After configuring ViewMaster to your requirements, you may want ViewMaster to automatically run when the PC starts.
Because ViewMaster generates the multiview display directly on the Windows desktop (even when generating an NDI output), you can not run ViewMaster as a WIndows service, as these have no access to the desktop. So instead, we configure Windows to automatically log on a specific user, and then add ViewMaster to that user’s startup applications.
Configuring Automatic log-on
Use the Windows netplwiz tool, and select the user to log on automatically, then uncheck the option requiring users to enter a username an password.
Select OK, and you’ll be prompted for that user’s password. Now, when you start Windows, that user will be logged in automatically.
Making ViewMaster run at log-on
Next, – while logged in as that user – you configure Windows to run ViewMaster VR when you log in. Open the folder C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup in Windows Explorer (“Run” shell:startup via WIN-R will get you there too)
Drag a ViewMaster VR shortcut from the Windows “Start Menu” folder into the startup folder. You can then customize the shortcut properties using command-line options to specify different configurations, etc.
If you want ViewMaster VR running on multiple monitors you’ll need to add multiple shortcuts, one for each monitor, with command-line options pointing to different configurations files.
Even if you only need an NDI output from the system, ViewMaster still needs to output to a “Monitor” connected to the PC. For this kind of application, we recommend using ‘ghost monitor’ plugs, which plug into HDMI ports on your PC’s graphics card to fool the operating system that additional monitors are connected.