Concept

A standard Mosaic video wall setup, using multiple displays connected to NVIDIA GPUs, can be extended with an additional monitor driven by a separate GPU as a control or auxiliary display. This extra monitor operates outside the Mosaic grid, but still extends the desktop, allowing you to run applications, monitoring tools, or system utilities (like a Viz Engine console, performance monitor, or task manager) without interfering with the main videowall content.

Setup Steps

Connect Hardware

  • Connect your primary videowall displays to NVIDIA Quadro GPUs (via Datapath: Optional, in case the number of monitors is larger than the number of display ports).

  • Connect the auxiliary monitor to a separate GPU.

  • If NVIDIA G-sync is used in the setup, make sure it is connected to the grid monitor's GPU.

Note: The GPUs must be from the same family.

Install Drivers and Tools

  • Install the latest NVIDIA driver.

  • Download configuremosaic.exe from the Mosaic Utility Driver and put it in a directory of choice.

Note: If the NVIDIA GPU driver is already installed and an additional GPU is added, the additional GPU may not be detected until the NVIDIA GPU driver is reinstalled.

Identify Display Layout

  • Open the NVIDIA Control Panel > Workstation > Set up Mosaic.

  • Select Identify Displays to determine which display is on which output.

    image-20250506-095743.png

Configure Grids for the Videowall

  • Use the configuremosaic.exe tool to set up the video wall grid.

  • Example command for two grids (Mosaic + 1):

    configureMosaic.exe set rows=2 cols=1 res=7680,1080,50 out=0,0 out=0,1 nextgrid rows=1 cols=1 res=7680,1080,50 out=1,0

Information: The first grid describes the mosaic of our Videowall, the second one describes the single external control monitor used.

Apply and Confirm Layout

  • Wait for the layout to apply, and the screens refresh (may take a few seconds).

  • Verify that:

    • The Mosaic videowall functions as a unified display, and the mosaic looks as expected.

    • If you are using a G-sync, ensure all monitors are synchronized (Workstation > View System Topology).

    • The control monitor appears as a separate extended desktop, distinct from the mosaic.

Using the Control / Auxiliary mMonitor

The Viz Engine should be started on the mosaic videowall grid GPU:

  • Starting Viz Engine in video wall mode using the starting parameters -n -w -G2.

    • The renderer window appears on the video wall monitors.

    • The Viz Engine console can be moved to the control monitor.

  • Starting Viz Engine in Viz Artist mode using the starting parameters -u1 -y -G2.

    • The Viz Artist and console windows can be moved between monitors.

See Also