Weird resolution issue with dual monitors

**mcharley94** · 08-21-2009, 08:03 PM

Hey All,

I have been using identical dual monitors for some time now on the system in my profile without issue, but I have been running both monitors at 1680 x 1050.

Today I bought a Sharp Aquos LC-46D65U and spliced it into my computer via HDMI using a DVI-D splitter and a DVI to HDMI adapter so that I can view one of my two monitors on the HDTV as well. It wasn't long though before I discovered that the HDTV is limited as to what resolutions it will accept and 1680 x 1050 is not one of them. So to resolve the issue, following the chart in Sharp manual I set the display settings on both monitors to 1360 x 768 which is supported by the HDTV.

Here is where the issue presents itself. With both displays set at 1360 x 768 one monitor looks great, but the other monitor does not fit on the screen. What is happening is that the clock and the task bar are out of sight on the odd monitor and if I scroll the cursor to the right side of the screen the the clock and taskbar come into view but then the start menu slides out of view. How is it that one display is right and the other is not when both display settings are set to the same resolution?

And just to clarify, I have swapped outputs and have even reverted back to just using the two monitors excluding the HDTV and the spliter from the equation and I still get the same results, but only at 1360 x 768. Any other resolution and the screens revert back to fitting on the monitors, but then of course the HDTV will not display when plugged in or of course looks like hell if I revert back to a 4:3 ratio.

Surely I am just being thick and missing something obvious. Any help would be greatly appreciated

**mcharley94** · 08-21-2009, 08:13 PM

Oh, and I am running the latest driver from NVidia as well, dated 7/14/2009

**emosun** · 08-22-2009, 12:52 AM

So your splitting a dvi connector and running one dvi monitor , and then one hdmi tv via another adapter attached to the same splitter?

In order for those dvi or even vga splitters to work both monitors must be the same because it's a digital signal. They both need to support the same resolution between each other. If the tv supported a dvi hookup it might actually work , but since your converting it to hdmi I can very easily see that card/software is getting confused.

**mcharley94** · 08-22-2009, 06:42 AM

OK, here is what I am ultimately trying to achieve. My video card has two DVI outputs.

From one output I am connecting directly to one of my SAMSUNG LCD Monitors.

From the other output I have attached a DVI-D Cable Splitter which is splitting the signal, one split going to my second SAMSUNG LCD Monitor, and using a HDMI(F) to DVI(M) Adapter the other is hooked up to the HDTV via HDMI.

I can relate to your assumption, emosun as I had the same thoughts which is why I researched it a little first before I even bought the accessories to try and accomplish this feat. Everything I found indicated that it would work and does work for others, and that too my video card would support the goal, which it does so long as I run at say 800 x 600 resolution (or just about any other 4:3 ratio).

Of course at a 4:3 ratio the signal does not use the entire display either on the monitors or the HDTV, but it does work and looks great aside from the unused space on either side.

Based on the HDTV manual the only resolution the tv will support that is even close to a 16:9 ratio is 1360 x 768 but when I set both outputs to this resolution only one of the signals fills the display correctly. The other one appears much wider than will actually fit in the displays parameters width wise. The odd thing about it is that the entire signal is present but in order to see the portion of signal that is not visible I can actually move the cursor to the edge of the monitor and then the whole screen will scroll in that direction exposing the out of view portion, hiding the opposite side as a result.

Again, at the 1360 x 768 resolution I have gone so far as to exclude the adapter/splitter and HDTV all together and just hooked up the two Samsung monitors and I get the same odd results so it appears to not be a conflict with the HDTV or the splitter/adapter. Should I revert back to any other 16:9 ratio resolution all is well but then of course the HDTV cannot display the signal.

So for the moment lets exclude the HDTV and the splitter/adapter and just address the set up with the two Samsungs.....

To me it makes little sense that I can set the resolution on both outputs to say 1680 x 1050, which is the setting I normally use, and all works well using just the two identical monitors, but if I change the resolution on both outputs to 1360 x 768 only one fills the display correctly.

Once that's sorted, if it can be, I would think that I could reintroduce the splitter/adapter and the HDTV seeing as it works at several other resolutions without a glitch. Then again this is why I am here asking for help. Someone may shed light as to why it isn't working

**pat mcgroin** · 08-22-2009, 07:52 AM

Try to look at the scaling options in the NV control panel as see if they are different
for the 2 monitors.
I cant test it for you as I have 1 lcd and one crt so I dont have a scaling option for the crt.

08-21-2009, 08:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
mcharley94 I helped the forums. Join Date: May 2007 Location: Central Michigan Posts: 238 OS: XP Home SP3 / Vista Home Premium SP1/Ubuntu My System	Weird resolution issue with dual monitors Hey All, I have been using identical dual monitors for some time now on the system in my profile without issue, but I have been running both monitors at 1680 x 1050. Today I bought a Sharp Aquos LC-46D65U and spliced it into my computer via HDMI using a DVI-D splitter and a DVI to HDMI adapter so that I can view one of my two monitors on the HDTV as well. It wasn't long though before I discovered that the HDTV is limited as to what resolutions it will accept and 1680 x 1050 is not one of them. So to resolve the issue, following the chart in Sharp manual I set the display settings on both monitors to 1360 x 768 which is supported by the HDTV. Here is where the issue presents itself. With both displays set at 1360 x 768 one monitor looks great, but the other monitor does not fit on the screen. What is happening is that the clock and the task bar are out of sight on the odd monitor and if I scroll the cursor to the right side of the screen the the clock and taskbar come into view but then the start menu slides out of view. How is it that one display is right and the other is not when both display settings are set to the same resolution? And just to clarify, I have swapped outputs and have even reverted back to just using the two monitors excluding the HDTV and the spliter from the equation and I still get the same results, but only at 1360 x 768. Any other resolution and the screens revert back to fitting on the monitors, but then of course the HDTV will not display when plugged in or of course looks like hell if I revert back to a 4:3 ratio. Surely I am just being thick and missing something obvious. Any help would be greatly appreciated Last edited by mcharley94; 08-21-2009 at 08:04 PM.

08-21-2009, 08:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
mcharley94 I helped the forums. Join Date: May 2007 Location: Central Michigan Posts: 238 OS: XP Home SP3 / Vista Home Premium SP1/Ubuntu My System	Re: Weird resolution issue with dual monitors Oh, and I am running the latest driver from NVidia as well, dated 7/14/2009

08-22-2009, 12:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
emosun Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: usa Posts: 7,064 OS: xp pro sp2 My System	Re: Weird resolution issue with dual monitors So your splitting a dvi connector and running one dvi monitor , and then one hdmi tv via another adapter attached to the same splitter? In order for those dvi or even vga splitters to work both monitors must be the same because it's a digital signal. They both need to support the same resolution between each other. If the tv supported a dvi hookup it might actually work , but since your converting it to hdmi I can very easily see that card/software is getting confused. __________________ Gpu Benchmarks Cpu-Z Power supply information and selection Gpu-Z Video card quick list Last edited by emosun; 08-22-2009 at 12:54 AM.

08-22-2009, 06:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
mcharley94 I helped the forums. Join Date: May 2007 Location: Central Michigan Posts: 238 OS: XP Home SP3 / Vista Home Premium SP1/Ubuntu My System	Re: Weird resolution issue with dual monitors OK, here is what I am ultimately trying to achieve. My video card has two DVI outputs. From one output I am connecting directly to one of my SAMSUNG LCD Monitors. From the other output I have attached a DVI-D Cable Splitter which is splitting the signal, one split going to my second SAMSUNG LCD Monitor, and using a HDMI(F) to DVI(M) Adapter the other is hooked up to the HDTV via HDMI. I can relate to your assumption, emosun as I had the same thoughts which is why I researched it a little first before I even bought the accessories to try and accomplish this feat. Everything I found indicated that it would work and does work for others, and that too my video card would support the goal, which it does so long as I run at say 800 x 600 resolution (or just about any other 4:3 ratio). Of course at a 4:3 ratio the signal does not use the entire display either on the monitors or the HDTV, but it does work and looks great aside from the unused space on either side. Based on the HDTV manual the only resolution the tv will support that is even close to a 16:9 ratio is 1360 x 768 but when I set both outputs to this resolution only one of the signals fills the display correctly. The other one appears much wider than will actually fit in the displays parameters width wise. The odd thing about it is that the entire signal is present but in order to see the portion of signal that is not visible I can actually move the cursor to the edge of the monitor and then the whole screen will scroll in that direction exposing the out of view portion, hiding the opposite side as a result. Again, at the 1360 x 768 resolution I have gone so far as to exclude the adapter/splitter and HDTV all together and just hooked up the two Samsung monitors and I get the same odd results so it appears to not be a conflict with the HDTV or the splitter/adapter. Should I revert back to any other 16:9 ratio resolution all is well but then of course the HDTV cannot display the signal. So for the moment lets exclude the HDTV and the splitter/adapter and just address the set up with the two Samsungs..... To me it makes little sense that I can set the resolution on both outputs to say 1680 x 1050, which is the setting I normally use, and all works well using just the two identical monitors, but if I change the resolution on both outputs to 1360 x 768 only one fills the display correctly. Once that's sorted, if it can be, I would think that I could reintroduce the splitter/adapter and the HDTV seeing as it works at several other resolutions without a glitch. Then again this is why I am here asking for help. Someone may shed light as to why it isn't working Last edited by mcharley94; 08-22-2009 at 06:50 AM.

08-22-2009, 07:52 AM	#5 (permalink)
pat mcgroin TSF Enthusiast Join Date: May 2009 Location: Toledo Oh. Posts: 628 OS: XP Professional SP2 Vista Ultimate SP2	Re: Weird resolution issue with dual monitors Try to look at the scaling options in the NV control panel as see if they are different for the 2 monitors. I cant test it for you as I have 1 lcd and one crt so I dont have a scaling option for the crt.