Media Gallery
Working with two screens
More and more graphic cards on the market include a plug for a secondary screen and a TV-out, that will allow the computer to work with two screens at the same time. This functionality can be very useful in the use of the Dartfish Software. Please refer to the documentation of your graphic card, to make sure you have a secondary screen plug, and/or a TV-out.The purpose of this help note is to make a tour of the offered possibilities.
CONNECTION POSSIBILITIES
Example :
On this video card, we see:
- 1 VGA Plug (blue)
- 1 DVI Plug (white)
- 1 S-Video TV-OUT (black, round)
This is just an example. You may have 2 VGA plugs and no DVI with or without a TV-Out. On newer cards, you may also have no VGA at all but DVI's instead. Please refer to your hardware documentation.
VGA connection is analog. It is destined for CRT Screens (standard computer screens), for some high-end Plasma screens, and also for beamers.
DVI connection is digital. It is destined for LCD-type screens.
TV-out uses a RGB S-Video signal. It is exclusively destined for TV screens.
Before we continue, we will consider your first plug, the VGA one, is used by your computer screen. Therefore we will focus on the second plug, VGA or DVI, and the TV-Out.
You must be aware that you wont be able to use the secondary display and the TV-out at the same time; it's one or the other. Also take note that VGA<->DVI adaptators are available, like the one shown here :
Such adaptators are often included when you buy a graphic card with a DVI secondary plug.
In summary, you can plug as secondary screen (connection type) :
- A 2nd standard screen (VGA)
- A beamer (VGA)
- A plasma flatscreen (VGA)
- A LCD flatscreen (DVI)
- A TV screen (TV-Out)
Note: To avoid detection problems with your secondary display, you should follow these steps: power your computer OFF, plug your two displays in, power them ON, and at last power your computer ON again.
THE DIFFERENT 2-SCREENS MODES
Every graphic card manufacturer has its own names for 2-screens modes.
But these modes can be grouped that way :
1/ Extended desktop : like the name implies, this mode offers you to widen your workspace (horizontally or vertically) on the second screen. This mode is not really useful with Dartfish Software.
2/ Clone mode : the 2 screens show exactly the same picture - this mode is really useful for training and demonstration purposes.
3/ "Theater" mode : as long as no video is played, the 2 screens shows exactly the same picture ; when a video is played, the second screen shows the video only, in full screen. Useful for demonstration purposes.
Every card manufacturer having it's own names and parameters for these modes, here are links to the latest drivers and user guides for the three most common brands. You will find all the necessary information to activate each of those modes and configure them as you wish.
- NVidia (http://www.nvidia.com)
Latest drivers :
http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
User guide :
On the drivers' download page, if you scroll to the bottom you will see the user guide section.
- ATI (http://www.ati.com/)
Latest drivers :
http://www.ati.com/support/driver.html
User guide :
https://support.ati.com/ics/support/KBList.asp?folderID=29
- Matrox (http://www.matrox.com)
Latest drivers :
http://www.matrox.com/mga/support/drivers/home.cfm
User guide :
http://www.matrox.com/mga/support/user_manuals/home.cfm
In case of problems with the use of your second screen, a second help note is available here.