[zi99y]

Hi all,

I recently bought a new LCD TV, it is plugged into the VGA port on my Geforce 9500GT, where my usual monitor is in the DVI output.

Using XBMCLAUNCH (http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?p=227266) to start XBMC running on the second display works but I notice some tearing (a line moving down the screen) on occasion.

I have discovered that setting the TV as primary display (1 instead of 2) and running XBMC normally does not have this problem. A simple test using ultramon (http://www.realtimesoft.com/ultramon/) to switch primary screens while xbmc is running, proves that this is true on my setup.

Now I'm using the TV as the primary screen but it's annoying because then it has the taskbar and all the icons, and new applications open on the TV. I'm guessing it's down to the nvidia drivers pumping more power to the primary display, so I'd like to know if there's a way to control this.

Anyone else noticed something similar?

zi99y

ps. I'm using vista

[phil65]

Could be a VSYNC Issue I think.
Anyway, I would recommend to use DVI for the TV (with DVI-to-HDMI-adapter) and VGA for monitor since a lot of TVs have a really bad VGA input.

[zi99y]

thanks for the ip, I've ordered a dvi-hdmi cable to try it out. Will report back when i get it.

[LaTropa64]

Do both displays use the same refresh rate? I don't know if it's related or not but I have my HTPC hooked up to two different displays (an LCD TV and an old CRT HDTV). I cloned the displays in the nvidia control panel and I've noticed on the CRT it has a horizontal line running down the middle that's really noticeable on scenes with lots of movement.

I always thought it was because the LCD is at 60hz, while the CRT is 29hz. I've never tested switching the primary/secondary displays though.

[althekiller]

You can only sync to one display. I have no idea how to choose this in windows but it shouldn't have to be the "primary" display.

[zi99y]

You can only sync to one display. I have no idea how to choose this in windows but it shouldn't have to be the "primary" display.

I think this is the issue - still happening with the DVI - HDMI cable I bought. Both screens are 60Hz.

Interesting though, using HDMI I can now set my LCD TV to 1360x768 (wouldn't accept this on VGA) which is the closest res I can get my TV to accept closest to its native resolution of 1366x768. Still don't understand why I can't pump out a signal with the native res....

On top of all that I've noticed the quality of the player in xbmc is not as good as windows media center, I think this is a known issue to do with fps vs. refresh but doing all this investigation is getting very annoying when I just want to watch stuff in the best quality on my new TV!

[idioteque]

To my knowledge, only the primary screen in Windows has DX and/or OpenGL acceleration .

The second screen can only be renderd with software, so no openGL can run on an secondary screen.

At least that is what I know

[TeknoJnky]

To my knowledge, only the primary screen in Windows has DX and/or OpenGL acceleration .

The second screen can only be renderd with software, so no openGL can run on an secondary screen.

At least that is what I know

I think this is true for older cards/drivers, but I'm pretty sure any recent (last year or so) nvidia card/driver has an option for 'performance mode' with dual monitors, which basically enables accelaration on secondary monitors.

I'll have to double check at home for the exact place/name for this option.

[uncola]

I have this exact problem with the appearance of vsync issues/frame dropping when I use xbmc on my 2nd display unless I set it primary. You can sort of automate this with the program Ultramon. create a shortcut that launches the program on the 2nd monitor and then sets it to primary and also sets it back to secondary when you exit the program(xbmc)

when I used xbmc on a mac with a secondary display I didn't have this problem. other threads about this subject say it's because os x has multiple display support built in. and the windows/linux version use some library that isn't multiple display aware so it can't really be fixed until that library gets updated and it gets put in a new xbmc. sorry for rambling, about to fall asleep

[garvani]

Im having allsorts of problems with tearing in windows as well..

Only on my secondary screen (1360x768) as some of you are experiencing, i get no tearing if i play on my primary monitor (1920x1080). mpchc will obviously play fine on secondary screen, but for a seamless movie experience by remote I really would rather not go down the external player branch.

Ive tried what i think is everything, changed a lot of settings from the jittery video thread and every other thread ive came across, but no luck as of yet. I have just downloaded kees latest smoothvideo windows build with the same problem..

So these are the settings ive got at the moment:

Have left default smoothvideo settings alone.
xbmc vsync option - driver decide
ati option - on unless application specify
tripple buffering is off

Hardware and software:
Ati HD4830..
Windows 7 7057
Latest 9.4 ati catalyst
Kees windows build of smoothvideo branch - xbmc revision 19691
Primary display is 1920x1080 monitor but outputting via dvi-hdmi to 42" Samsung lcd secondary screen running at 1360x768 @ 60hz, have used ultramon to get xbmc on other screen, have set xbmc to 1360x768@60hz.

Also if i change tv to primary it works fine! Whats up with that!? its not a tv, or power issue, its a setting/driver issue when playing xbmc on a secondary screen..

[PsychoCheF]

Did anyone find a solution for this?

Setting up XBMC on a friends computer and he get exactly same problem.

Using Ati hd5xxx, win 7 (x64) and Dharma beta 4.

[PatK]

Most of these issues seem driver related.

FWIW: My ATI 5770 had an issue when I first got it with the secondary TV display gliching/twiching constantly... tunned off overclock, and everything smoothed out. Flipping between two screens with XBMC in focus... fullscreen results in black (I suspect the difference in size/aspect issue after XBMC has started) Using a extended screen you can cause XBMC to open up on the second screen which can create more issues.. but solves a few at the same time. Then there's issues of DXVA2 and the issues with some codecs and not to dismiss flipping the audio sources between different devices in focus. Must be a nightmare for the developers.

I've eliminated most of the issues, flipping between panels with XBMC(scripted) as focus and then keeping a second computer up for other tasks... (guess that's true multi-tasking) and different gfx cards will have different workarounds.. Use your 1-800 with the graphic card maker, see if he has a solution.. make him work for a living.