Q - 9800 pro video to TV

[Bob Newheart]

Hi all,

I would like to set up my XP PC with ati 9800 pro in such a way that when I
play dvd's or divx and other video files, the output goes directly to the
TV, while enabling me to work simultaneously on my PC with other apps on the
regular PC monitor.

I used to be able to do this on a W98SE machine with a Hollywood Plus card -
I'd be working on my PC while the kids would watch cartoons (Sigma's DVD
station for DVD's and HHplus software for other video files) run from the
PC.

The ATI driver allows me to set up all kinds of combinations of monitors
using an appallingly unintuitive interface with a matching appalingly
unclear manual. I can't figure out how to get the setup i just described
going. Then there's something called Hydravision which some in these
newsgroups doesn't add anything over windows functionality (I can;t find
such windows functionality by the way, any ideas?) With Sigma Design's DVD
station software I could choose with one click whether the DVD movie had to
play on the monitor or on the TV. So far with ATI's stuff I have only been
able to switch to the TV completely, but then I can't do anything on the PC.

I actually took out the old Hollywood plus card and put it back into my PC
(pretty sad considering what the 9800 SE costs). There's drivers and
software for XP but regrettably HHplus, the software to run divx movie files
through the Hollywood plus card, is someone's homegrown sw and doesn't run
on XP. So I'm back to 9800 only.

Any ideas anyone? Many thanks in advance..

BN

PS - Ideally I would run some movieplayer app and then be able to click a
switch (not 10 steps) which would tell the PC to switch the window of this
app to the TV (max screen mode), and back again.


(for emailing me remove the killspam stuff)

 

[Clive]

Make sure the TV is connected, then turn on the display under
Display/advanced propeties as a clone of the 1st display (ie the
monior).

Under Display/Advanced Propeties go to the OVERLAY tab and choose "Clone
mode options" on the next screen choose "Theater Mode" and set the
correct options for your TV.

Now when any video player software which uses overlays to draw the video
starts the movie the TV will switch to full screen display of the video.

Depending on the player you use, you can minimise the player (allowing
you to get on with something else) and the display will continue to play
on the TV (on some players the screen vide display will pause, WMP on
the other hand works well in this respect).

 

[Bob Newheart]

Thanks man, that works perfectly. I can't minimize the screen on the monitor
because then it also disappears from the TV, but this doesn't matter much, I
just open another app's window over WMP and it keeps it maximized on the TV.

Now all I have to do is fix the stupid flickering on the TV.

Thanks again!

BN

 

[Bob Newheart]

Now all I have to do is fix the stupid flickering on the TV.

Fixed too - some external interference to do with VCR (yes still have one)

BN