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.

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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.

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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?