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Topic: Multiscreen Support for VDJ? - Page: 1

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Heya,

I want to make a custom build around my controller. The idea is to get rid of that laptop on my stand and add 3 smaller screens infront of my controller. So I already played around with the Remote App but the results werent to satisfying so I think building a custom PC with 3 smaller screens is the better idea. I have enough room under my controller for a desktop computer.

Now I wonder if it possible to display the VDJ Application on 3 different screens. As example left Screen should show the left Deck, Middle screen the browser and right screen the right deck.
 

Posted Tue 09 Jan 18 @ 6:21 pm
I am aware of the Numark Dashboard. But I would prefer bigger screens and since I havent found anything else so I think its worth looking at a custom build.

Would love to recreate the look and feel of this:

 

Posted Tue 09 Jan 18 @ 6:32 pm
PachNPRO InfinityMember since 2009
 

Posted Tue 09 Jan 18 @ 6:35 pm
PachN wrote :
I'd just wanted to show that in generall it is possible. But may need a lot of skinning/ scripting skills.

There was a thread in the General Forum as well as in the German Forum where exactly this was discussed before.
IIRC there was a picture in the general forum thread with such a custom build. Not sure if it was with VDJ though.


EDIT: There it is:
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/197855/General_Discussion/Upgrade_your_controller_with_LCD_screens.html


Oh yes I like that alot. The last post is kinda what I want. But no further posts in there so I assume it didnt went anywhere? Hmmm

 

Posted Tue 09 Jan 18 @ 6:49 pm
PachNPRO InfinityMember since 2009
Just ask roy... I'm sure he is here now and then.
 

Posted Tue 09 Jan 18 @ 10:03 pm
beekanePRO InfinityMember since 2014
the idea is great but let your custom pc do the math. i am a developer but not with skins so could not tell you whether skin in 3 pieces would work. ( it could if the main skin would be transparent , then just ad 3 layers so the end result is one skins with 3 panels, but then still you need to build in the logic to adjust them in the correct position on the monitors.


so OS level is limited, then go to the next level: application level and then graph cards come into play.

this article is a bit over the top https://www.pcworld.com/article/2923941/how-to-create-an-insane-multiple-monitor-setup-with-three-four-or-more-displays.html

i think this would apply for heavy sound workstations. if you build a custom pc with the better graph cards then maybe you can tell the graph card how to divde vdj over 3 screens .

just some thoughts


good luck
 

Posted Thu 11 Jan 18 @ 4:00 pm
The old way of doing it (VDJ 7 and earlier) was to make your skin the width of your screen setup, so if you had three screens of 1024x768, the skin graphics would be 3072x768. Then as long as your screens were configured in your OS to be side by side, the skin would automatically load across the three screens.

I think you can still do it this way in VDJ 8 (because it has compatibility with VDJ 7 skins) but a better way now is to use popup windows for the extra screens. Then you could have a choice of running the skin normally (on one screen) or opening the extra windows and running on three.
 

Posted Thu 11 Jan 18 @ 6:00 pm
beekane wrote :
the idea is great but let your custom pc do the math. i am a developer but not with skins so could not tell you whether skin in 3 pieces would work. ( it could if the main skin would be transparent , then just ad 3 layers so the end result is one skins with 3 panels, but then still you need to build in the logic to adjust them in the correct position on the monitors.


so OS level is limited, then go to the next level: application level and then graph cards come into play.

this article is a bit over the top https://www.pcworld.com/article/2923941/how-to-create-an-insane-multiple-monitor-setup-with-three-four-or-more-displays.html

i think this would apply for heavy sound workstations. if you build a custom pc with the better graph cards then maybe you can tell the graph card how to divde vdj over 3 screens .

just some thoughts


good luck


Thanks. Yes I plan to build a system that can keep up with the requirements that would be needed for running 3 screens and have good performance. :)


groovindj wrote :
The old way of doing it (VDJ 7 and earlier) was to make your skin the width of your screen setup, so if you had three screens of 1024x768, the skin graphics would be 3072x768. Then as long as your screens were configured in your OS to be side by side, the skin would automatically load across the three screens.

I think you can still do it this way in VDJ 8 (because it has compatibility with VDJ 7 skins) but a better way now is to use popup windows for the extra screens. Then you could have a choice of running the skin normally (on one screen) or opening the extra windows and running on three.


Currently I use the Fruit Skin which supports at least the browser to be a Pop-up. Having the Decks & Mixersection / Browser View would defo help with this. I assume I will have to make a custom skin for that. I already played around with the skinbuilder but didnt made any useful results.

Currently theres some awesome skinbuilders around here. So if anyone would be up for the challenge to create such a custom skin I would be more then happy. Of course I would be willing to offer a compensation for the work that will come with that.

 

Posted Thu 11 Jan 18 @ 9:46 pm
So the FRUiT skin would be your starting point? The coding is very complex so it's not an easy one to modify!

What resolution are your three screens (if you bought them)?
 

Posted Sun 14 Jan 18 @ 3:35 pm
Yeah the Fruit Skin is complex. Already contacted the creator about it.

If it is too much of a hassle I go for a different one.

Or maybe someone is up for the task and make me a custom one.

I haven't bought the screens yet. I am currently putting together a list of stuff we need. I plan to use 10" touch screens. Now we just have to look which one we get so I don't know the resolution yet as there's many different ones.

 

Posted Sun 14 Jan 18 @ 10:51 pm
I wouldn't mind a skin that you could undock and lock sections in blocks to wherever you wanted like with the plugins. you could have browser on one screen, effects on another and mixer in middle., would look nifty on an ultrawide monitor or three screens.
 

Posted Mon 15 Jan 18 @ 1:04 am
I use the 3 (usb) lcd screens setup with my Pioneer DDJ-SZ controller for a while.
2x 7" lcd for both players and 1x 10" lcd in the middlke for the browser.

This way I can hide my laptop for drinks flying around (sometimes)
I have this all built in the flightcase with the controller.

At the moment, I use my other setup the most (2x Pioneer XDJ-700 and DJM900NXS2) Since the XDJ's have their own screen, I use the 10" screen only for the full browser (floating in a own window with the DjDad browser tweak tool in the VDJ download section)

If you have any questions about the setup etc. Send me a private message, then I can give you my email address to discuss this if you like?

Setup with DDJ-SZ and 3 screens (without laptop):



Setup I use the most (1x 10"screen with full browser):

 

Posted Thu 18 Jan 18 @ 8:24 am
Addition: I use the software called "Actual Multi Monitor Tools" to choose which part of the laptop screen has to display on which USB screen.
 

Posted Thu 18 Jan 18 @ 8:27 am
Thats a really great setup and very close to what I want to do.

I will look into the Actual Monitor Tools Software and will start playing around with it as soon as I get the hardware compenents. So do I understand that correctly that you dont use a custom VDJ Skin? If you dont that will make my Project a little easier as I can keep the skin I am using.

Also how is the latency on the additonal screens? When I searched for this on the forums I think I saw your setup in an older thread, but you reported problems with the wavelines stuttering (Could be wrong tho)
 

Posted Thu 18 Jan 18 @ 1:39 pm
MissyBee wrote :
So do I understand that correctly that you dont use a custom VDJ Skin?


Correct, The MultiMonitor software "copies" the preferred screen (or part of a screen) to another screen you like.

MissyBee wrote :
Also how is the latency on the additonal screens? When I searched for this on the forums I think I your setup in an older thread, but you reported problems with the wavelines stuttering (Could be wrong tho)


The latency was perfect on all notebooks, even my older slower ones!
Except for my newest Windows10 notebook at that moment. The Multi Software wasn't ready for the early Win10 display features en drivers I got. After contacting the MultiMonitor company, they tested a few weeks together with my findings and released another version where it was fixed. This is a long time ago...

One thing you have to look at is the power of the screens if you use the usb powered screens. My older notebooks can't take care of all three screens on a usb port without having a powered usb hub to take care of the power consumption of the usb screens.
My new notebook must have a strong usb port because this one has no problem with powering the screens on 1 usb port.
 

Posted Thu 18 Jan 18 @ 1:53 pm
PS: I'm talking about usb screens, because you can use up to six of them. This is not possible with computer screens that have VGA or HDMI or other cable connection, unless you have a few thousands Euro's to invest in equipment that can multiply your notebook (hardware)video connections :)
 

Posted Thu 18 Jan 18 @ 1:56 pm
royvanmeel wrote :
PS: I'm talking about usb screens, because you can use up to six of them. This is not possible with computer screens that have VGA or HDMI or other cable connection, unless you have a few thousands Euro's to invest in equipment that can multiply your notebook (hardware)video connections :)


Oh.

I wanted to use 3 HDMI Touchscreens. So it wont work with thoose the way you have it?
 

Posted Thu 18 Jan 18 @ 4:30 pm
MissyBee wrote :
Oh.

I wanted to use 3 HDMI Touchscreens. So it wont work with thoose the way you have it?


Nope. You can only use 1 hdmi connection (and dvi or vga simultaneously) unless you buy very expensive hardware that can multiply hdmi outputs and recognize them as separate screens.

If you use a hdmi splitter, which does work, you would have the same image on every screen (mirroring). Your computer would only see one screen.

My USB screens are touchscreen too
 

Posted Thu 18 Jan 18 @ 4:36 pm
royvanmeel wrote :
MissyBee wrote :
Oh.

I wanted to use 3 HDMI Touchscreens. So it wont work with thoose the way you have it?


Nope. You can only use 1 hdmi connection (and dvi or vga simultaneously) unless you buy very expensive hardware that can multiply hdmi outputs and recognize them as separate screens.

If you use a hdmi splitter, which does work, you would have the same image on every screen (mirroring). Your computer would only see one screen.

My USB screens are touchscreen too


Its not really a money issue, but if USB Screens do the same job why waste it for 3 HDMI that need top notch hardware.

Thanks a ton. I will change my shopping list accordingly.

I ll let you know how it goes and I might aswell ask you more questions. :)
 

Posted Thu 18 Jan 18 @ 4:58 pm
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