Anyone Good With Dual Monitor Setups?

[Maevik]

I just got a new monitor, and since my video card supports it, I thought I'd try a dual monitor set up. I have everything configured so that it displays like I want it to except one really annoying glitch. The second monitor (the old 19") twitches a pixel or two left and right, and frames will occasionally draw some (sometimes all) pixels in a particular row with a random color. It's like the frame buffer is getting a little bit of crap data going through. It's pretty hard to see until you know it's there, but since I do it's driving me crazy! This happens more when I have something other than the desktop (IE a browser) showing on the screen. When it's just the desktop the problem appears to be non-existant. Also, the screen will occasionally black out for a sec then redraw itself. I've updated video card drivers, tried swapping primary/secondary status, scoured the Catalyst Control Center and googled my fingers off. Can't find anything that helps. Is it possible the cable just needs replacing? Anyone have any other ideas?

[Arce]

First, make sure you don't have speakers, an external harddrive, or anything else magnetic around said monitor. People tend to put those right next to monitors, which causes color distortion and some of the odd symptoms you've described. Tbh, I hope this is your problem, as it's not really a problem so much as an annoyance. ;p

Next I'd be sure to degauss it correctly...http://www.wikihow.com/Degauss-a-Computer-Monitor if you don't know how already.

If that doesn't work...I'd assume it's a hardware problem. Try swapping the cable, then try another monitor in it's place. If a new monitor works, then it was the monitor...If not, can start diagnosing the video card itself, maybe...

^ Obviously, I'm not much help. Sorry! ;p

[Albionremain]

Cables are rarely the problem, and seeing how your monitor worked before hand (before getting all fancy and moving up in the world) I'd be willing to say your video distortion is from interference from some electronic source. Either the cable is getting interference from the card itself, or your new monitor. CRTs are very sensitive to this sort of thing. If you are 100% sure everything is connected firmly, correctly, drivers are correct and the cable is good, then you need to consider getting a http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en ... nap%20Bead Ferrite Bead to cut down on electromagnetic interference.

[Ginto8]

I have 2 monitors, 1 20" and 1 19", and I just have to say, a dual monitor setup is AWESOME.

[dandymcgee]

Well these suggestions are great, if he is indeed using a CRT monitor. I didn't see him directly specify anywhere in his post and there is a such thing as a 19" LCD screen (wha!?).

If you are, degaussing and checking for interference would be a good start.

[Maevik]

Yeah, sorry. It's an LCD so degauzing isn't going to help. Should have been more specific.

some specs:
19" LCD
ATI Radeon 3800
Windows Vista


Thanks for all the replies, still trying to puzzle this out.

[dandymcgee]

Yeah, sorry. It's an LCD so degauzing isn't going to help. Should have been more specific.

some specs:
19" LCD
ATI Radeon 3800
Windows Vista


Thanks for all the replies, still trying to puzzle this out.

Sounds like a cable problem. I used to have my screen turn magenta slowly over time, as soon as I bumped the cable everything was fine. If you've already tried another cable and made sure no pins are bent or the like, I would hook up the monitor to a different computer and see if you can replicate the issue. If not you've isolated it to your video card.

Edit: Try swapping the dual monitors and see if the problem follows the port on the card or the specific monitor.

[Maevik]

Switched to a VGA cable and everything is running smooth. Doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the DVI cable, working fine for another monitor. Oh well, I'm glad it's fixed. Thanks for all the help guys.

[EccentricDuck]

I'm using a 32" LCD TV and a 17" 4:3 monitor. When using it casually I just run the tv, but for coding I pop my code on the monitor and any documentation up on the big screen. When I compile and run I use the big screen. It's especially nice considering the fact that I'm trying to make something that will run on the 360 and I get to view it on the same screen as my 360 (makes for easy comparison between the two).