Using TV as desktop 2

Hi,
Would anyone know if it is possible to use the TV out on my video card as a second desktop? In nView (nvidia) desktop manager it is possible to have a few desktops each displaying different different programs.
I wish to send a video signal to the TV whilst using the PC as normal.
Cheers
N

Tom Dunne

Of course it is possible. Just enable the TV as a second monitor. To do this, right-click on the destop, select properties, then settings. Click on display number 2 (as indicated by the big 2 :-) ), click on the tick box 'Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor'.

Inspector Gadget

It's possible, but I strongly recommend against it, for two reasons:

1) The native refresh rate of a PAL TV is 50Hz (actually 25Hz, interlaced - even worse!) - in other words, it's headache city, especially if your eyesight is remotely less than stellar (CRTs should be set to at least 72Hz refresh when working close-up; the higher, the better; TVs, on the other hand, are meant to be viewed from a *minimum distance* of about six feet/two metres-ish).
2) The native "resolution" of a TV is crap - 625 rows of analogue colour data for PAL models (i.e. 625 "pixels" high, with a theoretically infinite number of pixels across each line) The normal aspect ratio of computer-generated pixels (i.e. square) would suggest a practical resolution of 833x625 for a 4:3 set, or 1111x625 for a 16:9 (widescreen) tube. You'll notice that TV cards (or at least the combination of TV cards and their drivers) aren't generally capable of generating these "unusual" resolutions, and the fact that the "standard" resolutions don't match the phosphor dots on the tube (which are much coarser than those on multisync computer monitors) mean that even resolutions of 800x600 are difficult to read as they're, well, blurry, and flickering (due to the refresh rate thing above, and that the fact that TV cards tend to generate less-than-perfect timing signals).

If you want to watch video or play low-res games on the TV, fine, but otherwise, I'd strongly advise against it. You should probably try it and see for yourself, though...

Hope this helps,
Gadget
P.S.> Tom, you'd like to in(t)spect what, exactly???

Tom Dunne

Inspector Gadget wrote:

P.S.> Tom, you'd like to in(t)spect what, exactly???

If you've got a gadget, I'd like a look at it.

Inspector Gadget

Steady on there chap!

Gadget

cregser

I don't get why TV input cards have standard antena or composite connectors while TV out cards (like nvidia) only have S-video connectors. We have 5TVs and 3DVD players and only one DVD player supports s-video (the one we got for free :S)

Inspector Gadget

Simply put, 7-pin S-Video sockets contain a composite out, which would be what you'd get with a standard RCA (yellow for video) and as such a simple adaptor can give you a composite out if you need one. This way, they could save money by removing the second socket, without losing any functionality...

Also remember that the SCART standard supports composite, component (separate R, G, and Luminance/Chrominance (as supplied by both 4-pin and 7-pin S-Video) video signals, so you can buy adaptors for S-Video to/from SCART; however, not all SCART-equipped hardware is "fully wired", so you may need to check your kit.

Hope this helps,
Gadget

tom dunne

tom dunne wrote:

Of course it is possible. Just enable the TV as a second monitor. To do this, right-click on the destop, select properties, then settings. Click on display number 2 (as indicated by the big 2 :-) ), click on the tick box 'Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor'.

I wish it were that simple! display number 2 does not appear. When I want to watch a movie on the TV from the PC I currently have to go into device selection(under advanced on settings tab,then geforce3 tab) in which it allows me to select display device,but only use one at a time:analog display or TV.
cheers
N

Inspector Gadget

I don't know whether the GeForce3 family supports two independent displays (what nVidia's trademark carpet-bombers call "TwinView") - I know that some GF3 cards definitely don't. Check whether your specific card does (you may have to go to the manufacturer's web site) - most dual-display-capable cards have two monitor sockets on 'em. You may be using drivers that are either out-of-date or feature-limited - in particular, make sure that you're using the proper nVidia drivers instead of any default Microsoft ones that come with your OS (I'm assuming Windows); you'll find that you have a lot more options to play with.

Also, check out TVTool ( http://tvtool.info/index_e.htm ) - it's well worth looking into for getting good TV out from nVidia-based cards.

Hope this helps...
Gadget