# DIRECTV2PC support two digital monitors



## davel (May 1, 2007)

When will DIRECTV2PC support two digital monitors? Until I got my two new monitors, I was running one from DVI and one from VGA DIRECTV2PC worked fine.

Fast forward to the current technology set of having two digital monitors and not wanting to use the blurry VGA connection. Now I get the "graphics card does not support capture protection for protected content" when I have both monitors active (one on DVI and the other HDMI).

If I have one monitor active it works fine, and I suspect that if I use digital + VGA it will also work fine.

Don't tell me to hook up a VGA and digital connection, that is just dumb and not taking advantage of the added clarity of digital.

I have updated to the latest drivers of the NVidia 8400gs and have Windows 7.

Has anyone got DIRECTV2PC to work with two digital monitors on the same card?


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## carl6 (Nov 16, 2005)

I've got 3 monitors. One digital, two analog. DirecTV2PC will work fine on either the digital or one of the analog monitors. But if I try and drag it over to the other analog monitor, it locks up completely and I have to use task manager to kill it.

I know that doesn't help you, but it is another piece of information regarding how DirecTV2PC works in a multiple monitor environment.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

I want DIRECTV2PC to work in a two monitor all digital environment. I know it works with DVI and VGA but that is so 2003. Directv supports 3D tv's but does not support dual digital monitors?


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

davel said:


> I want DIRECTV2PC to work in a two monitor all digital environment.


Then both monitors must be HDCP compliant.


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## megachirops (Feb 4, 2008)

Yep, as long as you have 2 HDCP compliant monitors you should be fine. I've got a 2 monitor setup with both connected via DVI and can play DirectTV2PC on either monitor with no issues. There's a brief pause in the playback if I drag the window from one monitor to the other, and that's it.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059

I have two of them and they look like they are HDCP compliant, what next?


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## grog (Jul 3, 2007)

Dragging DirecTV2PC between my two monitors does pause but works perfectly after move.

I posted my setup here.

Monitor: Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW 24" LCD (Shared via KVM) 
Monitor: Philips 47" 1080p LCD Monitor 47pfl7422d/37 ( via HDMI )
Video: ASUS EAH4850 TOP/HTDI/512M PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready 
Sound: Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro Sound Card

I just did a quick test to set the default audio device to HDMI and then back the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro. In both cases the videos streamed fine using the DirecTV2PC application. I dragged the DirecTV2PC application to the 47" LCD and back to my 24" DELL... No issues! I am running extended desktop with the 24" DELL @ 1920x1200 and the 42" LCD @ 1920x1080 ([email protected])

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2614118#post2614118



carl6 said:


> I've got 3 monitors. One digital, two analog. DirecTV2PC will work fine on either the digital or one of the analog monitors. But if I try and drag it over to the other analog monitor, it locks up completely and I have to use task manager to kill it.
> 
> I know that doesn't help you, but it is another piece of information regarding how DirecTV2PC works in a multiple monitor environment.


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## terryfoster (Nov 15, 2006)

davel said:


> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236059
> 
> I have two of them and they look like they are HDCP compliant, what next?


How about your video card(s) HDCP compliance?

Also, isn't there a program that can review your hardware configuration for issues like the lack of HDCP compliance?


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

Yep, the card is also.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814500161


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## Getteau (Dec 20, 2007)

Try changing your default monitor. On my PC at the house, my DVI monitor is the primary and the VGA is the secondary. If I try to launch DTVPC, I get the copy protection error. However, if I change the VGA monitor to the default monitor and launch it, it works fine.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

Getteau said:


> Try changing your default monitor. On my PC at the house, my DVI monitor is the primary and the VGA is the secondary. If I try to launch DTVPC, I get the copy protection error. However, if I change the VGA monitor to the default monitor and launch it, it works fine.


Sigh, in my OP I said that it works fine with a VGA and DVI. I want to remain all digital with DVI and HDMI outs.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

davel said:


> Sigh, in my OP I said that it works fine with a VGA and DVI.* I want to remain all digital with DVI and HDMI outs.*


"I think" you need to have the HDMI as your primary and the DVI secondary. You should be able to start the app on the primary and drag it to your secondary.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

veryoldschool said:


> "I think" you need to have the HDMI as your primary and the DVI secondary. You should be able to start the app on the primary and drag it to your secondary.


Thanks, I'll try it when I get home.


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## mrfatboy (Jan 21, 2007)

I have the two monitor setup and it works fine. The one problem I do have is regarding the mixing the Direct2pc sound with the sound from apps such as Skype, Teamspeak and Google Voice. It seems when Direct2pc is running it totally locks down all the other sounds channels.

Does that happen to anybody else? I am just thinking it might have something to do with the HDCP.

It would be nice to be watching TV on Direct2pc and be able to answer your Voip phone & etc.


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## mrfatboy (Jan 21, 2007)

mrfatboy said:


> I have the two monitor setup and it works fine. The one problem I do have is regarding the mixing the Direct2pc sound with the sound from apps such as Skype, Teamspeak and Google Voice. It seems when Direct2pc is running it totally locks down all the other sounds channels.
> 
> Does that happen to anybody else? I am just thinking it might have something to do with the HDCP.
> 
> It would be nice to be watching TV on Direct2pc and be able to answer your Voip phone & etc.


Well scratch everything I just said  It turns out Teamspeak is and was the problem. If you start up Direct2pc after TS is running it screws up. If you restart TS after Direct2pc everthing is fine. Skype, Google Voice, etc work fine as far as I can tell now.


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## Getteau (Dec 20, 2007)

davel said:


> Sigh, in my OP I said that it works fine with a VGA and DVI. I want to remain all digital with DVI and HDMI outs.


Sigh, I was just giving you an example for what I was talking about. I didn't suggest that you run on the VGA. Like I and VOS said, try switching the monitor so your HDMI is the default and then run the app. The way you are currently setup, it most likely doesn't like your DVI output and is failing on that one. Hopefully it's not a monitor issue. If you make the HDMI the primary monitor and then launch the app on that monitor, it should work as long as your HDMI output and monitor support the copy protection algorithms. It probably worked for you in the past with the VGA/DVI combo because your VGA was the primary monitor.

Since one of your outputs isn't supported, I don't think you'll be able to drag the app from one to the other. When I do that with MY DVI/VGA combo, the app stops dead in its tracks when it hits the DVI monitor. But who knows, maybe it will work on your DVI/HDMI combo.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

Tried HDMI single monitor - works
Tried DVI single monitor - works
Tried HDMI primary monitor - no love
Tried DVI primary monitor - no love

Obviously it is not the implementation or the monitors (both the same) or the jacks, it is a combo of the two


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

I guess the next question might be what version do you have?
Mine is ver. 2.0.5717


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

veryoldschool said:


> I guess the next question might be what version do you have?
> Mine is ver. 2.0.5717


Version of what? The video driver? 8.17.12.6089 just downloaded last night.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

davel said:


> Version of what? The video driver? 8.17.12.6089 just downloaded last night.


DirecTV2PC


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

veryoldschool said:


> DirecTV2PC


Under version.txt it says 1.0.00.0702050. Do I need another version? What is the point of "Checking for updates" everytime it boots up?


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Go to menu, system setup and then "about"


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

Yes, latest version.


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## Getteau (Dec 20, 2007)

That's the same thing my version.txt file says. Just in case they didn't update that file, what version do you get when you open the app, choose Menu --> System Setup --> About? 2.0.5717 is the latest and supports multiple monitors. I don't remember exactly which version it was, but they added multiple monitor support in one of the past couple of versions. So if you are working off an old download of the app, you may not have the version that supports dual monitors. You could also look at the properties of the directv2pc(tm).exe file and it will tell you the version on the details tab.

Edit.
looks like you guys posted at the same time I wrote this.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

:shrug:
I'm out of tricks.
I don't have two digital monitors, but know of several that do and use this.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

veryoldschool said:


> :shrug:
> I'm out of tricks.
> I don't have two digital monitors, but know of several that do and use this.


What do you use?

I use the HDMI in on both monitors and the DVI and HDMI out's on the video card, I have a DVI to HDMI convertor on the video card. Trying to discern if it is a cabling issue.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

veryoldschool said:


> :shrug:
> I'm out of tricks.
> I don't have two digital monitors, but know of several that do and use this.


I just tried a dvi cable on one and the other HDMI, still no love with both monitors, each works fine on its own without the other active.

CAN SOMEONE WITH TWO DIGITAL MONITORS AND DIRECTV2PC WORKING PLEASE POST.


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## DogLover (Mar 19, 2007)

davel said:


> I just tried a dvi cable on one and the other HDMI, still no love with both monitors, each works fine on its own without the other active.
> 
> CAN SOMEONE WITH TWO DIGITAL MONITORS AND DIRECTV2PC WORKING PLEASE POST.


I don't have both of these, but had a thought. Is it possible that your video card/driver supports HDCP, but only on 1 monitor at a time? That would explain it working with 1 digitially connected monitor separately, or 1 digitial and analog, but not 2 digital.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

davel said:


> What do you use?
> 
> I use the HDMI in on both monitors and the DVI and HDMI out's on the video card, I have a DVI to HDMI convertor on the video card. Trying to discern if it is a cabling issue.


What is your exact video card [who made it]?
I use the 8800GT, which has 2 DVI outputs.
To check this one out with dual digital monitors, I'd need to move my desktop over to my Sony TV, which would become a PITA.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

Video Card:
ZOTAC ZT-84MEG5M-HSL GeForce 8400 GS 256MB 64-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card

Monitors:
ASUS VH236H Black 23" 2ms(GTG) HDMI Widescreen Full HD 1080P LCD Monitor 300 cd/m2 20000 :1 (ASCR) Built-in Speakers

As stated and linked earlier, both are HDCP capable/complient.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

This is a complete long shot, but could this be due to having only 256 megs of memory?


> *Graphic Card Memory:*
> We recommend having at least 256 MB of video memory to ensure the smooth playback of DTCP-IP content.


When using dual digital monitors, might this require more than 256?

I'm hoping a friend will soon post as to what he's using, so I don't have to move my desktop to my TV to try dual digital with my 8800GT w/ 512 megs.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

veryoldschool said:


> This is a complete long shot, but could this be due to having only 256 megs of memory?
> 
> When using dual digital monitors, might this require more than 256?
> 
> I'm hoping a friend will soon post as to what he's using, so I don't have to move my desktop to my TV to try dual digital with my 8800GT w/ 512 megs.


It's not that I am getting choppy video, it's that it won't play.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

davel said:


> It's not that I am getting choppy video, it's that it won't play.


Yes, I'm reading your posts, but at this point am grasping at anything to try to make some sense.
It's been a long time, but I think I've had my Dell monitor & my Sony HD TV both connected and been able to use DirecTV2PC.
If it were "easy" I'd set this up again just to prove/check this, but it isn't "easy", so I'm hoping a PM I sent will get a post here saying what they have and how this works.


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## argonaut (Dec 16, 2006)

I checked your video card and monitors for any known HDCP issues and found nothing, at least in their forums and KBs.

I've only got two thing I can think might be relevant. If the software was installed prior to making the changes perhaps a software uninstall, registry check, and a reinstall is warranted. Perhaps the software could not handle the configuration change properly.

The only other idea I had was that the video card may not support simultaneous HDCP output on the DVI and HDMI. I sent Zotac an email for you asking if this is possible. I'll let you know what I hear back.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

argonaut said:


> I checked your video card and monitors for any known HDCP issues and found nothing, at least in their forums and KBs.
> 
> I've only got two thing I can think might be relevant. If the software was installed prior to making the changes perhaps a software uninstall, registry check, and a reinstall is warranted. Perhaps the software could not handle the configuration change properly.
> 
> The only other idea I had was that the video card may not support simultaneous HDCP output on the DVI and HDMI. I sent Zotac an email for you asking if this is possible. I'll let you know what I hear back.


The software was installed prior to the change, I'll try a reinstall


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## mrfatboy (Jan 21, 2007)

I have a Nvidia gtx260 (896MB) with to LG Flatron W2452t monitors. Both monitors are connected via DVI. Moving direct2pc from one monitor to another works pefectly.

I'm leaning toward the idea of your video card does not have enough memory. I'm not sure it will work but have you tried turning down the resolution (via your desktop) to see if that work work? If it does then we know it's a memory problem.


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## grog (Jul 3, 2007)

I on the other hand do have the setup in question.

The DirecTv2PC version 2.0.0.5717 dated 9/17/2009 is working 100% in pure perfection on my system!



Type|Model|Connection|Resolution|HDCP Support|Works with DirecTV2PC *1
Monitor|Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW 24" LCD|DVI|[email protected](1080P)|NO|YES
Monitor|Philips 47" 1080p LCD HDTV 47pfl7422d/37|HDMI|[email protected]|YES|YES
Graphics|ASUS EAH4850 512M|DVI/HDMI|N/A|YES|YES
Sound #1|X-Fi Elite Pro|5.1 Analog|N/A|YES|YES
Sound #2|HDMI Audio|5.1 Digital|N/A|YES|YES
Speakers|Klipsch ProMedia Ultra 5.1|Analog|N/A|N/A|YES 
OS|Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate SP2 64-bit||||

*1 = After using this setup for a while now I have seen the protection message on startup but hitting play again always works.

See: http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2614122#post2614122

Oh; I ran the DirecTV2PC Playback Advisor and the CyberLink Blu-ray Disc and 3D Advisor. In all cases the dialog was moved to the screen under test and then I ran the program. So for the Philips 47" with HDMI you will see it passes the HDCP tests while the DELL monitor with DVI does not.

Note: Both the Dell and Philips monitors are connected during these tests.
Also the Philips is the secondary monitor in extended desktop mode.

*DVI Playback Advisor Data* 


*HDMI Playback Advisor Data* 


*DirecTV2PC Playback on DVI without HDCP - Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW 24" LCD*


*DirecTV2PC Playback on HDMI with HDCP - Philips 47" 1080p LCD HDTV 47pfl7422d/37*



Please pardon the quality of the camera. I think the point is made however. DVI without HDCP and HDMI with HDCP can work.

*CyberLink BD & 3D Advisor*
http://www.cyberlink.com/stat/bd-support/enu/index.jsp



veryoldschool said:


> Yes, I'm reading your posts, but at this point am grasping at anything to try to make some sense.
> It's been a long time, but I think I've had my Dell monitor & my Sony HD TV both connected and been able to use DirecTV2PC.
> If it were "easy" I'd set this up again just to prove/check this, but it isn't "easy", so I'm hoping a PM I sent will get a post here saying what they have and how this works.


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

Two monitors hooked up digitally, no go.

With one via VGA two will work. When I swipe across both monitors there is a brief pause, but then the program continues just fine.


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## samrs (May 30, 2004)

I have dual monitors one DVI/HDMI the other straight DVI.

It dosent matter which is primary, D2PC starts on either and can be dragged around like a rag doll.

I use a 260 GTX. Prior to that a 8800 series which, if I recall correctly, worked the same.

Back in the sixties the government gave up on drivers and American Automobile manufacturers have been upgrading hardware ever since.

You might take a look at what Wikipedia has to say about the Geoforce 8 Series instead of accepting the sellers comments.


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## barryb (Aug 27, 2007)

samrs said:


> I have dual monitors one DVI/HDMI the other straight DVI.
> 
> It dosent matter which is primary, D2PC starts on either and can be dragged around like a rag doll.
> 
> I use a 260 GTX. Prior to that a 8800 series which, if I recall correctly, worked the same.


I am getting the exact same results with ATI [Radeon], but only with DVI/VGA


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

Hmm, just ran the advisor and got the following. 

The BS is that the driver is way above the help/upgrade


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

davel said:


> Hmm, just ran the advisor and got the following.
> 
> The BS is that the driver is way above the help/upgrade


The advisor database hasn't been updated in a long time, so it's not the driver, but the screen capture failure more than likely is causing this.
The nVidia 8400/8600 were right on the boarder line as I recall from reading posts. I'm not sure which did and didn't work but I seem to remember it came down to the "abc" after the 8x00 as to which did and didn't.


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## argonaut (Dec 16, 2006)

I doubt it is the driver version as well. I heard back from Zotac about your card. Here is what they said.



> Dear Sir,
> 
> Both of the DVI and HDMI ports supported HDCP. By the way, the HDCP will be functional only at single display monitor. For the protected movie, you only can play on DVI or HDMI outputs, but not both.
> 
> ...


I don't know if this helps us much. He is just saying that you can't send HDCP content over both interfaces at the same time, which you wouldn't do with DirecTV2PC anyway.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

argonaut said:


> I doubt it is the driver version as well. I heard back from Zotac about your card. Here is what they said.
> 
> I don't know if this helps us much. He is just saying that you can't send HDCP content over both interfaces at the same time, which you wouldn't do with DirecTV2PC anyway.


This may be due to the chip. Most of the 8400GS cards I looked up were DVI & VGA, without HDMI.


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

I think I am just going to buy a new card. This one was only $10 after rebate.

Thanks for all your help


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## davel (May 1, 2007)

So I realized that I had an ATI Radon HD 4300/4500 card in my media server downstairs with an HDMI and DVI, so I switched them.

After debugging the default picture frame and blurry 1920X1080 (an extra inch of black around both monitors) and figuring out that ATI defaults to a 15% underscan/compression, my Directv2PC now works fine on both monitors. 

Stupid Nvidia 8400gs and their claims.

Thanks to everyone that helped!


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