2 monitors

[Sam]

I have a nice TV and a proper monitor, and while the TV is nice and big and brilliant for DVDs, the monitor has cleaner text and is easier on the eyes when using it as a PC. I have an ATI x1900 card with 2 connectors for monitors, does this mean I can have both connected and switch between them when I want to? Or is it only for running a pair of monitors which share the screen?

And if it would work for what I want it to, is there anything special I need to do? Or would I be better simply changing which cable is connected to the graphics card?

 

[giant384]

you can do either same screen on both or put them together.

 

[Asus]

Yeah, regular TV's are not the best for a crisp display.
Not exactly sure what you are asking though. Normally with 2 displays you would have them both on. Most people use Dual View which spans the desktop across both displays.

 

[Sam]

I probably didn't phrase it well. I want to use my TV to watch DVDs (which I play from my PC) and some other stuff, but to have the normal monitor for more PC-ey things, because the large screen makes the text look funny. The size difference is too much to have it spanning 2 displays.

The TV is a HD LCD, if there's something I can do with it to improve the resolution could someone explain it? Even if it's something simple like buying another cable.

 

[Asus]

What are the connections on the video card, DVI, VGA, and/or S-Video? What about on the TV LCD? Do you know the recommended resolution of the TV LCD?

You could use Mirror mode and just enable the TV output when you want to do movies or whatever. Or you could use dual view. You can change the resolution of each display individually. So you could have your Monitor at 1280x1024 and your TV at 640x480 (example). Then you could just drag the window over to the 2nd display and double click to maximize.

 

[Sam]

Think the card is DVI, but I use an adaptor to convert it to VGA, both my monitor and TV use the same adaptor.

I have the TV at 1360x768, which is its maximum. Was talking to a friend and he suggested just getting a VGA-splitter (he suggested stealing it though), which would probably be best for me as it doesn't matter if my TV is connected as the PC output is just a channel for it, but would the resolution differences be a problem?

Also just to make sure the other connector will be output? And not input? I haven't had a chance to check been busy today.

 

[Asus]

If your video card has 2 monitor connections I wouldn't recommend using a splitter. Just use the to outputs and manage it through the video settings. If they are DVI outputs then get a VGA adapter. You can get them online for like $3 each and then $5 shipping (USD). They charge about $25 in retail stores.

 

[hungryduck]

I think you making this too complicated for yourself. Just plug in your PC monitor into one DVI port on the video card and plug your TV into the other. You can use the both simultaneously as seperate screens.

 

[Sam]

Ah OK, I'm sure I've got another adaptor from when I got the graphics card somewhere, and when I'm rearranging my room tomorrow I'll dig it out. Just hope I have a VGA cable somewhere.

Edit: turns out I have the adaptor but no cable, so I've ordered the cable and it'll come on Friday, here's hoping this turns out well.

And thanks everyone for the help.

 

[Sam]

Well I've got the cable and connected it, they display the same thing as my PC boots up but then it goes wrong. I can only get the wallpaper to display on the TV (which I have as secondary), and no icons or anything. By making it my primary monitor I still have to use my monitor to navigate around but windows open on the TV, and still no start bar / icons or even the cursor.

Gone through the troubleshooting bit but that was useless. Any ideas?

My PC seems to think the other monitor is fine, but it clearly isn't.

Edit: I can only get it to work as an extra part of my desktop off to the right, not to just display another version of the PC screen. I'm using an x1900 if that makes any difference.

 

[3ssence]

Are you doing all of this in catalyst control center ? Because in the display area of control center you can choose wether you extend the desktop onto the second monitor, clone the primary monitor, etc etc, and should be able to create a clone of the primary monitor on the tv.

 

[Sam]

I was but I couldn't find that option, only to extend it.

 

[Sam]

Well I gave up for a bit and put the TV back as the only monitor, but now everything has this sort of ghost effect after it. No idea why and can't find anything on it anywhere. Too tired of this stuff to carry on, here's a picture if other people can actually see the problem on it: http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7285/ghostingug2.jpg

 

[The Brick]

I can't see anything wrong with it.

 

[Sam]

Forget that, the brand new cable I bought is just useless. Oh well. Gonna place the blame on the cable for the 2 monitor thing too. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[3ssence]

Well I gave up for a bit and put the TV back as the only monitor, but now everything has this sort of ghost effect after it. No idea why and can't find anything on it anywhere. Too tired of this stuff to carry on, here's a picture if other people can actually see the problem on it: http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7285/ghostingug2.jpg

There should be some sort of auto configuration for the image on your tv for when you are using it as a pc monitor. When i plugged mine into my pc and used the d-sub input i had to use the auto config on the screen to calibrate the screen correctly for the input.

 

[Sam]

I had been using my PC monitor cable, I switched to the new cable because I was moving the TV to a different place and was gonna use it for films, then when I couldn't get it to work properly just put TV back as a single monitor, but picture was distorted. Put the old PC cable back in to check and the problem cleared up.