Dual displays: how to display same on both?

[Quimbly]

I have an XP SP2 system, and an ATI RADEON 9300SE series video card. It has a VGA out and an S-Video out. I had the system set up such that both outputs were displaying the same thing. After unplugging the s-video cable, I can't get it back into that configuration.

When I view the display properties, I can 'extend the desktop' to the other output (i.e. my TV), but I can't figure out how to just enable it without extending my desktop.

Can anyone help me?

[Bjs]

Generally speaking, you connect the other display via s-video, turn it on, then fire up the system, and its there in video settings applet.

Disconnecting the other screen disables this feature.

Some applets provided by nvidia have an option to "force tv detection", so check through the ati applet for similar feature.

I don't recommend unplugging the s-video while the system is running.

[Faustus]

Update to the latest drive. In the advanced options there should be an ATI specific panel where you can set that. If I recall correctly....

[Quimbly]

I've downloaded the latest drivers, I force TV detection, and I've fooled around with the ATI control app. As far as I can tell, there's no way to configure it to display the same thing on both from there.

The first it happened, it was by accident, only I don't know how I did it. So, I know it's possible.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

[jagabo]

Look for "clone" mode in the graphics card's setup applet. There's usually a "force TV output" mode for when the computer doesn't detect the TV connected to the port at startup.

There are often restrictions on the resolution of the VGA output that can be cloned. If you have your VGA monitor set to 1600x1200 you may not be able to use the TV output. The max is usually around 1024x768.

[Faustus]

I've downloaded the latest drivers, I force TV detection, and I've fooled around with the ATI control app. As far as I can tell, there's no way to configure it to display the same thing on both from there.

The first it happened, it was by accident, only I don't know how I did it. So, I know it's possible.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

BTW the option you are looking for is called "mirroring"

[SingSing]

On the old ATI AIW, the monitor and the TV are always the same.

[Quimbly]

Thanks again for the responses.

SingSing: Well, my card is the Radeon, so that doesn't help.

jagabo: In the Video section, there is a subsection called 'Theater Mode'. In that section, there's an 'Overlay Display in Clone Mode' selection, with the following options: Standard, Theater Mode, and Same on All. Unfortunately, these radio buttons are all disabled! Not sure if that's what I need or not. I have no idea why it's disabled.

My monitor is set to 800x600, because I did have some problems before with different resolutions.

Hmm, interesting... Playing around in the Display Manager section, it appears that if I first disable the TV display, there's a "clone TV with Main" option. I'll experiment and see if I can get it working..

Thanks!

[jagabo]

In the Video section, there is a subsection called 'Theater Mode'. In that section, there's an 'Overlay Display in Clone Mode' selection, with the following options: Standard, Theater Mode, and Same on All. Unfortunately, these radio buttons are all disabled! Not sure if that's what I need or not. I have no idea why it's disabled.

Those are the setting you are interested in. "Same on all" is clone mode. It's most useful if you are going to use the TV as the main display. "Theater Mode" sends the video from a media player full screen to the TV even if the player is in a window on the main monitor. That's useful if you use both displays at the same time. You can continue to use the computer for other things while the video plays on the TV. Standard mode extends the desktop to both displays.

It's been a while since I've used the TV output on an ATI card. You may have to go back a few steps and elect to extend the desktop onto the TV first, then go back down and select the mode you want to use.

[Quimbly]

Ok, in an effort to help others with the same problem:

I had to first unplug the S-video (i.e. TV display), then reboot with the monitor plugged in. After rebooting, I launched the app, then was able to add the TV display as a clone or extend. When I added the TV display as an extension, the Theater Mode options were enabled, and I could select them. I like the Theater Mode!

A while back, I had started with ONLY the S-video plugged in, and the monitor unplugged. This made the TV the 'primary' display, as it appears that this was the problem. Once that was the case, I wasn't able to extend the display to the monitor and so all of the Theater mode options were disabled.

Thanks for the help, guys!

[Nelson37]

Have had this very issue many, many times. It is usually relatively simple to solve. However, I have yet to be able to reliably re-create either the cause of the problem or the solution.

My last two AIW cards most definitely do NOT always display the same on TV and monitor.

A few constants - TV on and connected to card before PC is powered on. Sensitivity to resolution is the other. I note you have changed yours. Change it back. Also check the refresh rate.

Changing to and from Theater mode has worked, and failed, swapping primary and secondary display has worked, and failed. Many resolutions which should work do not, some which should not, do.

Disconnecting primary monitor and having only TV connected pretty consistently results in a display. Whether it is usable is another questoin. This sometimes causes the secondary monitor option to become usable again. Sometimes not.