I have set up dual monitors - 23" touch screen (primary desktop) and TV with MCE. Both screens work perfectly Except when I open Windows 7 Media Center, and it automatically (as I set it to do so) to the TV (aka second monitor). MCE will not allow the cursor to move back to the primary screen. So, when running media center on the secondary monitor, I am restricted to that TV/monitor. This is a problem as that PC is used for other tasks

As a reference... XBMC, Media Portal, J River Media Center all work perfectly in this case, no issues.

Any ideas on how to fix?

 

Thanks

Hit alt-enter to take MCE out of full screen mode, and it will let you move the mouse wherever. Unfortunately, it doesn't always let you have the right aspect ratio when not in full screen mode, I would be interested in hearing the solution to that one..

Stopping usage of 7MC is not a solution. This is for home theater use - there is no keyboard anyway.

 ... Kinda like a car manufacture saying if you want to drive the car you cannot listen to the radio at the same time, you must stop the car first. 

See http://mikinho.com/wmc/control-panel/.

Livin

Stopping usage of 7MC is not a solution. This is for home theater use - there is no keyboard anyway.

 ... Kinda like a car manufacture saying if you want to drive the car you cannot listen to the radio at the same time, you must stop the car first. 

You have mouse movement apparently...

Clicking the maximize/restore box in the upper right corner of the window has the same effect as alt-enter.

I use the Maxifier. It works pretty well.

Requiring to stop MCE from running full screen is not an option. This just points out that the people who wrote MCE don't run multi-screen (projector + monitor, etc) and don't look at usage models when designing.

 

mikinho

See http://mikinho.com/wmc/control-panel

... thank you. Looks like the Maxifier might be what I need... http://www.mods.com.au/Maxifier/

I'll try this and report back

Livin

Stopping usage of 7MC is not a solution. This is for home theater use - there is no keyboard anyway.

 ... Kinda like a car manufacture saying if you want to drive the car you cannot listen to the radio at the same time, you must stop the car first. 

 

Wrong analogy.  It's kinda like the car company saying you shouldn't be driving and watching the DVD player at the same time, which of course you shouldn't be doing.  An HTPC is an HTPC, using a second monitor means that you no longer have an HTPC.  If you want to surf while watching TV get an iPad or a netbook.  

HTPCwatcher

Livin

Stopping usage of 7MC is not a solution. This is for home theater use - there is no keyboard anyway.

 ... Kinda like a car manufacture saying if you want to drive the car you cannot listen to the radio at the same time, you must stop the car first. 

 

Wrong analogy.  It's kinda like the car company saying you shouldn't be driving and watching the DVD player at the same time, which of course you shouldn't be doing.  An HTPC is an HTPC, using a second monitor means that you no longer have an HTPC.  If you want to surf while watching TV get an iPad or a netbook.  

 

 

My usage is for both HTPC and home automation - not web surfing. Sometimes I need to do maintenance/changes/etc to EventGhost or Homeseer or other apps and I don't want to disturb MCE if it is in use. This will be 100x more important once MCE becomes the only PVR/MC.

I don't ask for things that are crazy or impossible... once again I found an issue which 7MC is the ONLY app that has the problem. XBMC, JRMC, MePo and others don't capture the mouse/cursor.

 

Pressing the windows key will allow you to move the mouse back on the first monitor while keeping MC working full screen on the TV.

You can use MC media controls from the remote while using the mouse on the primary monitor, but if you use the navigation, numbers or OK key on MC, MC will grab the mouse control back.

Also if you close all windows on the primary monitor, the only active window will be MC on the TV and it will grab the mouse control back. You will need to press the windows key again to bring the mouse back to the primary monitor.

Livin

My usage is for both HTPC and home automation - not web surfing. Sometimes I need to do maintenance/changes/etc to EventGhost or Homeseer or other apps and I don't want to disturb MCE if it is in use. This will be 100x more important once MCE becomes the only PVR/MC.

What works well int his circumstance is to use the RDP concurrent sessions hack so you can leave the media center console session and remote into a concurrent sessions to do maitanence and other software.

Livin

I don't ask for things that are crazy or impossible... once again I found an issue which 7MC is the ONLY app that has the problem. XBMC, JRMC, MePo and others don't capture the mouse/cursor.

It isn't an issue with just Media Center, any DirectX exclusive full screen application will lock focus. Other HTPC either does not run in DirectX exclusive mode (a performance hit) or allows you to disable it (XBMC\SageTV). I do agree that it would be nice to see non-exclusive mode offered but the product was designed as OEM HTPC solution for use with dedicated HTPCs

Livin

HTPCwatcher

Livin

Stopping usage of 7MC is not a solution. This is for home theater use - there is no keyboard anyway.

 ... Kinda like a car manufacture saying if you want to drive the car you cannot listen to the radio at the same time, you must stop the car first. 

 

Wrong analogy.  It's kinda like the car company saying you shouldn't be driving and watching the DVD player at the same time, which of course you shouldn't be doing.  An HTPC is an HTPC, using a second monitor means that you no longer have an HTPC.  If you want to surf while watching TV get an iPad or a netbook.  

 

 

My usage is for both HTPC and home automation - not web surfing. Sometimes I need to do maintenance/changes/etc to EventGhost or Homeseer or other apps and I don't want to disturb MCE if it is in use. This will be 100x more important once MCE becomes the only PVR/MC.

I don't ask for things that are crazy or impossible... once again I found an issue which 7MC is the ONLY app that has the problem. XBMC, JRMC, MePo and others don't capture the mouse/cursor.

 

 

I see.  It's not recommended that an HTPC be used for anything than an HTPC.  However what you want to do is certainly possible using Remote Desktop.  (Assuming your HTPC is at Win 7 Pro or higher.)  You'll need to apply the hack that lets you sign on multiple times concurrently to the HTPC computer.  That's what I do and it works like a charm.  I can log into my HTPC using my netbook via remote desktop while not disturbing the playing of a show.  In effect, my netbook is my second monitor. 

As a side benefit of using this method I think you'll find this to be a more acceptable solution as the second logon can then start it's own copy of Media Center and then you can setup additional recordings either using the guide or via the Recorded TV option.  Very handy.

For those that continue to recommend keyboard strokes... there is NO keyboard. I have a 23" touch screen, all controls are touch (e.g. mouse/cursor) which are locked out. 

I do the concurrent loging solution for my main office server so I do know how.

Concurrent will not work on this solution, 2 reasons...

1) I have a 23" touch screen that I run J River Media Center on for my whole house (multi room) audio... this uses the 23" touch screen. When 7MC locks out the cursor/mouse it also lockes out the screens touch controls.

2) EventGhost runs in the log-in that 7MC runs under, since it controls 7MC so that does not solve the problem. If I need to mess with EG I need to run inside the same desktop.
-- for this, do you guys know if VNC will work?

 

thx

VNC won't work, well it will but then you break HDCP so not a very good solution. Did you try The Maxifier yet?

Is the resolution the same on both displays?

If so, run in "clone mode".

I have 2 TVs hooked to my PC. They are both 1080P displays. Mouse works on both...