Copyright: Copyright (c) 2002-2004 Matrox Graphics Inc.
Citation: Copyright (c) 2002-2004 Matrox Graphics Inc.


Matrox Hybrid Display

Use this software to configure your multi-display settings. For example, with this software you can:

•	Combine 2 or more individual displays into a single Windows display. (A "Windows display" is a display that Windows recognizes and that can be adjusted with Windows controls.)

•	View a "clone" (copy) of a Windows display on one or more other displays.

•	Use up to 16 displays at a time by combining or copying displays. To do this, you need more than one supported Matrox graphics card installed in your computer. (Without this software, the maximum number of displays you can use at a time with Windows 2000/XP is 10.)

•	Rotate one or more displays to support portrait orientation. (A "portrait" orientation is taller than wide.)

•	Change the display layout to reflect the physical layout of your monitors.

See also...

•	Matrox Hybrid Display -- Limitations

•	Using this guide

•	Setting up multiple displays


Matrox Hybrid Display -- Limitations
Matrox Hybrid Display

Matrox Hybrid Display -- Limitations

Note the following limitations for Matrox Hybrid Display:

•	Matrox graphics hardware supported by this software (for example, a Matrox G450 MMS graphics card) must control your primary display. (Your "primary display" is the one that first displays information when your computer restarts.)

•	This software only supports one type of graphics hardware at a time. For example, you can use 2 Matrox G450 MMS at the same time. However, if you have a G450 MMS and a G200 MMS, Matrox Hybrid Display only supports the MMS graphics card that controls the primary display.

•	Certain software (especially software that depends on hardware-based graphics acceleration) may not work properly while Hybrid Display features are used.

•	Matrox Video Tools isn't supported while Hybrid Display features are used.


Using this guide
Matrox Hybrid Display

Using this guide

This guide assumes you're familiar with basic functions like click, right-click and double-click, and that you're familiar with the basics of the operating system you're using. Also, we use the following conventions:

•	Bold for text that appears on-screen, subheadings, and labels.

•	Italics for file names, paths, publication titles, and new terms.

•	Bold italics for emphasis.

•	Keyboard keys in square brackets, with a plus sign separating keys that you press simultaneously. For example: press [Ctrl]+[Alt]+[Del] to restart your computer.

•	Arrows (" · ") to separate ordered directions. For example, "click OK · Close · OK" is the same as "click OK, then click Close, then click OK".

•	Green for cross-references. If you're viewing online, click green text to jump to what's being referenced.

See also...

•	Context-sensitive help


Context-sensitive help
Matrox Hybrid Display

Context-sensitive help

Context-sensitive help is available in certain dialog boxes. This type of help individually describes each item in a dialog box. Some information may only be accessible through this type of help.

For context-sensitive help where available, click Help ( [image] ) on the title bar of a dialog box, then click the item you want help on. You can right-click a help topic for a pop-up menu that lets you print or copy that topic.


Using Matrox Hybrid Display
Matrox Hybrid Display

Setting up multiple displays

To setup a multi-display desktop:

1	Start Matrox Hybrid Display. Click the Matrox QuickDesk ( [image] ) icon on your Windows taskbar, then click Matrox Hybrid Display. To see the QuickDesk icon in Windows XP, you may need to click the Show hidden icons button ( [image] ) on your Windows taskbar.

2	Make sure Use a new multi-display setup is selected, then click Next.

3	Select the maximum number of Windows displays you want to use. (Using only 1 Windows display for all your individual displays is also referred to as an "NT-style" multi-display setup.)

4	Select the first Undefined display, then click Display Setup.

5	Make sure each of the following controls are using the setting you want. Adjust them in this order:

a	Number of clones

b	Display layout

c	Display orientation

d	Display resolution

e	Color palette

f	Refresh rate

6	Click OK.

7	Repeat steps 4 to 6 until there are no more Undefined or available displays. An Undefined display won't be used when Windows restarts.

8	Click Finish. For changes to take effect, your computer must be restarted.

For more information on specific controls, see context-sensitive help.

Note: You can position each Windows display through the Windows controls. To access these controls, right-click your Windows desktop background, then click Properties · Settings.

See also...

•	Context-sensitive help


Maximum number of Windows displays
Matrox Hybrid Display

Maximum number of Windows displays

Select the maximum number of Windows displays for your Windows desktop. A "Windows display" is a display that Windows recognizes and that can be adjusted with Windows controls.

If the number of Windows displays is less than the number of individual displays in your system, 2 or more displays can be combined into 1 or more Windows displays. Combining displays allows you to use more displays at a time (up to a total of 16) than the maximum 10 displays at a time that can be recognized by Windows.

Individual displays combined into one Windows display have the same resolution and color palette. The settings of the individual displays are changed through Windows controls as if they were one display. For example, for 2 combined side-by-side displays each with a resolution of 800 x 600, Windows reports a resolution of 1600 x 800. Combined displays are also said to be in "stretched" mode.


Current Layout
Matrox Hybrid Display

Current Layout

This shows the current multi-display setup for your desktop. The current layout of each Windows display is shown in the preview area. An Undefined display doesn't have settings associated with it and won't be used when Windows restarts.

To set up a display, select it and then click Display Setup. You must set up Windows displays in their consecutive order. If you change the number of individual displays associated with a Windows display, subsequent displays will be reset to "undefined". You can also reset a display (and subsequent displays) by selecting it and then pressing [Delete].

While configuring your displays, you can copy and paste setups from one display to another. To copy a setup, select a display and then press [Ctrl]+[C]. To paste a copied setup, select another display and then press [Ctrl]+[V]. You can copy a setup into more than one display.

See also...

•	Display settings

•	Display Setup


Display settings
Matrox Hybrid Display · Current Layout

Display Settings

These are the settings associated with the currently selected Windows display:

•	Display ID -- This is the identification number of the Windows display.

•	Display layout -- This is the layout of the individual displays that make up the currently selected Windows display. The layout is the number of displays horizontally by the number of displays vertically.

•	Display orientation -- This is the degrees of rotation (clockwise) from the default orientation.

•	Number of clones -- This is the number of "clones" (copies) of the currently selected Windows display. A clone display has the same settings as its source display.

•	Display resolution -- This is the combined display resolution of all the individual displays in the selected Windows display.


Display Setup
Matrox Hybrid Display · Current Layout

Display Setup

Set up the currently selected Windows display. You must set up Windows displays in their consecutive order. This control is unavailable if one or more previous Windows displays are "undefined".


Display Layout Setup
Matrox Hybrid Display

Display Layout Setup

Configure the currently selected Windows display. These settings are for all the individual displays associated with the Windows display.

See also...

•	Display layout preview

•	Number of clones

•	Enlarge mouse pointer when possible

•	Display layout

•	Display rotation

•	Display resolution

•	Color palette

•	Refresh rate

•	Individual display settings


Display layout preview
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Display layout preview

This is a layout preview for the currently selected Windows display. The preview shows the orientation and relative position of each individual display in the Windows display. When you change the settings, the preview is updated.


Number of clones
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Number of clones

Select the number of "clones" (copies) of the currently selected Windows display. A clone display has the same settings as its source display. The number of clones available depends on the number of unused displays available.

Each clone of a Windows display requires as many individual displays as the source display. For example, if you have a Windows display with a 2 x 1 layout (2 individual side-by-side displays) and 1 clone of this Windows display, you need 4 individual displays (2 for the Windows display and 2 for the clone of this Windows display).


Enlarge mouse pointer when possible
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Enlarge mouse pointer when possible

When possible, double the size of your mouse pointer. This setting applies to all the individual displays associated with the currently selected Windows display.

Your mouse pointer is enlarged only if it's drawn by your Matrox graphics hardware (that is, only if it's not drawn by software). Your mouse pointer is drawn by software if it's using a color palette with more than 16 colors.


Display layout
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Display layout

Select the layout of the individual displays that make up the currently selected Windows display. The layout is the number of displays horizontally by the number of displays vertically. The layouts available depend on the number of unused displays available.

For example, a 2 x 1 layout is made up of 2 side-by-side displays. (In this case, when you move the mouse pointer off the right edge of one display, it appears from the left edge of the other display.)


Display rotation
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Display rotation

To match the orientation of one or more monitors, rotate (in 90 degree increments) all the individual displays associated with the currently selected Windows display.

This setting is expressed in degrees of rotation (clockwise) from the default orientation. For example, 90- and 270-degree rotations re-orient a typical landscape (wider than tall) display to portrait (taller than wide) orientation.

See also...

•	Display rotation -- Limitations


Display rotation -- Limitations
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup · Display rotation

Display rotation -- Limitations

The following limitations may apply while your display is rotated:

•	Depending on your graphics memory, certain display resolutions, refresh rates, and color palettes may be unavailable.

•	Display performance may be noticeably slower.

•	You can only use an 8-, 16-, or 32-bit color palette (when available).

•	Certain software (especially software that depends on hardware-based graphics acceleration) may not work properly while your display is rotated.


Display resolution
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Display resolution

Select a resolution for the selected Windows display. The "Resolution" is the number of horizontal pixels by the number of vertical pixels.

The resolutions available depend on the currently selected display layout. Each resolution is a combined resolution for all the individual displays in the selected Windows display. For example, if a 2 x 1 layout is selected, a 1600 x 600 resolution may be available. In this case, the resolution is for 2 side-by-side individual displays each with a resolution of 800 x 600.

The maximum display resolution for a Windows display is limited to the lowest maximum display resolution supported by all associated individual displays.


Color palette
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Color palette

Select the color palette for the currently selected Windows display. This setting applies to all the individual displays associated with the currently selected Windows display.

The "color palette" is the number of simultaneous colors the display driver can show. This number is based on the number of bits used to store the color information for each pixel. The higher the number of bits, the more simultaneous colors the display driver can show.

The color palettes available are those supported by all individual displays associated with the current Windows display.


Refresh rate
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Refresh rate

Select the vertical refresh rate for the currently selected Windows display. This setting applies to all the individual displays associated with the currently selected Windows display.

The "vertical refresh rate" is the number of times that a screen is updated in a second. This is measured in cycles per second (Hertz). A higher vertical refresh rate may result in less noticeable flicker in your display, but also requires more bandwidth from your graphics hardware.

The maximum refresh rate for a Windows display is limited to the lowest maximum refresh rate supported by all associated individual displays.


Individual display settings
Matrox Hybrid Display · Display Layout Setup

Individual display settings

This is the display resolution, color palette, and refresh rate for each of the individual displays associated with the currently selected Windows display.


Matrox Hybrid Display

No help topic is associated with this item.


Matrox Hybrid Display

Cancel

Click this button to close the dialog box without making changes.


Matrox Hybrid Display

OK

Click this button to apply changes and close the dialog box.