Viewing multiple displays

[joedrt73]

Not quite sure how to ask this but here goes...

I have a Lenovo thinkcenter with windows 8.1 and it comes with a vga port and a display port. I have my hdtv connected via the display port and a monitor connected through vga.

What I'm trying to do is have wmc play on the tv while I work on the pc monitor..

Can this be done?

I tried extending the monitor then extending the tv but neither lets me click on anything on the monitor display while wmc is open the cursor just disappears. lol.

[Crash2009]

You could try using the restore down in WMC to make a small window. Its called windowed mode, then drag the window over to the vga side. Ive read that WMC needs an update to run Display Port (DP) and the powers that be refuse to write the update.

Has dual monitor VGA-DP been working for you with other software?

I don't know what everyone else thinks about this idea but why don't you disable the DP, throw in a dual head HDMI video card. What do you have for slots on the motherboard?

Is the TV VGA and the monitor DP?

[joedrt73]

Well would dragging it to the DP side be the same? I want to view wmc on the tv not the monitor. The monitor will do dvi or vga. the television is hdmi but I used a DP to hdmi conversion cable. works great for everything but viewing wmc and being able to do work on the monitor side.

And for the question about the dual monitor use in other software I haven't tried that yet. I suppose if it does the same thing then I need the dual hdmi out card.

I have pci's out the wazoo, using the pci-e for the tv tuner card.

◦1 x PCIe GEN3: HH/FL x16 mechanical, x16 electrical
◦1 x PCIe GEN2: HH/HL x1 mechanical, x1 electrical
◦1 x PCIe GEN2: HH/HL x16 mechanical, x4 electrical
◦1 x PCI 32-bit/33 MHz: FH/HL

[sbaeder]

As I understand it, the DP output isn't considered to be "secure" enough for the HDCP stuff. Just to confirm, you have ONLY the VGA and a DP output? If so, then you are probably out of luck - unless you get a differnt video card with real HDMI output on it to run the TV with WMC...

[RyC]

DP is secure and it's in the spec, but since WMC development is dead, Microsoft never changed it to allow DP as a supported option.

[joedrt73]

it displays fine on the tv, sound, and at 1080p. I can see the desktop on the monitor while wmc is playing but I cannot get the mouse to come over to the monitor.

so is that because of wmc?

I will try other software on extended display and report back.

[joedrt73]

DP is secure and it's in the spec, but since WMC development is dead, Microsoft never changed it to allow DP as a supported option.

in the wmc setup wizard it actually mentions the output type as display port, hdmi or other source I think...

[RyC]

DP is secure and it's in the spec, but since WMC development is dead, Microsoft never changed it to allow DP as a supported option.

in the WMC setup wizard it actually mentions the output type as display port, hdmi or other source I think...

Yes, but you still might run into the "unsupported display" message forcing you to minimize and maximize WMC to get video over DP

[joedrt73]

It's really not that big of a deal I can't use other pcs while viewing wmc I just thought there might be something I was not doing right to use the desktop on the monitor while wmc plays on the tv

[joedrt73]

Question.. My Lenovo Thinkserver has 2 DP ports. Would it support dual displays or extended displays with wmc? Or am I just gonna have to buy a dual hdmi out video card?

[Crash2009]

I have been unable to find a dual head HDMI card.

There are plenty of dual head DVI, but then you need a converter to HDMI.

DP might be the best option, and just use RyC's suggestion to min/max, and hope for the best.

The other option is get an extender for the TV.

[joedrt73]

I have been unable to find a dual head HDMI card.

There are plenty of dual head DVI, but then you need a converter to HDMI.

DP might be the best option, and just use RyC's suggestion to min/max, and hope for the best.

The other option is get an extender for the TV.

I understand thank you for the answers guys

[joedrt73]

Well after much research on this I stumbled upon this how to that uses Maxifier, an application that lets you view wmc in full screen mode while not trapping the mouse and you can use the other functions of the pc...

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/19380/en ... the-mouse/