You Cannot View the Same Video on Two Monitors at the Same Time (306702)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows XP Professional
This article was previously published under Q306702

SYMPTOMS

If your computer has multiple monitors, it may not be possible to use Windows Media Player to display video across two monitors simultaneously. For example, if you drag Windows Media Player between the two monitors, video may only appear on one of the two monitors.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur because the video mixing renderer (a Microsoft DirectX component) in Windows XP cannot create a surface across two monitors simultaneously. This would cause the video to be cut in half if the video were placed in the middle of two monitors.

WORKAROUND

IMPORTANT: The following procedure results in a decrease in video performance.

To work around this behavior, disable the video mixing renderer:
  1. In Windows Media Player, click Options on the Tools menu.
  2. Click the Performance tab, and then click Advanced.
  3. Under Video Acceleration or DVD Video (depending on which item you want to disable), click to clear the Use video mixing renderer check box, and then click OK.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about DirectX architecture or the video mixing renderer, please see the following Microsoft Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:10/29/2003
Keywords:kbdisplay kbenv kbprb kbui KB306702
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.