Widescreen Gaming Forum

Intro

I currently have a 3 screen Matrox TripleHead2Go Digital (TH2G) setup, under Win XP, and am looking to move to Nvidia Surround (probably using a single GTX 680 card). I'm currently using Nvidia 285.58 drivers.

Like most Widescreen Gaming Forum (WSGF) users, I presume, I use my rig both for working and gaming. While many TH2G users seem to be happy working and gaming in one mode I switch between two modes: independent, for working; and stretched, for gaming.

These two modes give me everything I want through the use of the following pieces of software:

• Matrox Powerdesk. Provides switching between independent and stretched mode; and window maximisation to one monitor in stretched mode (although I rarely have use for this in stretched mode).
• Nvidia Control Panel. Provides the opportunity to fix issues when switching modes via Matrox Powerdesk doesn't quite work.
• Nvidia nView Desktop Manager. In independent mode provides the ability to change the start menu to the centre screen.
• Ultramon. In independent mode provides taskbars on side monitors that reference only the windows on their respective monitor. Edit: In independent mode also provides an easy way to move windows instantly to another monitor (via Options > Buttons and Menu Commands > Buttons > add Move Window Button).
• Gridmove. Provides window resizing to custom sizes (e.g. 3/4 of a monitor, 1/2 a monitor, etc).

Note "Nvidia Control Panel" and "Nvidia nView Deskotp Manager" are natively bundled with most Nvidia drivers.

I also use the hardware:

• Matrox TH2G Digital
• Two DVI Switch boxes.

I'm a little unclear how Nvidia Surround works to give me the same feature set. I know there is 3D and 2D modes to switch between. However, thinking only about 2D mode for the rest of this post: does Nvidia Surround make independent V stretch modes superfluous in virtue of having all the features available in one mode (stretched)? Does Nvidia Surround maintain the option, under "nView Display Mode" in the Nvidia Control Panel, for independent (called Nvidia's language "DualView" or "TripleView"(?)) V stretched ("Single")?


Nvidia Surrond 2D. Can we live under one mode (stretched) for working and gaming?

Can others confirm that Nvidia Surround 2D can achieve the following features (for Win7 and Win8) under one mode (stretched), such that both working and gaming can take place in this one mode?

The following advice on how to achieve the respective features is from publicly available information and not verified by my own experimentation. If I've got something wrong, I'd appreciate a correction. If there is something more to say about solutions to a feature, it would be great to have your additions.


Start menu to centre screen, or equivalent under Win 8

Status: Should be OK.

Win 7
AussieTimmeh, 2012-04-07, Red vs Green vs Blue V2 - Extras

Win 8
Steven Sinofsky, 2012-05-22, MSDN Blogs > Building Windows 8 > Enhancing Windows 8 for multiple monitors


Taskbars on side monitors that reference only the windows on their respective monitor.

Status: Should be OK.

Win 7
Ultramon

Win 8
OS Native feature. Taskbar Properties > Taskbar > Multiple Displays > Show taskbar buttons on: "Tasbar where window is open". Steven Sinofsky, 2012-05-22, MSDN Blogs > Building Windows 8 > Enhancing Windows 8 for multiple monitors


Option to have Windows maximise to one monitor only.

Win 7: Status. Should be OK
Skipclarke, 2010-08-24, NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround FAQ

AussieTimmeh, 2012-04-07, Red vs Green vs Blue V2 - How they handle 3 screens

Win 8: Status. Unknown.
?


Option to have flash video maximise to one monitor only

Status. Unknown.

The solutions above, under "Option to have Windows maximise to one monitor only", may also work for flash video maximising. However, under win XP some don't. For example, in stretched mode with matrox powerdesk installed flash video does not maximise to only one screen (while the video is centered at a watchable resolution the edges of the image hides behind the bezels and crosses over a little bit onto the side monitors).

Do any of the above solutions (Matrox Powerdesk or latest Nvidia Drivers) properly confine a maximised flash video to one screen under win7 and Win8?


Window resizing to custom sizes.

Win 7. Status: OK
Gridmove

Win 8. Status: Unknown.


Edit: an easy way to move windows instantly to another monitor

Win 7. Status Unknown
Ultramon. Options > Buttons and Menu Commands > Buttons > add Move Window Button?

or

Win+Arrow and Win+Shift+Arrow.

Win 8.
Steven Sinofsky, 2012-05-22, MSDN Blogs > Building Windows 8 > Enhancing Windows 8 for multiple monitors.

I might prefer the Ultramon method.


Game running in stretched mode (across all screens).

Status: Should be OK.

Obviously this is the Nvidia Surround's reason for being. The key question again: is the stretched mode something you need to switch to and back from, or can we game and work within one mode (stretched)?

Edit 2012-12-01: Formatting for migration to BBCode.