This is a small app that I made for managing the Media Center window in a multiple monitor environment. It is very handy for dual monitor setups. The app. runs as an icon in the system tray and gives you a menu when you click on it. You can use it to run Media Center in fullscreen mode without it capturing the mouse. It also lets you send the Media Center window to another monitor by selecting it from the tray menu.
For instructions on how to use this, please see the thread here: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/240939.aspx.
I was hoping that I could work out a few more of the bugs before releasing this version, but it was taking longer than I had hoped and I really don't have a lot of time to work on this right now, so I decided to just release it how it is now.
The major issues I was having is that for some reason I can't get Media Center to recognize when I have changed the Window size/position... this means that there is some bugginess if you use my app to change the window size/position, and then use the standard min/max/restore buttons from within the Media Center window. If you use the traditional buttons, when you restore the window, the last position isn't always properly recognized. This shouldn't be a major issue for most people, but it is slightly annoying.
You can dowload the current version on the Apps page.
Windows 7 Fullscreen
Any update on the border issue with fullscreen on Windows 7?
EXCELLENT
Thank you so much for this app. I've been casually looking at this issue every couple of months for the last 4 years. I'm thrilled to find something working as well as this.
Once I figure how to coordinate this with the green button on the MCE remote for initial MCE startup, I'll be on cloud nine.
Thanks again!!!
Windows 7 MC
I'm having trouble setting this up on Monitor 2.
Monitor 2 is to the right with MC running. Resolution is 1920x1080.
Monitor 1 is 1280x1024. Can't get Monitor 2 to size correctly.
Any help is appreciated.
Windows 7 MC
I've just recently upgraded to Windows 7 from Vista and there have been some good improvements to Media Centre. However, MS have decided to constrain the proportions of resizing the non-maximized window. This means that, when your app resizes the window, it leaves a gap at the bottom. Can the code be modified to support full maximization on windows 7 MC?
Cheers
Phil
Windows 7 MC gap at bottom ?
Has this been fixed ? I have set the correct resolution and it leaves a gap at the bottom.
its realy good
Good work! Your post/article is an excellent example of why I keep comming back to read your excellent quality content that is forever updated. Thank you! evden eve nakliyat
Any word on fixing this for
Any word on fixing this for Windows 7?
Ahem... Ever try Monitor *2* on left and Monitor *1* on right
Sorry, I haven't had quite enough coffee yet.
Mon 2 on Left, Mon 1 on Right
MCE Multi Mon is an awesome program. I can't figure out why MS did not include something like this (along with allowing Recorded TV to a network drive).
One minor question in case there is a work around...
I have Windows Display Properties (MCE 2005) set up so that the PC 16:9 LCD monitor is on the Right defined as Monitor #1, and the HDTV is on the Left defined as Monitor #2 .
If I set up the MCE Multi Mon settings as follows:
Mon 1 = R 1282 x 772 and SP = -1283 x 0
Mon 2 = R 1280 x 768 and SP = 0 x 0
and then Send to Monitor 1, followed by selecting "Fullscreen", all works fine in that MCE looks like what I need it to look like on the HDTV. The quirk being that I have to send it to Monitor 1, yet the HDTV is really Monitor 2 (as defined in the Windows Property).
In trying to get MCE Multi Mon to view the HDTV as Mon #2, I tried the settings as follows:
Mon 1 = R 1280 x 768 and SP = 0 x 0
Mon 2 = R 1282 x 772 and SP = -1283 x 0
When I Send to Monitor 2, MCE goes to the HDTV as expected, but as soon as I hit "Fullscreen" it moves back to the other monitor (#1) albiet in full screen.
Any suggestions?
Also, is there a way to configure MCE Multi Mon so that MCE always goes to full screen upon a Send To command? It would save a step for many users.
same problem
I'm having this exact same problem. Was this ever fixed?
Ever try Monitor 1 on the left and Monitor 2 on the right?
Here's my setup:
Monitor 1: HDTV, running at 1768x922, positioned at (1280, 0)
Monitor 2: LCD Monitor, running at 1280x1024, positioned at (0, 0)
Questions:
Do Screens in your application actually refer to physical monitors or are they just coordinates and sizes?
Have you ever tried running with your primary and secondary monitors swapped sides?
Great program so far though, stripping the title bar, etc. is a great technique. Do you know if there's a sacrifice in performance by not going to the DirectX full screen?
-Ryan
God Bless You!!
Thanks to your app, I can finally run MCE on my 2nd monitor, something I haven't been able to do in 1.5 years. For some reason, I lost the ability to reduce down / unanchor MCE in order to drag it over to monitor 2 on the right. It would only minimize completely and when I would click on the task icon, it would show it "flying" back from some non-existent monitor on the left. (???)
With your program, I'm able to get it where it needs to be so I can watch my recorded TV while I work or watch it on other connected TVs in other rooms.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
MCEMultiMon.ini
Great app!!
... just for info to people may be worth mentioning you need to run this as an administrator (right click .exe to do so) else it will not create the MCEMultiMon.ini file for the settings.
Fantastic though!
Are you using GDI to do the
Are you using GDI to do the "Restore" command on Media Center? I'm trying to create a program to stop Media Center from going full screen, and I can reposition the media center window easily, and I've been able to get rid of the border/title bar. But I've been unable to get Media Center from Full Screen to Windowed mode. If you could point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.
The way I'm doing it, Media
The way I'm doing it, Media Center will run just like if it is in a window. I'm stripping the border & title bar, then I'm resizing the window to meet the screen size.
This app ROCKS!
Hi Ryan, thanks for putting this app together. I LOVE it! Makes a huge difference for me as my computer is my regular PC and it's connected to my main flat panel TV.
One request for you... Is there any way to access the MultiMon menu without clicking on the desk tray icon? Sometimes when I'm at the TV, I'd like to access the MultiMon options. The way it works now for me is that I have to go back to the primary PC monitor screen which is located in another room, to access the MultiMon desktray icon. Thanks! That would really help me out.
There isn't currently a good
There isn't currently a good way to do this. The next version of the app should properly support command line parameters. Once I have completed this you would be able to run it like: "MCEMultiMon.exe /restore" and have it preform that task. This isn't properly implement yet though.
MCE Multi Mon
I'm using avast antivirus and MCE multi mon is being detected as a virus. I've been using the two for about a month - without any problems, but over the last couple of days Avast reckons its a virus. Sounds like its been added to their virus definitions or maybe it appears similar in file structure to a known virus.
Can someone advise on a solution or adivse if they too are having similar problems. I've downloaded MCE Multi mon again and the same thing occurs.
Thanks in advance
I'll have to check it out
I'll have to check it out and see what's going on... Not sure what it's worth, but I can assure you that it's not a virus.
I wrote the program using a scripting language, and sometimes AV software sees the way it was compiled and questions it. I'll try to recompile using a new version in the next week or two. I'll also try to get a trial of avast to check it out. Thanks for the info.
Great job on this app.. same problem with 3a and AVG
Hey Ryan great job with the app. I really appreciate it. I also am having the same problem with 3a and AVG seeing it as a virus. Any luck with that.