UPDATE! 06.06.13 - Using the 320.18 drivers with my new GTX 780, the following has changed in Surround Mode (I never use Extended Desktop Mode):
1) Windows Taskbar on center monitor only (new default): This is implemented poorly (and feels like a hack), as the left and right monitors have no task bar at all. I have disabled this so that the taskbar stretches across all three monitors, so I use the task bar the same as before.
2) Start Menu - I am used to the Start Menu being on the far left now, so I just use that, I no longer use Vista Start Menu as it takes too long to run first use. I do still use "Classic Shell" which replaces the Win7 Start Menu with a Classic Start Menu (like XP). I do still have the row of Quick Launch icons on the left side for all my games, works well, and allow open applications to be on the center task bar.
3) Maximize to current monitor only. This finally works well, and I no longer use Matrox PowerDesk or SplitView (the new Nvidia nvsmartmaxapp.exe processes actually conflict with SplitView and had to stop using it).
4) My favorite media player, Zoom Player, finally works with the Nvidia maximize to current windows process (nvsmartmaxapp.exe).
6) As a replacement for "Autosizer", which does not work with 64 bit Windows, I am now using "WinSize2", and so far so good, allows me to train Windows to pop up in certain locations across my triplewide desktop. Good for those desktop shortcuts "Desktop Left" and "Desktop Right" etc.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/winsize2/Everything else below this line is out of date, but does generally show how I use surround mode 7/24.
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OLD! Added a Nvidia Control Panel Launcher bat file that re-enables "Show window contents while dragging" when the Nvidia Control Panel is closed. See the 12th post below...
WINDOWS DESKTOP (see other post down the page for the bezel correct wallpaper setup)
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1) Do not install the 258.69 drivers ahead of time, as they will not detect the Surround feature, you have to install the 258.69 drivers after installing the 2nd card (or reinstall which is what I did).
2) The GTX 470 cards can be different brands, I have a PNY and a MSI (was $299 on Amazon).
3) Your Windows 7 desktop will be one giant monitor, and when you hit maximize, it will stretch across all three screens (this is ridiculously dumb).
UPDATE! Installed the Matrox PowerDesk and it actually fixes this problem
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/suppo ... product=71 4a) Your Start Menu will be on the far left side of the left monitor, and system tray on the far right...I am not used to this after using UltraMon+SoftTH.
UPDATE! Created a QuickLaunch Toolbar that runs from the Start Menu far left to the beginning of the middle screen and put all my shortcuts to games on it, then pinned on the middle monitor a shortcut to "Vista Start Menu" and it opens up on the middle monitor (after moving it).
http://www.vistastartmenu.com/index.html 4b) UPDATE! I am trying out the freeware Classic Shell, replaces a bunch of stuff Windows 7 does wrong with what XP did right, at least imho.
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/features.html Classic Start Menu
Add "Up" arrow back to explorer (woohoo!)
Disable "breadcrumbs" (just show path instead)
Add Upper left icon and Title to explorer Windor
Replace the "Confirm File Replace" with the classic look (I had already wrote a AutoIt script for this but now don't need it)
and more!
5) John's Background Switcher (nice app for rotating triplewide wallpapers) still works great!
http://johnsadventures.com/software/backgroundswitcher/ 6) NEW! Another program I always used with 32 bit windows was AutoSizer, it allowed you to train particular explorer (or any program) windows to open at a certain location and size on your desktop. I always hated the default 800x600 random explorer window that pops up on your desktop when you follow a new shortcut.
Windows 7 dropped the option to "remember folder size and location options", and instead went with "the next explorer window will open at the same size and location as the last explorer window". I do not like this either.
So I found "ShellFolderFix" (32 and 64 bit) that allows you to save each explorer window to wherever you want, for example on my desktop I have a shortcut "Desktop Left", now it always open on the left desktop, and the same for "Desktop Middle" and "Desktop Right".
http://www.sevenforums.com/customizatio ... -size.html 7) The one and only thing Vista did right was to add the Favorites pane to the left side in Explorer, I got so used to it I added it to XP (sort of). Then Windows 7 ruined it by adding Libraries, Homegroups, My Computer, and Network. The following page shows you how to remove each one, I am now back to just Favorites (can fit more favorites without the left pane scrolling).
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-remove-comp ... tion-pane/ 8) So far programs seem to open the last place I opened them (outlook on the left, itunes on the left, firefox in the middle, word in the middle, utorrent on the right), so that is one thing I like and have not had to find a "fix" for.
GAMES
=====
Nvidia Surround vs SoftTH Early Results
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Resolution 5040x1050 unless noted otherwise
All details in game set to max unless noted otherwise
Nvidia driver set to "Let Application Decide"
Using 1 PNY and 1 MSI GTX 470
Bezel Correction working ingame unless noted otherwise
Aliens Vs Predator (finished game, my score 88/100)
==================
+ DX11 Mode, Hud Centered, Excellent Lighting and Sky Effects
+ Was not working with SoftTH
- Recommend turning off motion blur and/or ambient occlusion
Assassin's Creed II (20% complete, my score 90/100)
==============
+ Runs very smooth
Battlefield Bad Company 2 (finished game, my score 90/100)
===================
+ DX11 Mode, Gorgeous graphics, destructible environments
+ High Detail ~45 fps
+ 4X MSAA (higher and fps drop to slideshow)
Bioshock 2 (50% complete, my score 90/100)
==========
+ DX10 Mode, Runs very smooth, gorgeous graphics
+ Was not working with SoftTH
Blacksite: Area 51 (finished game, my score 80/100)
==================
+ Use GeneralAdmissions' fix to correct the FOV
Borderlands (20% complete, my score 90/100)
========
+ Highest settings enabled, runs smooth, game gets hard when you go after the Mining Key!
* Use the Config Editor
http://gbxforums.gearboxsoftware.com/sh ... hp?t=85874 * Set FOV to 145 for sprint only (else driving vehicles is messed up), see next line to "fix" sprint after using Config Editor
* Edit My DocumentsMy GamesBorderlandsWillowGameConfigWillowInput.ini sprint key to (I use NumPadNine):
Bindings=(Name="NumPadNine",Command="advancedbutton bAdvancedButtonAux6 | FOV 130 | OnRelease FOV 145",Control=False,Shift=False,Alt=False,LeftTrigger=False,RightTrigger=False,bIgnoreCtrl=False,bIgnoreShift=False,bIgnoreAlt=False)
* Note also use the sprint key to re-apply the FOV 145 at start of game and when exiting vehicles. I do not assign the FOV keys to any of the movement keys (forward, back, strafe left/right) as it messes up driving.
- Menus are partly off screen, but easy enough to figure out
Call of Duty World at War (finished game, my score 90/100)
=========================
+ Use Widescreen Fixer to correct the aspect ratio
+ No more stuttering in pre-mission videos
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
======================
- Game engine is showing it's age, Battlefield Bad Company 2 looks much better in DX10
* Use Widescreen Fixer to correct the aspect ratio
Crysis Warhead (30% complte, my score 88/100)
==============
+ DX10 Enthusiast Mode
+ 4320x900
- unplayable 5040x1050, probably needs some tweaks
Fallout 3 (finished game, my score 94/100)
=========
+ Use the forum fixes for PipBoy font etc
Farcry 2 (10% complete, my score too early to tell, but around 75/100 so far)
======
+ DX10, v1.03 has proper support for all wide/triple resolutions
+ Runs silky smooth
- Cross-hair does not appear to work
- First hour or two of the game is pretty boring stuff
F.E.A.R. 2 (50% complete, my score 90/100, starts slow, but gets much better)
==========
+ Runs smooth
Frontlines - Fuel of War (finished game, my score 80/100)
========================
+ Fixed distant textures problem (black) in SoftTH
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
=======================
- FAIL, crashes to desktop if you select Audio/Video options and after videos when starting career
* Note - does work if I disable Surround on a single monitor
GTA IV (20% complete, my score 90/100)
======
+ 4320x900
- unplayable 5040x1050, probably needs some tweaks with DX10 enabled or SLI disabled
- plays smooth with below commandline.txt
-renderquality 2 -shadowdensity 2 -texturequality 1 -viewdistance 20 -detailquality 20 -width 4464 -height 900
Just Cause 2
============
+ DX11 Mode
+ 4320x900
- can hear the GPU fans running
- may require more tweaking to get smooth frame rates
Medal of Honor Airborne (finished game, my score 88/100)
==================
+ Max detail runs great
* Follow Paddy's guide here to fix FOV, sprint, etc:
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/fo ... rne#110810 Metro 2033 (finished game, my score 80/100)
==========
+ DX11 Mode, Game runs so much better in DX9 mode, but looks much better in DX11.
+ 4320x900, high detail, vsync enabled
- game does not run smoothly with very high detail, needs more tweaking
Prototype (40% complete, my score 78/100)
=======
+ DX10 Moe, Runs smooth
- Requires hex edit hack for triplewide resolutions, or download file that will run game at your desktop resolution:
http://www.mediafire.com/?tnyytylqmn1 Red Faction Guerrilla (30% complete, my score 82/100)
===============
+ DX10 Mode
+ Was not working with SoftTH
- can hear the GPU fans running
Saboteur, The
===========
* If you have never heard of this game, look it up! It's a mix of GTA IV + Splinter Cell Double Agent + Assassin's Creed + Nazis
* Works great with Racer_S' FOV fix, I use a value of 840:
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/fo ... e+Saboteur * Do not patch to 1.03, Do not install EA Game Updater
- Some minor texture corruptions can pop-up here and there, on screen "Time to Beat" stays on the right screen all the time (but you soon ignore it)
- Problems have been reported with ATI cards and some Quadcores, runs great for me so far
Singularity (60% complete, my score 85/100)
========
* Edit registry key for triplewide: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareActivisionSingularity ResX, ResY
* Patch to v1.1 else use the Texture Patch, Note: If you installed the texture patch, you need to undo it before patching to v1.1 else you get a runtime error.
* Texture Patch
http://www.playwrite-blog.net/tools-and ... ure-patch/ - FOV is not bad, but could be pulled back a bit
Splinter Cell Double Agent (75% complete, my score 90/100)
===================
* Edit ini files
*
http://www.widescreengamingforum.com/fo ... =56&t=8867 - Sniper Zoom does not work, but you hardly ever need the sniper so I switch to single screen when needed
- Game crashes to desktop with C++ runtime errors way too often (not related to triplewide)
Wings of Prey
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+ DX10 Mode
+ Dusted off the Wingman 3D Force joystick, looks amazing
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