Media Centre on more than one screen

[OJSimmonds]

Hi there,

I have seen that you have both your projector and your TV connected to one computer. I am thinking of putting in a setup where I have two (maybe three) screens connected to one pc running Win7 media centre.

I have been doing some experimenting with an extra old monitor cloned so that I can have media centre on two screens however I have found that it doesn't seem to like being on two screens at different resolutions - they have to be the same and so the better monitor 1080p looks a bit fuzzy.

In your install are both the screens the same resolution? Or do you know a way to get round this?

Basically my question is do I need to have all my screens at the same resolution (driven to 1080p by my TV)

Many thanks for your help

Olly

[elootos]

For Windows to be happy, both screens need to be at the same resolution for clone mode. It's a real bind but one you need to bear in mind when designing your system.

The TV and projector in my lounge have different native resolutions (1360x768 and 1280x720 respectively) so I have to swap them over in the display control panel when changing. But I only ever need one on at a time so it's no limitation to the system.

However there is a keyboard shortcut you can use that was mentioned in this thread that makes it slightly quicker and easier.

My bedroom and bathroom however need to run in clone mode (as they are on both at the same time) and this is a slight restiction on my bedroom screen which is natively 1680x1050, but I have to run it at 1280x720 so it matches the resolution of the bathroom screen.

Problems like this will get less frequent as time passes due to screens getting better and better resolutions meaning there'll be a time when they all match

[OJSimmonds]

Hi there,

Many thanks for clearing that up. I possible I would like to ask your opinion.

If I were to want to connect my PC to say three screens and they were all (for arguements sake) the same res. And my graphics card only has two outputs (both DVI/HDMI with converter - and audio supported), would you suggest using a HDMI splitter or buying another graphics card (my motherboard can handle it) and using clone mode.

I don't think there is a huge cost difference and down the line the use of up to four separate screens may be useful so I am leaning to another graphics cards.

However your thourgths would be much apprciated.

Thanks

Olly

PS I am slowing putting my plan together and will post when it is complete. Thanks!

[elootos]

(02-04-2010 08:42 PM)OJSimmonds Wrote:  PS I am slowing putting my plan together and will post when it is complete. Thanks!

Great, look forward to it as it sounds quite a project with your screens.

I've never run with multiple graphics cards in a PC so don't have any experience of it. I'm not sure if Media Center would be replicated over multiple cards but I can't see why not.

An HDMI splitter would be the easier option I guess, but multiple graphics cards would be the most flexible.

[OJSimmonds]

(02-05-2010 10:05 AM)elootos Wrote:  

(02-04-2010 08:42 PM)OJSimmonds Wrote:  PS I am slowing putting my plan together and will post when it is complete. Thanks!

Great, look forward to it as it sounds quite a project with your screens.

I've never run with multiple graphics cards in a PC so don't have any experience of it. I'm not sure if Media Center would be replicated over multiple cards but I can't see why not.

An HDMI splitter would be the easier option I guess, but multiple graphics cards would be the most flexible.

Thanks for your reply. I think a splitter would be better because otherwise it may be tricky to get the sound to send out simultaneously.

Cheers

Olly

[elootos]

(02-10-2010 10:21 PM)OJSimmonds Wrote:  Thanks for your reply. I think a splitter would be better because otherwise it may be tricky to get the sound to send out simultaneously.

Ah, you want audio as well on the screens. Then a splitter makes much more sense.

[huxley]

I have a splitter I use to send my 360 in the living room zone to my bed screen. Tested it out with the pc.
Current gfx card is an ati 5850, while it works ok for the image (both screens are 1080p) the problem is with the audio, the living room is set up for 5.1 via my onkyo while the second screen is stereo (tv speakers) so the card sets it self down to stereo only and I can only get the 5.1 working again if I unplug the second screen and reboot the pc. I borrowed an HDMI matrix and had the same problem, best option would be to use an amps second or set the splitter after the amp if it has stanbye passthrough, which my 607 doesnt always do. The card does have a display port but I`ve never been able to get the audio out from it to work / same with the dvi ports.