HDTV as Monitor issues

[Jon.mcewan]

Hey,
I've tried researching this problem before having to post and be a pain, but the main problem is I'm not quite sure what to search, I've researched around about but can't really find anything related to my actual problem. And now i guess would be a good time to post my actual problem!

Basically i want to use my HDTV as my primary monitor, I'm running it through an ATI Radeon 4870 (HDMI output slot straight into TV) but the only way i can seem to get it to work (no idea how i figured this out in the 1st place really, lots of luck and fiddling around) I have to launch with both my old PC monitor plugged in AND my HDTV i see the boot screen, then the windows screen, then my TV goes blank, and my monitor flashes the login for a second, then also goes blank, and i have to use TAB and Enter to sign on, then i must unplug the PC monitor, then replug it in, then my screen shows on the HDTV. shows fine and resi is perfect 1920x1080. Also my pc monitor comes on and acts as a second spare screenspace, which is awesome and i would like this, but i just dont like the switching of wires constantly!

Sorry for the long winded post, but i though was best to give as much detail as i could, the solution im looking for is basically to be able to just have the HDTV plugged in and my computer boot up on that and show the login screen and login without separate wire switching. but if i try do that i just get a really low quality resi like 640x480 and 8bit colour.

Thanks alot in advance, and apologies again for the long winded post
Jon

 

[carnageX]

Do you have updated Catalyst Control Center and drivers for your card?

 

[Jon.mcewan]

thanks for the speedy reply. Drivers are up to date as far as im aware (im not really a tech genious but i think they are! according to device manager and right clicking, update drivers they seem to be at the latest version) And as for CCC thats a whole other problem, i have installed the latest version (today actually) but CCC doesnt actually launch, so it is installed and up to date, jsut refuses to work.

Thanks again! and sorry for my lack of knowlage, ill post as much as i can to be as much help as i can

 

[Jon.mcewan]

I messed around somemore, and now both displays don't have to be plugged in upon startup, if i have just the HDTV plugged in i get the boot screen then windows loading bar, then everything goes black, again if i TAB TAB ENTER to log in its still black, but if i plug and unplug my monitor cable it all comes up on my HDTV and displays fine. I'm kinda at a dead end here, i can get it to display so i know its working, but the method of getting it to display is somewhat irritating, i also dont want to have to keep plugging and unplugging the monitor cable as its probably gonna come loose after a while.

 

[jaffi34]

if u have 2 monitors hooked up, u have to change the settings to determine which is the primary monitor.. all u have to do is switch the monitors... or just take a dump on ur neighbors cat and that should do the trick too

 

[Jon.mcewan]

Thanks Jaff, i tried the lather of the 2, the cat wasnt very happy =(! but regarding the 1st solution i have done this, opened display settings and the HDTV set default and runs fine, but as soon as i restart its just back to where i was, the monitor shows HDTV blank and i have to either plug and unplug monitor or go into settings and enable HDTV by extending my desktop onto this display, and then ticking primary! im out of ideas now =S

 

[Jon.mcewan]

after some fiddling around AGAIN! i managed to figure (thanks for the help!) that if i set the resoultion to 1280x720 it seems to run and launch fine, i guess the new problem is is there a way to force the login screen to launch a seperate resi from the main screen or something ^^ if not i guess i can just run with 1280x720 and ill have to rearrange my desktop and get used to it!