Matrox PowerDesk-HF

Matrox Parhelia | Millennium P750 -- More information

Which monitor is used for the feature display?

The monitor that the Matrox display driver uses for your feature display depends on your connection setup. The feature display is the one where a full-screen PowerDesk-HF feature (namely, Multi-Display Zoom or PureVideo/DVDMax) appears.

TV -- If a TV (or video recorder) is connected to your Matrox graphics hardware, the display driver always uses your TV for your feature display.
2 displays -- While PowerDesk-HF is configured to use 2 displays at a time, your feature display is on the monitor connected directly to connector B or to connector 1 on your dual-monitor cable.
3 displays -- While PowerDesk-HF is configured to use 3 displays at a time (and a TV or video recorder isn't connected), your feature display is on the monitor connected to connector 2 on your dual-monitor cable.

Which monitors get used first?

1 display -- If PowerDesk-HF is configured to use only 1 display at a time, the display driver uses the monitor connected to connector A on your Matrox graphics hardware.
2 displays -- If Matrox PowerDesk-HF is configured to use only 2 displays at a time but 3 monitors at a time are connected to your Matrox graphics hardware, the display driver uses the monitor connected to connector A on your Matrox graphics hardware and the monitor connected to connector 1 on your dual-monitor cable.

For which displays is video overlay available?

Hardware-based video overlay is required for certain types of video playback. (For example, hardware overlay is required for the PureVideo/DVDMax feature.) If video overlay isn't available, a video may appear black in the video window (but that video may appear properly on another display with the PureVideo/DVDMax feature).

2 displays -- While PowerDesk-HF is configured to use 2 displays at a time, video overlay is available for a video played on each display.
3 displays -- While PowerDesk-HF is configured to use 3 displays at a time, video overlay is only available for a video played on the monitor connected to connector A on your Matrox graphics hardware.

Are all multi-display setups available with a digital monitor?

Matrox Parhelia -- If a digital monitor (typically a flat panel monitor) is connected to your Matrox graphics hardware, 2 displays, Independent mode + 1 feature display is unavailable in PowerDesk-HF.

How are monitor settings (refresh rates) determined for 3 computer monitors at a time?

While PowerDesk-HF is configured to use 3 displays at a time, the display driver generally uses the same monitor settings (specifically, refresh rates) for 3 computer monitors.

One case where separate monitor settings are available for a monitor is while PowerDesk-HF is configured to use the 2 displays, Independent mode + 1 feature display setup. In this case, the monitor connected to connector A on your Matrox graphics hardware can use monitor settings separate from the other 2 computer monitors. The other 2 computer monitors must still use the same monitor settings.

If 2 or 3 monitors must use the same monitor settings, the highest refresh rate available depends on the monitor that has the lowest maximum among your 3 monitors. In PowerDesk-HF, you can adjust this shared refresh rate while using the 3 displays, Stretched mode setup.