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Question

Windows Media Center on a dual monitor system

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Hello,

I just started using a second monitor with my computer.

I have been trying to watch TV with Windows Media Center on the secondary monitor while I work on other stuff on the first monitor but when Windows Media Center is in full screen my mouse wont go back to the first monitor. Why? Is there a setting that can change this?

Please let me know of a solution.

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bigrics44

bigrics44

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Hi,

This is a pain and wasn't a problem until MS upgraded to Direcxt X 10.1 in Vista SP1.
To escape from the other screen is possible.  The first solution is as in the MS reply, but for some reason media center windows are all 4:3 regardless of the widescreen setting, so you can't put a "window" to nearly full screen.
To escape hit the "Windows key" and move the mouse to the other screen and keep clicking somewhere that will not have side effects, empty desktop etc.  When all the windows have settled down the cursor will stay on the other monitor and you can work.  Closing windows or any click on the media centre monitor may recapture the cursor.  Not a perfect solution but it works.  I had a X9 compatible graphics card and windows flashed for up to 45seconds (blanked, came, on went off ...) so I upgraded to a X10.1 compliant card and now it's only a couple of seconds.  N.B. your remote controls the active window so most but not all buttons have a local effect, bizzarely some still operate the media centre program.
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stokersson

stokersson

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Hello Bigrics44,

Here are my results of testing on my home PC.  You can only do what you are trying to do if you do not go fullScreen.  You can have Media Center in windowed mode and large enough to fill the screen and do other things.  During my test, once I went into fullscreen mode I was unable to move My cursor from that Monitor.
Sorry but at this time fullscreen viewing on one monitor and doing things on the other monitor is not possible.
Zack
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.
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Zack - Support Engineer

Zack - Support Engineer
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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Hello Bigrics44,

Thank you for posting.  I've done a little research on this issue and found that currently its not possible to work on other stuff while watching TV on Media Center.  It's possible to watch recorded TV and other media in Media Player and work on other things.  I haven't tested this myself.  I have a dual-monitor set-up at home with Vista Ultimate 64 bit and will thuroughly test this out when I get home. 
I will post any new findings and results here when I got back after testing. 

I will give you my results within the next 24 hours of this Post.
Zack
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.
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Zack - Support Engineer

Zack - Support Engineer
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

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Answer

Hello Bigrics44,

Here are my results of testing on my home PC.  You can only do what you are trying to do if you do not go fullScreen.  You can have Media Center in windowed mode and large enough to fill the screen and do other things.  During my test, once I went into fullscreen mode I was unable to move My cursor from that Monitor.
Sorry but at this time fullscreen viewing on one monitor and doing things on the other monitor is not possible.
Zack
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.
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Zack - Support Engineer

Zack - Support Engineer
Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Was this helpful?

5

Votes

Answer
Hi,

This is a pain and wasn't a problem until MS upgraded to Direcxt X 10.1 in Vista SP1.
To escape from the other screen is possible.  The first solution is as in the MS reply, but for some reason media center windows are all 4:3 regardless of the widescreen setting, so you can't put a "window" to nearly full screen.
To escape hit the "Windows key" and move the mouse to the other screen and keep clicking somewhere that will not have side effects, empty desktop etc.  When all the windows have settled down the cursor will stay on the other monitor and you can work.  Closing windows or any click on the media centre monitor may recapture the cursor.  Not a perfect solution but it works.  I had a X9 compatible graphics card and windows flashed for up to 45seconds (blanked, came, on went off ...) so I upgraded to a X10.1 compliant card and now it's only a couple of seconds.  N.B. your remote controls the active window so most but not all buttons have a local effect, bizzarely some still operate the media centre program.
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stokersson

stokersson

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Have your tried...

Make the Windows menu active, move the mouse to the other screen, then hit Alt+Enter to make the program full screen.. does the mouse snap back to the other monitor ?

If that doesn't work.. try

Hit win key + R.. in the box type narrator.. check only the box that says move mouse window to active item. open media center and set full screen, then hit alt+tab to make a window on the other screen active.

would be interested to hear if either work, I'm not in front of a machine now I can test it on.
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Steven Pletsch

Steven Pletsch

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Hello, I wanted to Reply to Steven Pletsch . Hey I am runing Vista 64bit and useing dual monitor setup. your idea to use alt+tab works for me. I make windows media center full screen and then hit alt+tab. I am then able to do what ever I want on any screen and without media center automaticlly exiting full screen.

Thanks ! ! !

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EvilGhost

EvilGhost

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Running a dual monitor on Windows 7 - 64 bit.

Yes the Windows key works best for me, but Win+R and Alt-Tab also work. Until you click back in Media center but at least I can watch full-screen and work without too much hassle. The VirtualPC beta is really cool! Really like the integration and VirtualXP.
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Mojoho

Mojoho

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Ok i think what you should get is a program called maxifier which lets you use the mouse on each screen ive been using it for a while and it works fine :)
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Holt57

Holt57

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Running a dual monitor on Windows 7 - 64 bit.

Yes the Windows key works best for me, but Win+R and Alt-Tab also work. Until you click back in Media center but at least I can watch full-screen and work without too much hassle. The VirtualPC beta is really cool! Really like the integration and VirtualXP.

TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED:  THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!  :)  :)  :)

I had the same exact problem as bigrics44 described - spent hours and hours with the graphics card techs until I realized this was a problem caused by Microsoft (noooo!), and only occurred when WMC was maximized to full screen.  This was the ONLY reason I purchased a graphics card - to watch videos/movies from either my harddrive or from my DVD drive on one screen (my 32" HDTV) while I putter around on my computer.  Both the Windows key and the Alt-Tab work-around techniques work GREAT!  Like Mojoho, I also found that clicking anywhere else back in the Media Center will undo the effect, but just do it again.  I also found that once I'm inside WMC, if I go into CyberLink Power DVD, the mouse pointer isn't stuck and you don't need a work-around.  Of course, not all of my movies are on DVD, so the work-around techniques are a godsend.

THANKS AGAIN, GUYS!!!!!

 

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joelchummel

joelchummel

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Hit the windows key on your keyboard, the one with windows logo on it
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mickey47

mickey47

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Thanks!
The Windows Key, so simple.
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BenJr

BenJr
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