Frequently Questions and Answers

Questions about ordering MaxiVista

Please visit the Shopping FAQ

Technical support questions and solutions

 

Answers

Can I use MaxiVista to extend my desktop to a monitor connected to my laptop?

MaxiVista is a must if you have two or more computers sitting on your desktop but it does not help if you have only one single computer. The main benefit of MaxiVista is that it allows you to use a computer as a monitor. Learn more here about how MaxiVista works.

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How does MaxiVista compare to a 2nd hardware monitor?

The following comparison is shows you the benefits of MaxiVista versus a hardware monitor:

  MaxiVista Hardware solution
Setup Quick software installation only. Requires Hardware installation, opening of the PC case and installing a multi-output video card.
Flexibility The laptop can be put away if you do not need the additional screen. A Dual Monitor will be most likely used in a fixed setup.
Maximum resolution Up to 7,680x1,600 pixel when using four PCs with dual monitors. Depends on the video card.
Graphics card acceleration Hardware acceleration is not supported by MaxiVista. Eventually, if the graphics card does support it for the secondary VGA output.
Display quality Optimal, because the video signal is transported digitally through the network. Comparable to MaxiVista only when using a dual DVI video card plus digital TFT with DVI input.
Cost Starting from $39.95 A TFT with DVI input at $200+ plus a multi DVI video card at $40+.

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Can I use MaxiVista on existing Dual Monitor systems?

Yes, both, the Primary and Secondary PC may have multiple displays installed. Learn more...

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Which network type is required?

You can use any network connection between the PCs which support the TCP/IP protocol, e.g. Ethernet, Wireless LAN, Firewire or special USB-to-USB cables. Learn more...

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Can I use more than two PCs with MaxiVista?

Yes, the MaxiVista Pro Edition allows the use of up to three extra PCs as additional monitors for your primary PC. Learn more...

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Can MaxiVista clone my Desktop to another PC?

Yes, the MaxiVista Mirror Pro Edition includes this feature:

MaxiVista Mirror

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Can I clone the monitor content to multiple viewers?

At this time, monitoring cloning to multiple viewer computers is not possible. We will be releasing a new software soon, which includes broadcasting the monitor content of a PC via a network connection to multiple viewer PCs. Please sign the spam-free newsletter to stay tuned for news about product releases.

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Which screen resolutions are supported?

  • Following screen resolutions are supported: 320x240, 384x512, 400x300, 480x360, 480x1024, 512x384, 600x960, 640x400, 640x480, 720x480, 720x576, 720x900, 768x1366, 800x600, 848x480, 854x1280, 1024x600, 1024x768, 1088x612, 1152x864, 1280x480, 1280x600, 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1280x854, 1360x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1536x2048, 1600x600, 1600x900, 1600x1024, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1824x768, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2048x768, 2560x1600
  • Most of the above screen resolutions can also be used in portrait mode (e.g. 768x1024) and switch to different color depths (16, 24 and 32 Bit).
  • Each display screen resolution in the system can be individually configured.
  • If do you not see the screen resolution for your device above, please let us know and we will gladly add it within a future update.

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Is MaxiVista secure? Can I run multiple copies in the same network?

  • Yes, the Server and Viewer program of the full version (not the trial version) identify themselves via a unique ID which is based on the unique license key. Only viewers generated from the original server can connect to the dedicated server program. Multiple licenses can be used simultaneously in the same network group. Learn more...
  • MaxiVista is controlled via the server program task tray icon. So, if the extended screen is disabled, nobody will ever be able to view your desktop or the extended screen.
  • For performance reasons, the MaxiVista screen and remote control data is not encrypted. However, intruders would need to have local network access and full knowledge of the proprietary MaxiVista data protocol; which is not published.

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Will it be available for other platforms?

  • Currently, MaxiVista supports the operating systems as listed in the system requirement section.
  • Users reported that the Secondary PC may run Linux together with the Windows Emulator Wine. Users also reported that the MaxiVista viewer works fine on Linspire (Lindows). Additionally, the Secondary PC may also be an Apple Mac, if the MaxiVista viewer program is running in Virtual PC. Please note that we cannot provide official support for these combinations. Use at your own discretion.

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Can I use my laptop as the only monitor replacement for my desktop PC?

MaxiVista works only after Windows is started. This is why you would need a physical monitor attached to your desktop PC. Otherwise, you would have no visual access to the computer before logging in and at boot level.

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Answers for technical questions

The error message "Unable to find driver. Please reboot PC to initialize driver." appears

  • A reboot after installation may be required to initalize the virtual video driver.
  • Important: Make sure that no video card related program (such as nView, PowerDesk, PivotPro etc.) is running during the installation of MaxiVista. If you installed it while such programs were running, please uninstall MaxiVista, reboot(!), shut-down any such video card related programs and re-install MaxiVista.
  • Windows 2000/XP has a known bug which does not allow it to detect new hardware via *.inf files, if the RunOnce registry key is missing. This key is often used by installers to execute post-reboot programs, but sometimes they accidentally delete this key. Solution:

    • Click Start -> Run and enter regedit.
    • Open the registry tree HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
    • Select CurrentVersion.
    • Select Edit -> New -> Key
    • Name the key RunOnce, leaving everything else about the key alone.
    The RunOnce key should now exist underneath the CurrentVersion key. Once the key exists, Windows 2000/XP stops redetecting the Hardware.

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The Secondary Display cannot be activated (The taskbar icons remain blinking yellow)

  • If both program icons in the task trays of the Primary and Secondary PC are black or blinking yellow, please try our networking troubleshooter to find out whether something is wrong with your network.

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I cannot move windows into the Secondary display

  • Windows needs to know the physical arrangement of the displays on your desk. E.g., if your Secondary PC's monitor is located on the left, Windows expects you to move the mouse over the left border of your Primary PC to reach the Secondary PC monitor. Solution: Check and adjust the secondary display location setting in the Windows Display Properties.
  • A few software programs may not allow you to drag document windows out of its main boundary window. In this case, please exit the full-screen mode of the application by clicking on the middle button in the upper right corner of the program's title bar and manually stretch the window so that it covers both monitors (primary display and secondary MaxiVista monitor). You can now arrange internal windows residing in the host application across both monitors.

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How do I setup MS Flight Simulator 2004 to let it work with MaxiVista?

  • Please make sure to have the latest Service Pack for Flight Simulator 2004 installed. It significantly improves handling of multiple monitors.
  • When launching MS Flight Simulator 2004 the first time after installing MaxiVista, ignore the driver warning which may pop up. You can do this safely. If you accidentially hit the wrong button, just launch the Flight Simulator Hardware configuration wizard and the driver warning will re-appear.
  • When Flight Simulator is running in Fullscreen mode, hit ALT-ENTER to enter the Window mode, open the new desired windows, right-click and 'unlock' them. Then you can drag these windows onto the additional MaxiVista monitors. Additionally, You could hide the menu bar in FS 2004 and let Windows 'auto-hide' the task bar to maximize the viewing space on your primary monitor.
  • If the Secondary Display should be disabled during launch of Flight Simulator, quickly reactivate the Secondary Display again.

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The Primary PC's mouse cursor is lost

In rare cases, the MaxiVista driver may still be active even if you disabled the Secondary display and the mouse cursor is lost in the virtual desktop space. Solution: Shutdown the MaxiVista Server program and right-click your Windows desktop -> Select Properties -> Settings -> Select the MaxiVista Secondary Display icon -> Disable the option Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor -> Confirm changes with OK.

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How can I rotate the Secondary display

You can select higher resolutions and portrait resolutions in the Windows Display Properties.

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After I installed and launched MaxiVista I cannot see the MaxiVista taskbar icon

Windows XP only: Right-Click on Start -> Properties -> Taskbar Tab -> disable the option Hide inactive taskbar symbols to make sure that Windows does not hide the MaxiVista taskbar icon.

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The display speed of the Secondary PC is quite slow

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DVD/Video playback is poor

  • MaxiVista does not support hardware acceleration (such as DirectX, OpenGL). Please transcode DVDs into another video format (e.g. Divx, Avi) and watch it with a Video player software rather than a DVD player software.
  • If the frame rate should be too slow, please follow the hints to speed up the secondary display.
  • DVD playback may only work if the video player program allows to disable the 'Overlay'-mode. Please refer to the video player software documentation whether you can disable Overlay.
  • If you see a black window in Windows Media Player, please disable any video acceleration in the Media Player Settings.
  • If the colors are strange, set an identical color depth on both PCs in the Windows display properties dialog (Right-click your Windows desktop -> Select Properties -> Settings Tab).
  • Generally you should prefer to play back video on the Primary display and extend static windows onto the Secondary screen. The CPU/network load by MaxiVista is linear to the amount of changing content on the screen which is pretty high when playing video.
  • Windows Media Player is known to have some technical issues. You may want to consider trying an alternative video player such as Quicktime or Real Player, which perform better when using multiple monitors.

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The Secondary Display is blurry

  • If the screen is extremely fuzzy, please make sure that you have a monitor profile installed on your Secondary PC which fits to the actual display installed. Monitor profiles inform Windows about the capabilities of your monitor. You can check the monitor profiles settings by right-clicking your Windows desktop -> Select Properties -> Settings -> Advanced -> Monitors.
  • If the screen is blurry on flat panel displays, you are probably running a MaxiVista screen resolution which is lower than the physical screen resolution of the display and the display needs to expand the smaller picture to fit it into the actual display viewing space. This is in no way harmful. However, if you would like to have a crisp display, please disable the option Use Secondary Display in full-screen under Configuration or select a Secondary Display resolution which equals the physical display resolution of the Secondary PC.
  • Alternatively, disable the option Remember last used resolution. Then MaxiVista automatically uses the resolution as configured on the Secondary PC.
  • Further information can be found in manual chapter "Switch between Full-screen and Window mode".

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The Secondary Display is black

If using the demo version, it may have detected a manipulation of the system date or MaxiVista files. In such case, please purchase the full version.

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Certain programs are showing strange effects

  • Please first review the documentation or consult technical support of such applications to make sure that the application is designed to work properly in a multiple monitor environment. If a program has display problems when using MaxiVista, it will most likely fail in a physical dual-monitor setup as well.
  • MaxiVista does not alter, store, restore any desktop icon's or program window's position. The whole desktop contents is solely controlled by the operating system. MaxiVista is not aware of the desktop contents in any way - It just provides the extended desktop.
  • MaxiVista is adding a new (virtual) video card card on a operating system level and does not interfere in any way on the application level. It does not enhance or limit other application's capabilities in regards to multi-monitoring.
  • A few software programs may not allow you to drag document windows out of its main boundary window. In this case, please exit the full-screen mode of the application by clicking on the middle button in the upper right corner of the program's title bar and manually stretch the window so that it covers both monitors (primary display and secondary MaxiVista monitor). You can now arrange internal windows residing in the host application across both monitors.

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