Dual-Monitor Setup Requires 8-Bit Data Paths for Both Monitors

ID Number: Q51870

1.x 2.x 3.00 3.10 3.11 3.14 | 2.x 3.00 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.50

MS-DOS | OS/2

Summary:

When writing to a system that has a dual-monitor setup, you must make

sure that both the monochrome monitor and the color monitor are using

an 8-bit data path. In any dual-monitor write scheme, both display

cards must be configured to write to a common data path (either both

8-bit or both 16-bit mode). Today's monochrome adapters use 8-bit

paths exclusively.

Most display cards that use a 16-bit mode can autosense whether they

are being written to in a dual-monitor mode, but some cards, such as

the ATI VGA Wonder card, do not sense for this situation; therefore,

you must set the card to an 8-bit path manually.

More Information:

If you are using dual monitors and you experience strange behavior

such as garbage or blinking characters on the monochrome screen, make

sure that your 16-bit video card is running in 8-bit mode.

The most common use for a dual-monitor setup is for debugging graphics

applications in CodeView.

Additional reference words: 1.0 1.00 1.1 1.10 1.11 2.0 2.00 2.1 2.10

2.2 2.20 2.30 2.30 2.35 3.0 3.00 3.1 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.14 3.5 3.50