Widescreen Gaming Forum

This forum is full of talk on EyeFinity 3D capabilities - resolution support, active adapters, driver features, etc. All of that is good.

However, one thing I haven't seen discussed yet is how the 5000-series GPUs handle 2D desktop management across multiple monitors. I noted in the Guru3D EyeFinity review that it appeared that three widescreen monitors were combined into a single ultra-wide display, similar to the method the TripleHead2Go uses.

Although Matrox PowerDesk provides some rudimentary desktop managment software, it pales in comparison to the Gold Standard, UltraMon. It has always been my opinion that a $300 TripleHead2Go should provide functionality on the same level as the $40 UltraMon.

For those of you in posession of three screens and a 5000-series GPU, can you offer any opinions of ATI's desktop management relative to UltraMon or PowerDesk?

If you are reading this, Dave Buamann, I consider effective 2D desktop managment in an ultra-wide monitor environment to be critical to creating a useful and productive work environment when I am not gaming. There is nothing more frustrating than futzing with application windows constantly to get them where you want them.

I have an Eyefinity setup with three Dell2408WFP's.

My biggest gripe is how Windows 7 Pro looks and works now with this extreme resolution of 5760x1200.

My Start and menu bars are stuck on the far left screen, and my clock and task bar icons all the way on the far right monitor. I would like to place those back on the main/center screen.

http://www.amd.com/us/Documents/ATI_Eyefinity_Technology_Brief.pdf

First off, I'd suggest reading the PDF above - it details (Page 24) how to set saved profiles and assign them to CCC Hotkeys so that you can more easily flick between extended desktop modes and Eyefinity Display Group modes.

Also note that "Hydravision" is compatible with Eyefinity. Hydravision is our own desktop management app that intigrates into CCC, but is a separate download.

http://www.amd.com/us/Documents/ATI_Eyefinity_Technology_Brief.pdf

First off, I'd suggest reading the PDF above - it details (Page 24) how to set saved profiles and assign them to CCC Hotkeys so that you can more easily flick between extended desktop modes and Eyefinity Display Group modes.

Also note that "Hydravision" is compatible with Eyefinity. Hydravision is our own desktop management app that intigrates into CCC, but is a separate download.

Thank you, Dave. I am installing this Hydravision right now.

UPDATE;
I see Hyrdavision in CCC but doesn't seem to do much ? My main issue I want most of the Windows 7 stuff on the main/center screen. Like the start button and menu is currently stuck on the far left monitor, and the clock and taskbar icons are on the far right monitor. I want all that info on the center display. Does Hydravision allow that ? If so I have no idea to make that happen ?

Eyefinity 3x1 SLS mode doesn't seem to save to profile for me. I'm on the latest Cat RC. I have an Eyefinity profile saved just as described in the PDF and whenever I activate that profile, it just goes to 3 duplicate displays instead. Tried making another profile and got the same result.

And about having the start button & the task icons in the center monitor, I just use regular windows extended desktop to get that.

And about having the start button & the task icons in the center monitor, I just use regular windows extended desktop to get that.

How exactly do I get that going ? I am totally unfamiliar with that

At "display & desktop" in Catalyst CC. When you disable group, all the monitors become duplicates. Just go down to "please select a display" and right click and disable the side monitors. Then right click on them and extend, maybe drag and arrange if necessary.

It's not a single large surface, as you can't have an application span all 3 monitors, but it's much more productive than having the button & task icons so far apart.

I very quickly (2 days) adapted to leaving my computer in SLS 5760x1200 mode all the time.

Just a quick look to the left to see my task bar and icons and all my apps open in the middle. This leaves my icons and stuff on the desktop unhindered by working windows, then I use the 3rd monitor for misc stuff.

I'll try the profile thing though, as I do have 2 situations I would want to move back to single displays and that is for movies and for photoshop as photoshop seems to not work right when in SLS.

If I am really lucky the profile will remember the SLS monitor order and also let me choose the 3 monitors out of my 4 that I need for each setup if so I am happy, if not it will be pointless.

It would be nice to assign all that stuff to the center screen. The only setup that really does that though is a SoftTH + UltraMon configuration.

If you have a SLS enabled then naturally you're going to get the Start button at the far left and the task tray and clock at the far right - as far as Windows is concerned it's just a single large display.

If you want the Windows components on a single screen then just disable SLS and nominate the primary monitor, the other two as extended in the correct positions, job done.

I haven't got my setup yet but can you switch easily/quickly between SLS on and off? i.e. I'm assuming you can set one profile with SLS on and another profile with SLS off, centre screen primary, other two extended etc. Is switching between profiles (before starting a game for example), just a matter of selecting the profile in a menu off the task tray?

http://www.amd.com/us/Documents/ATI_Eyefinity_Technology_Brief.pdf

First off, I'd suggest reading the PDF above - it details (Page 24) how to set saved profiles and assign them to CCC Hotkeys so that you can more easily flick between extended desktop modes and Eyefinity Display Group modes.

Also note that "Hydravision" is compatible with Eyefinity. Hydravision is our own desktop management app that intigrates into CCC, but is a separate download.

Ok Dave I tried making some profiles and I read the whole .pdf file.

I tried to save the profiles as the default and also tried the "save all catalyst control center settings"

Here is how it worked:

I have a 4 monitor setup

These are the 3 profiles I tried to make

1.) 3x 24" across that I run as a SLS (eyefinity) 5760x1200
2.) 3x1920x1200 Extended Desktop with center monitor primary.
3.) Just my two center monitors enabled and the two side monitors disabled with the desktop extended.

#3 works perfectly so far every time. My two outside monitors go into sleep and my HDTV mounted above my monitors comes to life and my center monitor is my primary. Great for movies, just drag the movie up and full screen it. I suppose for games I would have to create another profile with the TV as primary so the game launches on the TV.

#2 works BUT only after activating it 2x in a row. First time I can move from my center primary monitor to the right but not to the left monitor. After activating it a 2nd time it works fine. This maybe because I have rocket dock that sits hidden on the 2nd monitor.

#1 does not work at all, no matter what I try all it does is turn on all 3 of my monitors into clone mode and I have to manually go into the ATI control panel and make it an Eyefinity SLS screen.

So with this I can confirm that eyefinity modes are not properly saving or activating via profiles.

However other than that the profiles are working great for me being able to use my 4th monitor on the fly when I need it.

Also it seems to be lucky or just remembering the monitor order in both manually making the eyefinity group and when I activate #2 the monitors have always been in the right order so far.

From what Dave Baumann said, I think it's easier than that - a hotkey (once set up) will allow changing from SLS to other modes?

From what Dave Baumann said, I think it's easier than that - a hotkey (once set up) will allow changing from SLS to other modes?

I do not think so, but I cant say thats impossible.

You can set hotkeys for pofiles but there doesnt seem to be any hotkeys associated with SLS mode.

Plus depending on what your setup currently is there is configuring to do for SLS, you have to OK disbanding your current mode/extension and then say OK to the new setup, and then change monitor order if needed.

To bypass all this is the profiles that already have you do all that and save it to the profile. With just a toggle key it wouldnt know what to do.

Edit: took a peek at the hotkeys manager.

You can do a lot of stuff in there but its all related to standard clone/extend modes and display options like flip/color/brightness there is no eyefinity or sls type option to bind.

OK, I misunderstood what he was saying, then. :(

http://www.binaryfortress.com/displayfusion/

This just seems like an alternative to UltraMon...

http://www.binaryfortress.com/displayfusion/

This just seems like an alternative to UltraMon...

I may check that out, but I have a strong feeling its for standard stand alone extended type situations. eyefinity just like the TH2GO is not actually multi monitor its one big one :D

That said I wonder if you can use the matrox software to do some stuff.

Yeah, I had that feeling too, Vicious. Annoyed me a bit - I spend an hour or so this afternoon (bored of thesis staring) looking for any fixes. :(

It would be nice to assign all that stuff to the center screen. The only setup that really does that though is a SoftTH + UltraMon configuration.

I use a TripleHead2Go plus an inexpensive secondary video card to drive three single monitors on the Windows desktop. The side monitors are dual-input and I switch the inputs over when moving between the desktop (discreet outputs) and gaming (TripleHead2Go output). This is admittedly a more complicated way to achieve the same thing that SoftTH will get you, but I retain the performance that SoftTH might take away and it is very simple once all of the cables are hooked up.

The ATI profile switching sounds promising, but it sounds like it's not the most straightforward thing yet.

Eyefinity 3x1 SLS mode doesn't seem to save to profile for me. I'm on the latest Cat RC. I have an Eyefinity profile saved just as described in the PDF and whenever I activate that profile, it just goes to 3 duplicate displays instead. Tried making another profile and got the same result.

And about having the start button & the task icons in the center monitor, I just use regular windows extended desktop to get that.

same thing with me. I though it was just me. I use Win 7 RC1 the free noe that MS was offering for a 3 month trial a month ago

took me a little while to sort through that problem also.

what worked for me after settings up a normal 3 monitor extended desktop, and a 3-screen SLS setup, and getting my hotleys set up for both was:

- hot key into SLS profile (i got 3 cloned screens, but it said that the SLS was profile was active)
- select disable group.
- confirmation prompt (blah blah once selected cannot revert)
- select enable group.
- confirmation prompt (same thing again)
- done & working

hot keyed back and forth between 3 separate screen & 1 SLS screen multiple times, and all my desktop icons were in their appropriate spots for each of profiles.

seems like disabling & re-enabling (while in the SLS mode) was the key to getting past that cloned problem.

-ray

PS: Win7 x64bit, sapphire 5870 with most recent drivers from ati site.
3x(25.5" 1920x1200 asus dvi monitors /w 1 biztech/dell adapter)