Media Center Problems!

[CBuck03]

I am having problems with my media center!

I have 2 monitors hooked up to my computer and when ever i try running media center to watch tv on the one tv in full screen, i can't bring my mouse back to the other monitor!!

[mgkdk]

I seem to remember jeffy777 having the same problem, dunno if he has a solution though.

[jeffy777]

Originally Posted by mgkdk

I seem to remember jeffy777 having the same problem, dunno if he has a solution though.

Your memory never ceases to amaze me

Yes, I ran into this as well. The word from Microsoft is that this is a limitation of DirectX which cause the mouse to lock to the one monitor. The weird thing is that when I watch a vidoe fullscreen with Windows Media Player, it doesn't do this.

[CBuck03]

So there is no way around this?

My dad just bought a XPS 600 (the thing is HUGE!!), and when we tried watching full screen it didn't work.

Is there any update that you can download to fix?

[jeffy777]

Just found this discussion that may be helpful

I think the best fix is to make the MC screen as as large as possible without going completely full screen. Kind of a lame work around though.

Keep digging, there may be a better fix.

EDIT:

Found this on Microsoft's site, it's like a FAQ for MCE:

Q: are you guys planing on making the remote to work only for mce app?? cuz when i have mce maximized in my second display the mouse get like locked there.. and no one can use the pc... are you planing on fix that?
A: Unfortunately, none of our Experts here today have seen this issue. You may wish to post this question to the Media Center newsgroup. A list of all Microsoft-hosted support newsgroups is here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...ps/default.asp

Q: Oh, a quick question that I just remembered. I use a dual monitor machine, and mce works pretty well with it, but I would like to move the mouse back and forth or do work in the other monitor while mce is full screen. Could there be a powertoy for this?
A: This is a limitation of DirectX 9, and the team is aware of the issue.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e..._1020_MCE.mspx

Another discussion:
http://www.xpmediacentre.com.au/comm...use-focus.html

This sounds somewhat promising:

Have a look at the termsvr.dll hack that allows two (or more???) users to be logged in at the one time. You can keep watching TV with one account while working with another.
(only recently tried this myself and so far so good)