Using Two Monitors


Moving the Controls Window

If you have two monitors, you can drag the Controls Window to the second monitor. This way, you can control the animation from the second monitor without having the Controls Window visible over the animation. For Windows, you may want to manually set the second monitor to 256 colors for best performance.


Adding a Video Card

Generally, if you wish to add a second monitor, you will need to add a second video card inside your computer. The second monitor would be attached to this added card. On a Windows PC, we recommend a video card with dual-monitor support. You might want to obtain a card that has both VGA and S-video output, in case you intend to use the card with a video projector as video projects may require either type of connection.


Setting Up the Two Monitors

First, make sure that the video/graphics cards are installed correctly and that the monitors are properly connected and turned on.

Macintosh: If you open the Monitors Control Panel, there is an Arrange button if your Mac detects two monitors. Click the Arrange button. To make a monitor the primary monitor for animation, drag the little menu bar to the desired monitor icon. The primary monitor will display the number 1 within the monitor icon.

Windows: The primary monitor is the one that displays the desktop and the Vusic animation. On Windows XP, you can use the Display Properties control panel to change the primary monitor. To change your secondary monitor to be your primary monitor and display the Vusic animations: open the Display Properties control panel, select the Settings tab, select your secondary monitor (or projector) by clicking the box with the number "2", and then check the box that says, "Use this device as the primary monitor". This does not work on some laptops, however. You can force the Vusic animation window to appear on your secondary monitor by having your cursor within the secondary monitor when Vusic is starting up. Alternatively, on desktop systems, you can switch the monitor cables between the video adapters on the back of your computer to change monitors. If you are using a video card with dual-monitor support, use the software that came with your card for setting up your monitors. You can learn more about using two monitors by selecting Help from the Windows Start menu, clicking the Search tab, and typing the word "multiple monitors" in the search text box.


Back to Tips & Tricks | Home