Dual display video problems
 

I'm running a television as a second output from my Geforce FX5200 graphics card, and am finding that whilst most things display ok, whenever I try to play a video in Windows Media Player through the television, I only get a blank picture.
The video plays fine on the primary monitor, and I have had this configuration working before, so I must just be missing something.

Any ideas?

Re: Dual display video problems
 

How up to date are your graphics drivers?

Re: Dual display video problems
 

From memory the solution is in the display settings and it is about which of the two is set as the primary display I think.

Will see if I can find any specific details on this though as working from memory and that's never a good idea where I'm concerned.

Re: Dual display video problems
 

They're the latest ones.

Re: Dual display video problems
 

Are you trying to play any films that have copyright protection ?

What screen resolution are you running ?

Re: Dual display video problems
 

Nope, no copyright protection, the films have worked before. The TV resolution is set at 800x600

Re: Dual display video problems
 

Just add to my earlier post the problem is linked to how video video overlay works and this is why it is seen only on the primary display as the secondary takes its copy before the overlay is applied (I think). I'm sure there must be detailed info on this somewhere but having some brobs sitting at PC long enough to do a detailed search today.

Re: Dual display video problems
 

How are you connecting to the tv (compsite or Svideo) ?

Does the screen just go totaly black when you start the film ?

Are you able to play the film in a window instead of full screen ?

Re: Dual display video problems
 

S-video connection. The media player window and desktop are all visible, but instead of the video, I get a black(blank) square.

Re: Dual display video problems
 

Sound to me like some kind of macrovision protection is kicking in m8

Re: Dual display video problems
 

It would appear that certain (downloaded) files play fine, but others, recorded using Intervideo WinDVR (with some obscure codec) will not play back via the second TV output. I suspect a codec problem?

Re: Dual display video problems
 

When I used to use the tv out feature of one of my graphics cards, to get video displayed properly on the tv, I'm sure i had to use an extra piece of software - tv tool, me thinks it was called - maybe you had similar software installed before ?

Re: Dual display video problems
 

are you using the 2 separate displays as separate devices(do you extend a desktop onto the tv)? the display mode should be set as a clone display in ure nview display mode,with the monitor as the primary display. look in the video overlay tab and enable the overlay on the secondary display. it should auto set full screen on the tv when any video is selected.

Re: Dual display video problems
 

The clone setting did the job, thanks! I was using Dual View before. Just one more question now - when I switch back to Single display, the refresh rate of the monitor reverts back to 65Hz, is there anyway I can set this to remain unchanged?

Re: Dual display video problems
 

sry been busy diy'in, erm if you set up each mode in single/clone/extended individually; and apply them; as you switch between modes the drivers "remember" the settings of each(seem to here) it just takes time to set them all up.
for a lot more reading on multi monitor displays i would recommend taking a look around http://www.realtimesoft.com/multimon/ ,lots of resources and a proggy to use monitors better.

Re: Dual display video problems
 

Hallo to all, I agree with Kneebs. My FX5200 was need a little help to play fill screen some DVD or WMV or MPEG movie. I found the same tool which name is TVTool. This tool works perfectly, I can recommend it. It provides a lot of user friendly possiblities to improve managing and watching movies at your second display equipment.
I am using s-video tv out with reduction to composite out (it's easy to made it at home). I own old TV set and in "control panels-display setting" I had to set PAL-B for second display equipment and set connection via s-video to work properly.

Everything works perfectly. Now I can work on my primary monitor and my family or children are watchong their movies at TV set in living room.

Re: Dual display video problems
 

Blimey, you've resurrected quite an old thread... I'd hope Alan got hisproblem sorted by now, or that he's not too worried about it if not ;)

:welcome: to CF anyway :)