I am running a 1280x720 projector fullscreen for most tv viewing, but sometimes would like to open (Vista)MediaCenter on my primary monitor without having to turn on the projector, downsize MC, and move it. 

I know that I can create a shortcut with "%SystemRoot%\ehome\ehshell.exe /homepage:VideoGuide.xml /PushStartPage:True" to open to the Program Guide and other similar tricks...

Is there a way to have MC open on the monitor of my choice without remembering to move it back every time I turn off the projector?  Thanks.

 

 

 

i don't know if there's a command line to get it to, but i remember a program called Dualmon which allowed a lot of control over your programs on dual monitor setups. Not sure if it works on vista, but what it allowed you to do was just right click & say move to monitor 1 & it would move it.

Thanks, I couldn't find much on Duomon but think I'd rather not go third party anyway. 

There is a command to open widescreen, there must be one to open on mon1 or mon2...?

 

I assume you are running in extended mode for the monitor/projector... Couldn't you just right click on the icon in the taskbar, select "Move" and then use the arrows to move Media Center to your primary monitor?  May not be ideal, but at least you won't be turning on the projector.

I was thinking some more about this and I decided to write a tiny little app that might help.  All it does is make sure Media Center is open, then it will move the window to your current mouse position (gives you about 4 seconds to position your mouse from the time you double click the icon). 

I don't have a dual monitor setup on my Media Center, and I am currently using remote desktop on it, so I can't fully test this thing, but it should work ok for you.  Just a heads up though, it might act a bit strange if Media Center was maximized on your projector (it will move the maximized screen, so you might need to minimize & restore after it moves to the mouse position).

http://ryansfindings.com/gimme_my_mc.exe

*Edit* this app has been replaced by: MCE Multi Mon - check it out here: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/240939.aspx

Wow!  Thanks for your effort, Ryan.  The app moves MC to the cursor as desired, but not in fullscreen mode.  Also, the taskbar right-click Move command (previous post) works but not in fullscreen mode.  Both actions in fullscreen mode produce lots of flashing on both screens and then fullscreen reappears and takes control of the mouse on the projector.

Don't know how you did it, but I admire your programming skills.  Thanks,

Carl

P.S.  For some reason I thought everyone else would be having the same problem, I guess using a separate monitor for tv must not be that common.

 

 

I also have dual monitors and am VERY frustrated that I cant move my mouse off one monitor (with fullscreen) to the other without hitting the windows key (can causing a jump in whatever i'm doing). 

I use the program UltraMon which allows me to drag any window from monitor to monitor in full screen view (I actually have 4 monitors, but only 2 will display MCE) however the ONE program it does not allow this movement is MCE.  weird right?  I have to undo fullscreen, move it, then maximize again.

And of course, once maximized, i need to hit the windows key to move my mouse back away:(

Can someone point me in the right direction?  I didnt want to start a new thread...

West321:

...the taskbar right-click Move command (previous post) works but not in fullscreen mode...

What if you right-click the taskbar, select restore, then select move?  I know it's another step, but maybe it would work?

Sorry my app didn't work right for you, maybe someday I'll setup my MCE w/dual monitors and try again...

Ok Carl, I made a few changes to it, give it another try - it will still probably flash a lot (probably changing resolutions/refresh rates a few times when you do this) - but it might work for full screen now.  Then again it might not work at all - like I said I don't have dual monitors on my MC, so hard to test... I'm kinda guessing here .

Give it a shot (original link was updated), but here it is again:

http://ryansfindings.com/gimme_my_mc.exe

*Edit* this app is now obsolete, please refere to: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/240939.aspx

Thanks again Ryan.  This app, like the earlier try, works nicely when MC is in a window on the projector with the added feature that it opens fulscreen on the other monitor.  However, it does not take control if MC is fullscreen on the projector to begin with.  I read in another thread somewhere that when in fullscreen, MC uses ActiveX and maybe thats what causes this behavior.

Sounds like Hubie's got the same problems... when in fullscreen, and after clicking the start button, nothing in the taskbar works (i.e. move, restore) on MC.

My root problem is, of course, that I'm trying to use this system as a tv AND a computer.  If I remembered to restore every time I turn off the projector I could avoid ths problem, but there is no restore key on the remote, so I would have to train myself and my wife to go to the computer keyboard and restore and move MC every time  before turning off the projector (tv), just in case we want to watch on the monitor next time we turn it on.  Then, of course, the extra step of going to the computer keyboard every time I turn the projector on.  Microsoft has got computers down pretty well and they're making a good start on a Media Center, but they haven't got them completely merged yet.

Thanks agin Ryan, Good luck Hubie, I feel your pain.

Carl

 

Ok, if you aren't sick of trying stuff yet, here's a new one...

Again, I don't have a multi-monitor setup on any of my Vista computers, so I can't really test it.  This one might do it... let me explain what it does:

1. Make sure Media Center is running.
2. Maximize Media Center
3. Send "Alt+Enter" (this should restore Media Center from full screen)
4. Move Media Center window to mouse location
5. Maximize Media Center

One thing with it is you might need to put the mouse on the left side of the monitor you want Media Center to open on (just put it all the way to the left to test).

Let the screen flashing begin :

*Edit* this app is obsolete, check here for replacement: http://thegreenbutton.com/forums/thread/240939.aspx

Hi, I've written a little app to make MC full screen on a second monitor and not keep control of the mouse so you can keep working on your main screen without all the flashing and pressing of keys. You can download a copy from http://www.mods.com.au/test/TheMaxifier_b6.zip

It hasn't a lot of testing on systems other than mine and a couple of others as yet: if you try it out and it works for you please let me know. And if it doesn't work too of course :)

Gary

 

pointless23:

Hi, I've written a little app to make MC full screen on a second monitor and not keep control of the mouse so you can keep working on your main screen without all the flashing and pressing of keys. You can download a copy from http://www.mods.com.au/test/TheMaxifier_b6.zip

It hasn't a lot of testing on systems other than mine and a couple of others as yet: if you try it out and it works for you please let me know. And if it doesn't work too of course :)

Gary

 

that sounds awesome!!! that will help the WAF for sure if it works! i'll test this out tonite

ok, so i tested it, and it does work fine for me. i won't be using it, however, since my main problem is that my gf wants to use the remote while i'm at my desk, and there's just no way to avoid that since the remote just uses standard up/down commands.

but nonetheless, great app. Wasn't a big fan of installing C++ (or whatever installed before), but it's ok. keep up the great work.

I've looked at enabling the remote when MC isn't active, (well those that don't already work) by intercepting the remote presses and forwarding them to MC, but the problem is that some buttons, like the OK button, look to the system as normal keyboard presses and I haven't found any way of telling the diffrence. So if you are working on something and some else pushes the OK button, it will have the same effect as you pressing the Enter key. Not very good while you are trying to type something. If I can find a way of determing whether the remote or the keyboard was pressed I'll implement enabling the remote, because I'd really like to use it that too.

Gary