TNT and multiple monitor capture

With the release of TNT v. 2.0 the EC Software screenshot program has become a serious application in its own right, so it was high time that it was given its own forum!

Moderators: Alexander Halser, Tim Green

Post Reply
Ribo
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2002 3:02 pm

TNT and multiple monitor capture

Unread post by Ribo »

I just purchased TNT and find it an excellent tool for a current project on my multiple monitor XP system; however, it will not capture from a secondary monitor, only the primary monitor. Am I missing a configuration setting, or is this a known issue? When I move TNT to the secondary monitor, it will go through the steps of capturing, but the captures are blank--running TNT from the primary monitor with the focus application on the primary monitor works without a hitch.
Ross Flaven
Boulder, CO
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23156
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Unread post by Tim Green »

This sort of thing is quite common with multiple monitors, as most software is not really designed for them. I have the same phenomenon on my work machine, which uses a Matrox G450 card.

To do Alex justice, this may actually have more to do with the Matrox drivers than with TNT. Matrox makes a very strong distinction between the primary and secondary monitor, and in my experience any program that actually 'interacts' with the monitor in any complex way will only work with the primary monitor.

For example, WinDVD and Adobe Premiere will only display movies on the primary monitor, i.e. the video overlay only works with the primary, not with the secondary.

I deal with the problem by pulling my screenshots on a separate test machine that only uses one monitor. Quite apart from anything else, I would never ever install the software I am writing help files for, which is generally beta at best, on the computer I depend on for my work... :twisted:

What graphics card are you using for your dual display setup?
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Ribo
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2002 3:02 pm

Unread post by Ribo »

Tim...

I've used a Matrox G450 previously (on a three monitor setup using the PCI G450 and a separate AGP card) with some success and the same limitations you mentioned. On my current configuration, I'm using two ATI Radeon cards, an AGP for the primary and a PCI for the secondary monitor. I appreciate multiple monitors can challenge certain applications, but wanted to make sure it was a discussed issue--TNT works well for my current needs (otherwise, I rely on PaintShop Pro) and I only have to adjust my expectations a bit <G>...

Regarding running software I'm documenting on the documenting environment, I do that all the time and suffer the occasional gotcha with grace and style. Usually. I do, of course, have incredibly anal backups...
Ross Flaven
Boulder, CO
Ribo
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2002 3:02 pm

Unread post by Ribo »

Just a quick update: I solved the issue by going with a Matrox Parhelia AGP video card and removing the secondary PCI video card. TNT works sweet, regardless of the three monitors it's working from. Issue seems to have been related to the combination of AGP and PCI video cards and their lack of cooperation, even when set up as a "stretched" desktop...
Ross Flaven
Boulder, CO
Melanie Langenhan
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2002 5:13 pm
Location: Germany
Contact:

Unread post by Melanie Langenhan »

FYI: I use a two-monitor configuration in combination with a NVidia GeForce4 Ti4600. TNT works on each monitor but the screenshot has to be taken from the first monitor.
Tommi_
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2008 12:13 pm

Unread post by Tommi_ »

Hi, colleagues,

in my notebook I have a NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 and connected a second monitor.
TNT works fine when free region screen capturing happens on the same screen as TNTs application window.
Therefore if I like to capture something on the secondary screen I move also TNT to this screen before.
Regards,
Thomas
Post Reply