Stacked Windows for Pixelated VFX

Hi,

I've set upa region properly and got that all up and running, it's working great - except the pixilation problem! I have read into it and understand it's because the source is smaller.

My setup is 1 big monitor with the main leader, and then a 2nd monitor with 4 characters evenly split into sections. I've read you can use "stacked" windows. Would this still allow me to see all of the slave screens at once? How do you guys get around this issue?

Would love to hear some solutions.

[lax]

My setup is 1 big monitor with the main leader, and then a 2nd monitor with 4 characters evenly split into sections. I've read you can use "stacked" windows. Would this still allow me to see all of the slave screens at once? How do you guys get around this issue?

Yes.

What you're missing is that instead of putting the windows on the second screen, you can put views of the windows on the second screen. The windows themselves will stay on the main screen. The second screen, to show those views, would instead use dxNothing, as described and demonstrated various ways in the sticky thread in this here Video FX forum How to add a blank window for your video feeds!

Thanks Iax.

The only issue with doing that (it seems) is I wouldn't be able to quick switch my windows by clicking them on the second monitor? I love doing that! Going to give it a try though.

[lax]

You can!

There's an optional "Video FX Focus (switch to window) hotkey", which is configurable in your Character Set and defaults to Alt+Mouse1. You can use a check box right in the Video FX editor to enable this Hotkey for any of your Video FX Viewers.

The reason it isn't just Mouse1 (and is configurable) is because with Video FX, you will use the interaction function a lot, and usually your left mouse button is reserved for something else. So you can just mouse over, do an Alt+click, and that window is brought to the top of the "full screen stack" on your main screen.

You have made a great product here Lax. I'd have definitely paid more!

I can't quickly find how to change between screens...help?!? I've loaded the game up as stacked and want to switch between screens to set up the source feeds...

[lax]

Any of the standard methods should work (Common modifications: Window switching)

Ctrl+Alt+1 through Ctrl+Alt+9 for example should pull up a specific window, 1 through 9. (by default)

Also, for source feeds that are identical in all windows, you can set up one window and sync the source to the rest of the windows, as long as you name it right. For example, if you're in window 1, and you have a map source, you might call it "map1". Then the Sync button for this Video FX Source will generate "map2" in window 2, "map3" in window 3, and so on, with the same size and positon.

That sounds awesome with the sync! thanks.

Last thing, I hope. I have created the 6th character as in your guide here. Followed it perfectly. viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1222

I've then added the windows as stacked, and then moved the 6th region to my second monitor. The 6th region on my 2nd monitor shows as black (normal?) and displays my FPS, so I'm assuming it's working.

I have then created the VFX windows as normal and can see it pulling in the viewer as expected. Is the viewer going behind this screen? could you help me?

Sorry for all the questions

[lax]

The black screen is indeed the working backdrop for the Video FX Viewers, complete with an "in-game" ISBoxer Control Panel. Create your viewers in there as you would do on your main screen.

If they work until you switch windows and then they disappear and all you see again is the black screen, then you have missed a check box in the dxNothing "Character" in your ISBoxer config. "Video FX Viewers stay when in background (blocks Video FX Sources!)" This will stop the behavior where they disappear when you switch windows, at the cost of preventing you from creating any sources in that window (since it's dxNothing, that isn't a big deal).

Oh, it was just a big fail on my part!!!! I was creating them in region 1 and trying to drag them over. Which of course doesn't work. DOH!

Thanks Iax, really helpful. Seems to be working now.

How do I save this regions setup once I've got it how I like it, as if I recall it gets lost once I log out? I may be wrong.

[lax]

Click "Save As" in the Video FX tab of the in-game ISBoxer Control Panel. Make sure you leave it saving as "Auto" if you want it to auto-load when you load (or re-load) your Character Set. Otherwise, you will need to manually load it either via the Load button in the same place, or using a Video FX Action as part of a Mapped Key (that is more advanced).