Dual Monitors & a TV

T-b0n3

Just looking for a bit of advice here, hope you can help.

I have a Samsung 22" as my primary monitor and also have a standard Dell 19" as my secondary monitor. I have a Dell XPS 710 PC with a Geforce 8800 GTX. Normally I have my two monitors hooked up as dual monitors using the two dvi slots in my 8800. But recently I have been hooking up my 32" Sony TV which is great for watching TV programs/films on. But this means unplugging my dell monitor, plugging in the TV (vga) and rebooting.
After some researching and playing around, I plugged in a hdtv cable linking pc to tv, which seems to produce a much smaller resolution, therefore worse quality, but this does allow me to swap between displays without changing wires or rebooting.

I am just wonder whats the best solution here. I saw vga splitters on the net, but then I heard they would split the resolution, which I don't want. But heard you can get boxes of some sort that would do this without splitting the resolution, which would do the job, I don't mind if it is a carbon copy to one of my monitors.

Or another option I assume would be; I read that the 8800 can only handle 2 displays. So would the best option be to get a second (cheap) graphics card? If so what exactly would it need? How important would it be to display of films etc?

Hope that makes sense and isn't too long.

Thanks,
Adam

ricman

GET a vga spitter y cable, download powerstrip prog,,install it.
For dvds set res to 720x576 dvd native res, .4 hdtv use set refresh rate to 60mhz,max.
see tv manual,what vga pc, resolution does the tv support.USE the tv vga in for pcs.
YOU are prbly using too high resolution or too high refresh rate for your tv.
GOOGLE connect pc to hdtv through vga.
SPLITTERS do not reduce the pc resolution.
ALL THE HDTVS i use accept 720x576 dvd res, or 1024x768 resolution.
SAY your tv is sony 500j , google sony 500j vga resolution .

IF you put in too high a resolution it can damage the tv tube. http://entechtaiwan.com/util/ps.shtm
heres the program you need,, above link.
for dvds 720p x576 is fine.thats the standard dvd europe pal resoution.

ricman

if you are just watching dvds, you could use a standard svideo cable,4 euro power city. see www.svideo.com for conection guide.

witnessmenow

Why do you need to reboot after plugging VGA cable in?

Depending on your OS just right click on the desktop and go to personalize, then go to display settings. You should see a grayed out number two screen, click it and select extend the desktop. Set the resolution.


I have a DVI switch and it works great, but i use it the opposite way than you would (I have multiple sources and one display, you have multiple displays and one source) Technically it will connect your PC to whatever you switch too, but your OS might get confused, especially if you want different resolutions


EDIT:

Its unlikely that your Mobo can support a second graphics card, maybe you could use something like this, you would not be able to watch videos or play games on this

ricman

IF YOU just wanna use the pc to watch movies,thats all you need, press fn plus f5, or some f key to turn on external vga signal 2tv.
ie i,m presuming you are not using dual display mode, when watching a movie.
there should be no need to reboot, to change resolution.JUST GO ,to display propertys ,advanced, move slider to the left,ie to 720x576.
CHANGE ,RES be4 you turn on external vga signal.Thats important.
see here http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/?p=2713&tag=content;col1
the only browser i know purely, designed 4 optimised pc to hdtv display.
google vga to hdtv tips.
if you want to watch hidef HD films then a 100vram minimum card is recommended, I,d say
the card you have now is fine.
set refresh rate to 60megahrtz before you turn on vga out.