Solved Dual Monitor Woes

[burk]

So I have a Desktop PC with dual ATI 5770's in Crossfire that means 4 DVI ports in the back of my tower.

My main monitor an AOC 2236 is connected to the top most DVI port.

Now I want to connect another monitor to my computer in this case a Wacom Cintiq.

I have had the Cintiq running fine but every time I install drivers it stops connecting properly to my computer. The Cintiq has a dual switch that allows it to cater for either DVI or VGA connectivity.

Now usually with a second monitor you just plug it in and extend the display. In my case when I plug the second monitor into the second DVI port my main AOC screen goes blank. I then turn on the Cintiq when it is connected and it says 'no-sync' 'go to sleep' and then turns itself off.

Now I know that's probably an issue no one can help me with but I need to get to the point where I can at least have the second monitor plugged in and be able to use my main monitor.

I have tried everything:

-Booting with the secondary monitor connected only.
-Booting with the secondary monitor in the first DVI slot, main in the second.
-Booting with the secondary monitor in the other 2 slots.
-Booting with the main monitor in the other DVI slots with the secondary in the first.

I have always had this issue with the device and it often takes hours of playing around but I want to nip this problem in the bud.

I'll try reinstalling the tablet drivers.

 

[Zepher]

To me it sounds like it is switching the Primary Display to the Cintiq and the resolution is too high so the Cintiq goes to sleep.

Try plugging in both screens to the same card (which you need to do if you run Crossfire), turn both screens on and power on the PC and see what happens.

 

[burk]

Thought I was forgetting something, I tried booting up the computer with both connected before and both monitors were working correctly right up until the Windows Login screen then the Cintiq just goes to sleep, while the main monitor works.

Maybe I should try lowering the resolution and trying it again?

Also reinstalled the tablet drivers without much help

Thanks for your quick reply btw.

 

[alphanumeric]

Can you run dual monitors when the video cards are linked in crossfire?

 

[burk]

Yeah I can definitely have a second monitor on my Crossfire setup I have had it working before. (both monitors in the same card).

I still have yet to boot up the system with lowered resolution. Will test it tonight as I have been busy with work.

Thanks for your responses guys.

 

[burk]

Just tested a few scenarios before

So I had my monitor in the BOTTOM slot of the TOP video card. I plugged in my Cintiq and it came up as multiple monitors as I was swapping resolution. Which is strange because usually after plugging in the Cintiq my main screen goes black.

So I set the resolution down to 800x600 and rebooted. Same story, Cintiq was displaying fine right up until the windows login then it goes to sleep while the main monitor continues working.

I then decided to swap the two monitors cables, I put my main monitor in the TOP slot of the TOP card and the Cintiq in the BOTTOM slot. Totally different story. Cintiq didnt pick up at all and the main monitor went black as soon as it got to the login screen.

Its almost as if the computer is giving the main monitor to the Cintiq but the Cintiq isn't picking up on the connection. Cant see how to fix this.

EDIT: Just plugged in the Cintiq, my resolution changed, and it was recognized as a second monitor. I selected Extend these displays but both screens went black and then the Cintiq went to sleep. Had to restart without Cintiq connected to get back into windows.

 

[Mike Connor]

Have you tried trying to "detect" the monitor from your display set-up?



and setting whatever you want as your main screen from there.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[burk]

Yeah Mike, I got to the point before where the Cintiq was actually next to my main monitor in the screen setup diagram. Changing any settings like extend display or the resolution resulted in my LCD monitor to go blank again. I tried to emulate the same situation but ended up with having one monitor box saying multiple displays and a 1/2 inside it.

I'm going to attempt to get the Cintiq actually recognized again so I can hopefully setup the a Main monitor.

EDIT: Connected Cintiq again, resolution lowered automatically. Then I used the detect displays option. The Another display detected box appears even when using my main monitor with nothing connected and using the detect function. (Sorry for the big picture).

 

[Mike Connor]

Yeah Mike, I got to the point before where the Cintiq was actually next to my main monitor in the screen setup diagram. Changing any settings like extend display or the resolution resulted in my LCD monitor to go blank again. I tried to emulate the same situation but ended up with having one monitor box saying multiple displays and a 1/2 inside it.

I'm going to attempt to get the Cintiq actually recognized again so I can hopefully setup the a Main monitor.

EDIT: Connected Cintiq again, resolution lowered automatically. Then I used the detect displays option. The Another display detected box appears even when using my main monitor with nothing connected and using the detect function. (Sorry for the big picture).

You have it set for DUPLICATE THESE DISPLAYS you need to set it to EXTEND THESE DISPLAYS in the drop-down box.

You can only duplicate displays that have the same resolution. If you EXTEND THESE DISPLAYS you can set the resolution for each display.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Mike Connor]

If you set it for DUPLICATE THESE DISPLAYS this is what you get;



and the displays default to the lowest resolution. If one of the displays does not support that resolution, it will simply go blank.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[burk]

Hey Mike thanks for spotting that. After selecting extend displays, I got to the point where both of my displays are now showing up in the screen resolution setup right next to eachother. My problem now however is that the Cintiq is setup as monitor 1 and my LCD as monitor 2.

When I press the Apply button to confirm the extension of the desktop it causes my main screen to go blank and my Cintiq is still sleeping. So I cant actually get in anywhere to change the main monitor. Can this be changed elsewhere?

 

[Mike Connor]

Hey Mike thanks for spotting that. I got to the point where both of my displays are now showing up in the screen resolution setup right next to eachother. My problem now however is that the Cintiq is setup as monitor 1 and my LCD as monitor 2.

When I press the Apply button to confirm the extension of the desktop it causes my main screen to go blank and my Cintiq is still sleeping. So I cant actually get in anywhere to change the main monitor. Can this be changed elsewhere?

Depending on which display you click on in the window, you get the option;

MAKE THIS MY MAIN DISPLAY



Choose the one you want as the main display.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[burk]

Yeah my problem is that I have to first extend the displays before I can select my main monitor. At the moment all I can do is preview the extension, once I apply it my monitor goes blank sadly. Thanks for your help on this issue btw

 

[Mike Connor]

Yeah my problem is that I have to first extend the displays before I can select my main monitor. At the moment all I can do is preview the extension, once I apply it my monitor goes blank sadly. Thanks for your help on this issue btw

Sorry, but I don't understand what you are saying there.

You don't have to APPLY anything until after you have selected it. This includes selecting the main display option

As the DUPLICATE option obviously works, but at the wrong resolution, the other option must work as well.

The window display changes simply when you change the setting in the drop-down box. Once it changes there, click on, "Make this my main display".

In order to change the resolution, you also need to change it in the drop-down box. Going to that box gives you a slider to change the resolution;



Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Mike Connor]

Clicking on the other display in the Window, and then on the resolution box, gives you other options specific to that display;



If you choose an option that that monitor can not display, it will simply go blank. In some cases this can also damage a monitor.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[burk]

Hey Mike

Yeah I get what your saying but I can't even get up to that stage.

Basically I plug in my Cintiq to the second DVI slot on my card.

My resolution changes quite low to 1270x768.

I open the screen resolution setup.

It currently has the multiple monitors with the 1/2 diagram box.

I change the drop down box to Extend these displays. After this is selected all the options are greyed out to me, including resolution and main display options. The only way I can get to these options is by pressing apply which in my case makes my main screen go blank.

I even tried only show desktop on 2. (which is my main monitor according to the diagram) and the same thing happened.

I'm probably missing something simple here, sorry for being a pain.

 

[Mike Connor]

Hey Mike

Yeah I get what your saying but I can't even get up to that stage.

Basically I plug in my Cintiq to the second DVI slot on my card.

My resolution changes quite low to 1270x768.

I open the screen resolution setup.

It currently has the multiple monitors with the 1/2 diagram box.

I change the drop down box to Extend these displays. After this is selected all the options are greyed out to me, including resolution and main display options. The only way I can get to these options is by pressing apply which in my case makes my main screen go blank.

I even tried only show desktop on 2. (which is my main monitor according to the diagram) and the same thing happened.

I'm probably missing something simple here, sorry for being a pain.

Not a problem. That's why I am here.

I am just trying to figure out what you are doing, or what setup might be causing that. It possibly has something to do with the X-fire setup.

I will have to consider that further and get back to you if I think of anything. In the meantime, somebody else may chime in with a solution.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[burk]

Hey Mike

Yeah I get what your saying but I can't even get up to that stage.

Basically I plug in my Cintiq to the second DVI slot on my card.

My resolution changes quite low to 1270x768.

I open the screen resolution setup.

It currently has the multiple monitors with the 1/2 diagram box.

I change the drop down box to Extend these displays. After this is selected all the options are greyed out to me, including resolution and main display options. The only way I can get to these options is by pressing apply which in my case makes my main screen go blank.

I even tried only show desktop on 2. (which is my main monitor according to the diagram) and the same thing happened.

I'm probably missing something simple here, sorry for being a pain.

Not a problem. That's why I am here.

I am just trying to figure out what you are doing, or what setup might be causing that.

I will have to consider that further and get back to you if I think of anything. In the meantime, somebody else may chime in with a solution.

Regards....Mike Connor

Thanks for all your help mate. Ill try plugging it into other PC's to see if its a problem with the Cintiq itself. Take care and best of luck.

 

[Mike Connor]

Thanks for all your help mate. Ill try plugging it into other PC's to see if its a problem with the Cintiq itself. Take care and best of luck.

Try the WINDOWS key + p

<Win>+ <p>

this gives you a setup toolbar;



check there to make sure nothing is set up incorrectly.

If you click on "Computer Only" it will blank one screen. ( Turns the signal off). If you click on "Extend" it should reinitialise the second monitor.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[burk]

Thanks for that Mike yeah its all set up right, I actually found the problem but. I went to the WACOM forums to have a look. Apparently the latest AMD drivers for their cards just screwed over all the Cintiq users.

Using DVI connectivity blanks everyone's screens.

Using VGA connectivity connects the tablet fine and recognizes it as a monitor but the tablet wont come out of sleep mode.

Its solved by rolling back to 10.2 drivers apparently. I may do this to try it out but mainly i'm just royally pissed off. Apparently AMD don't care and Wacom says its AMDs responsibility.

Thanks for all your help guys and especially you Mike. Best of luck to you all.