Rplace dual monitor with - wide or ultra-wide w/dual source input.

[b1k3rdude]

I figured I would ask here since Linus seems think along the same lines as I do when it comes to tech and what he and I specifically want from our tech. There are a number of related thread on here, but none asked what I wanted to know.

 

For a few years now I have have been on and off searching for a way to update my ancient (2x NEC 20wgx2pro's) dual monitor setup, I have tried the 1st generation of the LG 29" curved monitor and while it was a lovely piece of kit, my main issue was that the monitor itself and all known OS cannot provide a 'True' dual monitor experience on a single monitor. 

 

So my options are:

1. LP setup: a single large 16:9 monitor and a matching 4:3/5:4, but the issue with that is finding the smaller monitor with the same panel tech as the large monitor has proven to be pretty much impossible. All the configs I can find are with old monitors that don't exist any more, eg. - HP_Z30 (landscape) & /HP_EP201 (portrait) or Dell 27" and 19"
2. PLP setup: A single large monitor and 2x smaller monitors - like this gheto build - but this is problematic for several reasons.
3. Or a single large wide monitor that supports "true" dual input or picture-in-picture that will behave like two separate monitors.

I have played with various 3rd party software tools(  (LG dual Link, Ultramon, Display fusion etc) and windows 8/10 window resizing nonsense and NONE of those gave me a true separate monitor exp. As the nezt generation of wide/ultra-wide monitors are out I figured I would look at this project again, and to that end I thought I would ask Linus and the LTT community at large for some suggestions!

 

b.

[b1k3rdude]

Bump.

[Srnewbee]

from my experience, I think the LG software does a decent job. I have the LG 29inch UWHD as well (flat, not curved). But thats me.

[b1k3rdude]

On 28/05/2018 at 6:50 AM, Srnewbee said:

 I have the LG 29inch UWHD as well (flat, not curved). But thats me.

Which model exactly and could take a photo of it showing the monitor working in dual-monitor mode ..?

[Srnewbee]

LG29WK500 the software is LG on screen control

 

[b1k3rdude]

On 07/06/2018 at 7:04 AM, Srnewbee said:

LG29WK500 the software is LG on screen control

Er that looks like two application windows on the same desktop, not two separate inputs. This is what I am aiming for so windows behaves like its on two separate monitors. For example like this chap has done with his LG -

 

If I could be cheeky, could I ask you to plug two monitor cables into your LG and from your gfx card so I/we can see how it handles that type of configuration?

[Srnewbee]

The LG software automatically divides the window so its not like I manually made them open in that way. If you still have the LG monitor, you should try it out. In terms of a "true" dual monitor setup, I do not have an additional hdmi cable but I vaguely remember it being capable of two inputs at the same time. I am almost 90% sure.

[Srnewbee]

http://www.lg.com/us/experience-monitors/ultra-wide-monitors

 

its called dual link up.

 

Dual Link Up

The Dual Linkup feature allows two compatible portable devices--such as a computer, camera, phone, or Blu-ray player--to be connected to the monitor, and both can be viewed on the same screen simultaneously. Note: To use Dual Linkup, one device must be connected to the DisplayPort while the other is connected to either the HDMI or DVI port.

[b1k3rdude]

On 12/06/2018 at 7:15 AM, Srnewbee said:

The LG software automatically divides the window so its not like I manually made them open in that way. If you still have the LG monitor, you should try it out. In terms of a "true" dual monitor setup, I do not have an additional hdmi cable but I vaguely remember it being capable of two inputs at the same time. I am almost 90% sure.

I have seen this LG s/w at a previous place of work, the problem is that its "software" and not hardware. Its trying to emulate 2 physical monitors and it fails, because windows still see's a single monitor. as I said in the OP, I have played with various 3rd party software tools and NONE of those gave me a true separate monitor exp.

 

But on the subject of LG dual controller, it has several issues -

• When a created custom split is created (for example 1280*1050 and 400*1050 on single 1680*1050 monitor), applications wont snap correctly to the size of the split - instead they choose a size akin to if a 3 division split was set.
• You CANNOT set a split to behave as a primary monitor or get windows to treat the split as a REAL monitor - this was the whole point of DC/DF. Eg to enable the ability to make an ultra-wide monitor behave as 2 monitors as far as an operating system was concerned.
• When using applications in a single monitor dual split environment, pull down, pop-up and other child/dialogue windows don't see splits as discreet monitors.
• Pressing maximise on an application window, maximises it to the whole monitor desktop, NOT the split its in - again whole point of DC/DF for me.
• And lastly WHY the actual F**** does LG dual-control need access to the internet to supposedly work? Fyi, I have been Running "Windows Firewall control" (just like AFwall+ on my Android device) for years on my PC.

So again I ask for advice on which monitors do dual input or pip so that windows/linux effectively see to physical monitors.

[b1k3rdude]

As its coming up to Xmas, I am looking at this project again. So bumping the thread for some more suggestiong and input.

[cpugeek21]

On 7/1/2018 at 6:59 PM, b1k3rdude said:

I have seen this LG s/w at a previous place of work, the problem is that its "software" and not hardware. Its trying to emulate 2 physical monitors and it fails, because windows still see's a single monitor. as I said in the OP, I have played with various 3rd party software tools and NONE of those gave me a true separate monitor exp.

 

But on the subject of LG dual controller, it has several issues -

• When a created custom split is created (for example 1280*1050 and 400*1050 on single 1680*1050 monitor), applications wont snap correctly to the size of the split - instead they choose a size akin to if a 3 division split was set.
• You CANNOT set a split to behave as a primary monitor or get windows to treat the split as a REAL monitor - this was the whole point of DC/DF. Eg to enable the ability to make an ultra-wide monitor behave as 2 monitors as far as an operating system was concerned.
• When using applications in a single monitor dual split environment, pull down, pop-up and other child/dialogue windows don't see splits as discreet monitors.
• Pressing maximise on an application window, maximises it to the whole monitor desktop, NOT the split its in - again whole point of DC/DF for me.
• And lastly WHY the actual F**** does LG dual-control need access to the internet to supposedly work? Fyi, I have been Running "Windows Firewall control" (just like AFwall+ on my Android device) for years on my PC.

So again I ask for advice on which monitors do dual input or pip so that windows/linux effectively see to physical monitors.

Hi, I'm in the market for a new ultrawide. Unfortunately, I don't have any answers for you but I would like to get some advice about this issue.

 

1) Is the software you're talking about dual linkup?

 

2) Could you explain a little on why you would want the ultrawide to be recognised as two separate monitors instead? I would imagine that it would be more convenient for the two inputs to be combined as one on the display so that I can work with just a single keyboard and mouse instead.

[b1k3rdude]

On 1/31/2019 at 7:17 AM, cpugeek21 said:

1. Is the software you're talking about dual linkup?
2. Could you explain a little on why you would want the ultrawide to be recognised as two separate monitors instead?
3. I would imagine that it would be more convenient for the two inputs to be combined as one on the display so that I can work with just a single keyboard and mouse instead.

1.  On LG monitors the Duallink software is a Kludgy work-around for getting applications to see the large ultrawide desktop as two desktops.
2. To put it simply because - every modern OS (with the exception of perhaps MacOS) and most applications (web browsers, productivity apps, the list is endless) - dont know how to deal with or handle desktop resolutions of that size/ratio.
3. I tried doing this on my GTX 1070 using PBP mode on the monitor but windows was having none of it, and then is dawned on me - I could use the onboard video to drive the second desktop and it works flawlessly. The irony of that is I have never used the onboard video in any of my mobo's over the years.
4. And lastly because I was unable to get TB to connect to my MacPro (which I use for testing and other tasks) I went with a cheap SGEYR kvm off Amazon to switch the inputs on the r/h (HDMI assigned) monitor

I now own a Samsung CF791 (thunderbolt version), is was so damn cheap on the November black Friday sale (£450 instead of £750) last year it was too hard a deal to ignore. That and the CF791 does 1:1 PBP (PictureByPicture) mode so each half uses the whole part of the screen (see attached screenshot of my game level editor and Waterfox)

[cpugeek21]

16 hours ago, b1k3rdude said:

1.  On LG monitors the Duallink software is a Kludgy work-around for getting applications to see the large ultrawide desktop as two desktops.
2. To put it simply because - every modern OS (with the exception of perhaps MacOS) and most applications (web browsers, productivity apps, the list is endless) - dont know how to deal with or handle desktop resolutions of that size/ratio.
3. I tried doing this on my GTX 1070 using PBP mode on the monitor but windows was having none of it, and then is dawned on me - I could use the onboard video to drive the second desktop and it works flawlessly. The irony of that is I have never used the onboard video in any of my mobo's over the years.
4. And lastly because I was unable to get TB to connect to my MacPro (which I use for testing and other tasks) I went with a cheap SGEYR kvm off Amazon to switch the inputs on the r/h (HDMI assigned) monitor

I now own a Samsung CF791 (thunderbolt version), is was so damn cheap on the November black Friday sale (£450 instead of £750) last year it was too hard a deal to ignore. That and the CF791 does 1:1 PBP (PictureByPicture) mode so each half uses the whole part of the screen (see attached screenshot of my game level editor and Waterfox)

Sorry, I'm a little confused with your explanation, but very interested in this technology, so please bear with me. Trying to understand this chronologically.

 

1) your very first attempt at this was running half of your lg monitor using windows and the other half using macOS. But the experience wasn't good with all the messed up aspect ratios.

 

So you decided to try something else.

 

2) Am I understanding you correctly when you said you were running your desktop GPU and the onboard graphics at the same time and getting the computer to recognise it as 2 different monitors? Does that even work? I thought when you have dedicated graphics, the onboard one becomes "unusable" (i.e. no display will show even when we plug in a cable)?

 

3) you then decided to get a thunderbolt to HDMI adapter so that you can get your Mac to display on your monitor? At this time, did you manage to get PbP working?

 

4) this is when you solved the whole problem. You got a Samsung monitor whose implementation of PbP works much better and shows as 2 separate monitors, which was what you wanted. 

 

Based on 4, does this mean that most (or all) ultrawide monitor manufacturers all have PbP functionality? LG is actually not my first choice but so far my research comes up empty for other ultrawide PbP options (other than LG).

 

Thanks!

 

[b1k3rdude]

On 2/4/2019 at 4:04 AM, cpugeek21 said:

1. your very first attempt at this was running half of your lg monitor using windows and the other half using macOS. But the experience wasn't good with all the messed up aspect ratios. So you decided to try something else.
2. Am I understanding you correctly when you said you were running your desktop GPU and the onboard graphics at the same time and getting the computer to recognise it as 2 different monitors? Does that even work? I thought when you have dedicated graphics, the onboard one becomes "unusable" (i.e. no display will show even when we plug in a cable)?
3. you then decided to get a thunderbolt to HDMI adapter so that you can get your Mac to display on your monitor? At this time, did you manage to get PbP working?
4. this is when you solved the whole problem. You got a Samsung monitor whose implementation of PbP works much better and shows as 2 separate monitors, which was what you wanted. 
5. Based on 4, does this mean that most (or all) ultrawide monitor manufacturers all have PbP functionality? LG is actually not my first choice but so far my research comes up empty for other ultrawide PbP options (other than LG).

1. Correct, because the LG wasnt able to do PBP (PictureByPicture) at 1:1 pixel ratio.
2. Correct, having two inputs on the Samsung monitor plugged into he same card just didnt work reliably or at all most of the time. And yes, I have it configured this way for over month now. Windows it seeing two videos cards, this config would work on anything from 7-10 - I dont know what i didnt think of or realise it sooner.
3. Nope, I gave up. The only solution that would have possibly allowed it to working was to have a video or other card on my macpro with USB-C/TB port. So in the end I went with a simple and tried route of a Hdmi KVM to switch the input on the Hdmi iout from the Mac pro and the output from the onboard gfx from the PC. Then when i want to play games I turn of PBP mode on the monitor.
4. Correct.
5. So far I have only seen the Samsung CF791 do proper 1:1 pixel scalling in PBP mode, I have tested the LG, BenQ and the Samsung. You will either have to go to a shop selling a range of ultra wides or buy/try untill you find one that does (like I did)

[GeoffP]

Did you have any joy with this? I am looking to replace 2 x 15" displays with one ultra-wide display with PBP (Picture-By-Picture). Even PIP (Picture-In-Picture) would be ok. Ideally I would like to use a dual discrete output video card to do the driving of the monitor using extended display mode in Windows (so I can see PPT Presenter View on one half of the screen and the PPT show itself on the other. Any ideas?

[b1k3rdude]

On 7/2/2019 at 2:57 AM, GeoffP said:

Did you have any joy with this? I am looking to replace 2 x 15" displays with one ultra-wide display with PBP (Picture-By-Picture). Even PIP (Picture-In-Picture) would be ok. Ideally I would like to use a dual discrete output video card to do the driving of the monitor using extended display mode in Windows (so I can see PPT Presenter View on one half of the screen and the PPT show itself on the other. Any ideas?

Sorry for the very late replay, yes the Samsung CF791 was my solution. The only caveat is that you need to have 2 different video card for each side of the screen, windows is in-cable of seeing the Samsung as two seperate monitors on a single card.

 

So for me I have a 1080Ti & intel HD4xxx (integrated i7 4790k), when I upgrade to Ryzen either at Xmas or before I will get a PCI-e x1 card like a GT710 although these are a bit pricey at £65 so may hunt around for a card on ebay...

[b1k3rdude]

Just a small update to this, a few weeks ago a family member asked me to find him a monitor similar to what I have. Initially I went looking for another Samsung CF791, but bizarrely they are still going for £750 (even the non-thunderbolts models).

 

So I settled on two that I could find for £450 -

• iiyama GB3466WQSU-B1
• Gigabyte G34WQC

Both offer PbP @ 1:1 pixel ratio and both have reasonable menu's that making flicking between single and dual screen almost as easy as my Samsung. At the time we went with the iiyama as the Gigabyte wasn't available (anywhere)