WMC on second monitor

Firestrider

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• Jan 14, 2009

• #1

Right now I have a dual monitor setup and would like to have Windows Media Center on my second screen to be used as a TV, but I don't know how I can have it always to be run there since Windows Media Center is by default in full screen mode. Is there anyway to do this? Also would my remote recognize just WMC and work on the second monitor?

 

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tdk08

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• Jan 14, 2009

• #2

Firestrider said:

Right now I have a dual monitor setup and would like to have Windows Media Center on my second screen to be used as a TV, but I don't know how I can have it always to be run there since Windows Media Center is by default in full screen mode. Is there anyway to do this? Also would my remote recognize just WMC and work on the second monitor?

Click to expand...

Do you not want it in window mode or will it not go into window mode?

 

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Firestrider

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• Jan 14, 2009

• #3

I want to put it into windowed mode so I can drag it over to my second monitor and then put it into full window mode. This is unless there is another way to get it to my second screen.

 

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tdk08

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• Jan 14, 2009

• #4

Firestrider said:

I want to put it into windowed mode so I can drag it over to my second monitor and then put it into full window mode. This is unless there is another way to get it to my second screen.

Click to expand...

I just tried it and it went over to the second screen but in full screen it trapped the mouse on the second display, does this happen to you?

You clicked the button ^ while in full screen to go into window mode as in the picture right?

 

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Firestrider

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• Jan 14, 2009

• #5

Yeah, that is the problem. The mouse cursor gets trapped on the second screen. Does a remote work for you?

EDIT: I figured out how to get my mouse back over. You have to press alt+tab, and then move your mouse back over.

Multi-monitor is still kind of finicky though.

 

Last edited: Jan 14, 2009

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tdk08

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• Jan 14, 2009

• #6

Firestrider said:

Yeah, that is the problem. The mouse cursor gets trapped on the second screen. Does a remote work for you?

EDIT: I figured out how to get my mouse back over. You have to press alt+tab, and then move your mouse back over.

Multi-monitor is still kind of finicky though.

Click to expand...

Thanks for figuring it out cause I wanted to know too and I tried the remote (you already know if you did too) and it wouldn't work unless I alt-tabbed back to WMC.

 

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dalhectar

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• Jan 15, 2009

• #7

I thought Vista did the same thing, but can't remember. Did you find the same behavior in Vista's Media Center?

 

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Firestrider

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• Jan 15, 2009

• #8

I don't know as I haven't used Vista's Media Center.

 

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Mongrel

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• Oct 23, 2009

• #9

I was just looking for this too and found an answer. Alt-tab isn't necessary - just tap the Windows button. Move the mouse over to your work screen and get to it!

What annoys me is that the windowed mode of WMC is stuck in widescreen, I want it to be 4:3. I've gone through the setup and set it to standard but no change.

 

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whiteboy

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• Oct 24, 2009

• #10

Yah I just hit the windows button which opens the start menu. Kind of lame but it works.

 

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ddiehl

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• Oct 25, 2009

• #11

I was hoping that they got rid of the pointer being stuck on the 2nd monitor in W7, however, I've been using this on VMC, and it works like a champ. There's a W7 version as well..

The Maxifier

 

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kaylus

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• Dec 1, 2009

• #12

Here you go, enjoy!

This should solve your problems:

Multiple Monitor support. - The Green Button

This is a simple application that should let you run Media Center in a full screen window on a second monitor without trapping your mouse.

 

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AngelProcesser

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• Dec 1, 2009

• #13

You can change the aspect ratio in WMC in TV Setup and you can add a switch to the exe for WMC (in the shortcut used) that will force WMC to open in windowed mode. Search my posts.

 

jorpe

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• Dec 2, 2009

• #14

So does that utility give you the ability to still use the remote with the WMC monitor and work independently using keyboard/mouse input on the other monitor?

 

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bimmerbill

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• Dec 3, 2009

• #15

Thanks for this thread! I am annoyed my mouse gets trapped on my TV and I have to minimize WMC to get the pointer back over to my computer monitor to surf the web.

 

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valleyman

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• Mar 15, 2010

• #16

If, like me, these programs cause issues for you, heres another workaround

It's the same idea, press the windows key and your mouse gets untrapped. Unfortunately, I find that when I do this, every time i minimise/close a window, the mouse gets trapped in media center again which is very frustrating.
If you open the task manager and leave it running, however, this doesnt happen and you can minimise and close windows as you like without the mouse snapping back to media center

To be honest, this issue bemuses me. I have no idea why microsoft have designed media center this way

 

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