Screen saver for primary screen while media centre on secondary screen. How?

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AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#87051 18-Jul-2011 18:00

Hi.

I am running a BenQ monitor as primary screen and Sony TV as secondary display. Desktop is extended over both and media centre is running on secondary display.

While medias centre is full screen, the primary monitor won't go into screen saver or sleep.

Anyone have an elegant way of having screensaver/power saving on one monitor while media centre runs on the other?
I know I can hit the power button but it would be nicer to do it in software. I sporadically use the PC for normal PC stuff while TV is on.

I have googled but not found anything.

Win7 Pro 64 bit, ATI HD 5770.

Regards Allen.

Regs

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Snowflake

#494937 18-Jul-2011 18:53

hot-key in graphics driver to switch to single screen output only? like a laptop that switches between onboard, dual and external?

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AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#494961 18-Jul-2011 19:32

Regs: hot-key in graphics driver to switch to single screen output only? like a laptop that switches between onboard, dual and external?

Catalyst tool in system tray has option to disable monitor, but this is only available for the secondary display. Greyed out for primary display.

Would really like the screensaver & powersaving on primary monitor to continue to operate on system timeouts when media centre is full screen on secondary display.

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#495098 19-Jul-2011 07:52

Turn it off when not in use?

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#495386 19-Jul-2011 18:42

illicit: Turn it off when not in use?

Someone had to say it

Power button on the BenQ is a bit fragile. Would prefer the normal screensaver/sleep function.

Regs

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Snowflake

#495467 19-Jul-2011 21:58

no-one should have suggested the power key... as you mentioned that in your original post!

have you tried the "windows key + P" to access the presentation mode? its much like the Fn+F5 in a laptop. It works on my media PC. can choose computer, clone, projector only etc. i dont have a secondary monitor, but i was able to switch to projector only and lose my main screen (i memorised the key presses to get back to PC only and was able to get display back OK :)

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Regs

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Snowflake

#495468 19-Jul-2011 22:00

and you can create shortcuts to perform the display switch as outlined here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/37625-display-switch-shortcut-create.html

downside - all your windows are moved to the active monitor, so its not a true 'sleep'

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Snowflake
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AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#495476 19-Jul-2011 22:09

Regs:
downside - all your windows are moved to the active monitor, so its not a true 'sleep'

.

Tried it. not really what I am after,

I want to leave the desktop on primary monitor, Media Centre fullscreen on secondary display, work on desktop when I want, and have the desktop screensave and powersave when i'm not actively using it on the primary monitor only.

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Regs

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Snowflake

#495478 19-Jul-2011 22:10

do you actually want to powersave on the primary monitor, or just blank it out? maybe there is an app you can run (or build) that will go fullscreen and just make the primary all black?

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Snowflake
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AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#495483 19-Jul-2011 22:21

Powersave would be best.

Nety

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#495538 20-Jul-2011 06:25

Can Powerstrip or similar help you?

http://entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

AllenG

441 posts

Ultimate Geek

#495544 20-Jul-2011 07:37

Nety: Can Powerstrip or similar help you?

http://entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm

Possibly. I've just had a quick look. Will have a better look tonight. Thanks. I don't need access to over 500 controls, just the one. I imagine powerstrip would bury it's self pretty deeply imto your system. I'd prefer a free solution.

Thanks for this info.