I have a new Viewsonic DLP Projector and use the VGA cable from a Acer Media
Center laptop. I get the desktop and any programs (Picassa, PowerPoint, etc)
to appear on both screens. When I play a DVD I get the full movie on the
laptop screen and the Media Player frame (controls, etc) on the projector
screen. I don't get the movie to play on the projector screen. Any
suggestions are appreciated.

Some graphics drivers can't display video on two screens at a time in
certain modes. You should set it up so that is isn't cloning the screen, but
extending your desktop (Display properties > settings - extend my desktop
onto this monitor). Then you can use a program that will load videos onto
the second screen (eg. Zionworx Media Presenter - www.zionworx.org.uk, or
PowerPoint) or drag Windows Media Player so that more than half of it is on
the second screen and playing, then make it fullscreen.