and it's got DVI, HDMI and VGA outputs. Also worth mentioning, is that when I login to the Windows
Mediacenter account, XBMC 11.0 runs as a shell using Autohotkey script and command batch file. So what can you suggest?
For starters I would think about moving to Frodo, no real reason not to.
Ensure monitor #1 is the primary display, and the #2 is listed as your TV and can id them.
In the Catalyst Control Center panel Flat Panels ensure you have GPU scaling toggled.
The max resolution is reported for each display. Note both displays should be operational.
Max overscan is toggled and you the display size of your TV is toggled under HDMI :-note
this might not be needed if your system is reporting correct digital max sizes
(you can save this all as a preset).
Set-up your display #1 as a computer display in the res/size you want.
do the win+P trick and move your desktop display to #2 and the desktop should fit the bigger area.
Launch XBMC in windowed mode.... toggle the \slash key should go full screen, if you're not getting full sceen
go into XBMC settings, system, video, display mode window # and res.
Once everything seems to work and you can flip between displays the next step would be to include in the batch file a call to the displayswitch to flip to whatever screen you want and launch XBMC.
(2013-08-05, 02:17)PatK Wrote: [ -> ]For starters I would think about moving to Frodo, no real reason not to.
Ensure monitor #1 is the primary display, and the #2 is listed as your TV and can id them.
In the Catalyst Control Center panel Flat Panels ensure you have GPU scaling toggled.
The max resolution is reported for each display. Note both displays should be operational.
Max overscan is toggled and you the display size of your TV is toggled under HDMI :-note
this might not be needed if your system is reporting correct digital max sizes
(you can save this all as a preset).
Set-up your display #1 as a computer display in the res/size you want.
do the win+P trick and move your desktop display to #2 and the desktop should fit the bigger area.
Launch XBMC in windowed mode.... toggle the \slash key should go full screen, if you're not getting full sceen
go into XBMC settings, system, video, display mode window # and res.
Once everything seems to work and you can flip between displays the next step would be to include in the batch file a call to the display switch to flip to whatever screen you want and launch XBMC.
Thanks for the detailed explanation PatK. There is a problem here mate. As said previously, to stop kids from messing up everything, XBMC is running as a shell - Therefore there is no explorer.exe or any ATI Catalyst Control Center running in background, hence how do I resolve that issue? Also what is the Win+P trick?
You only need to set this up once... so you'll need the CCC to ensure your system gfx driver is set for both displays (you can deinstall the CCC after you set this up.. You mentioned Windows 8 and I don't think they've changed it from 7 (BTW I'm using 7) with the desktop in focus, pressing the 'win' key + the 'p' key brings this menu.
This menu is the graphic representation of the command available as the displayswitch.exe, get both your displays set-up and see if your graphic card will handle both digital and analog at the same time... (I doubt it) if that's the case you'll only be able to have one display up at a time.. and need a script to flip between displays and modes.
Some skins allow you to hide/lock menu's or set kiosk modes which for the most will take tinkering away from the casual user, and profiles work to restrict content.
Thanks very much mate.
This works fine, although only for xbmc that already has explorer.exe as a shell. Nevertheless it's brilliant...
Thank again!
