Karaoke Forums

OK, got all the CDG's on HD, still tweaking system, nomenclature/reripping bad burns etc. It's time to move on to next step of dual monitors. I have a couple of questions on this.

For those with 2nd monitors, are you using a TV or a computer monitor for the singers screen? I have a good 13" set I'm using now, but it has no yellow or S video inputs, just coaxial. I'm currently using an RF monitor box for video input. Do they have conversions for the computer outputs to go to TV inputs? I'm really getting nervous about buying the wrong thing.

Also, my current video card does not support dual monitors, I have a Dell Dimension 8200 and need some recommendations on a dual monitor capable card that will work w/my system. $$ is a factor.

As always, thanks for the replies...


                                                                                         bigjim56

I bought the cheapest NVidia card that had an s-video -- at Walmart for about $40. Works fine for me.

SVideo --> RF is probably easiest, as most TVs have that and you can split it to many TVs. I bought a modulator box at Radio Shack for 24.99, along with a splitter. I can drive up to
4 TVs quite a distance away.

I got a $100 ATI Radeon 9550 card (256 mb ram on board) from WalMart as well that works great.  My main monitor works for the program & I split the S-Video out into all the tv's I need it to go to!

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

I am actually using two 17" monitors off my NVidia dual output video card. No converter to mess with and it works great. I do have a splitter that splits XVGA signal in to XVGA and S-video so incase I want to connect to an external large screen TV I can do that and use a flat panel monitor for singer screen.

_________________

Seize the day and SING!!!

Thanks eben/Lonman/mckyj57 for the quick responses.

I had my stock NVIDIA card that had a monitor outlet with an S video right next to it. Let my friend talk me into putting a NVIDIA card with dual monitor PC outlets, but I can't get the second screen recognized. I look at Display settings and it only shows the one screen. (Same for both video cards) I even downloaded the driver from the internet and fed it to my show PC, thinking it needed the driver updated, still no luck.

At my work I monitor the plant operations with 2 - dual screen monitor PC's (4 screens total) and the Display settings on those PC's shows 2 screens on each PC. I know that there's advanced settings on the single display card, but have had no success getting a second screen showing. I'm just trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Should I go back to the single monitor (stock) outlet w/Svideo card or keep the double PC monitor outlet card and use 2 computer monitors? I love the TV I got now for the singer screen, it's a good lookin' little set, but it only has a coaxial input. I was told by a co-worker that Walmart sells an S-video to coaxial converter for cheap. I just don't want to purchase that unless I'm sure that it's workable with my video card.

Also, does the PC have to be restarted for video conversions to be implemented? I thought I read somewhere that a restart is needed for the second screen to be recognized.

This is all that's left for me to go digital...

almost there...

Thanks for the help guys...

                                                                                             bigjim56

The option to get the second desktop is there in the advanced section. When I first installed my card, it only showed one desktop and I had to look around to enable the second desktop. I have NVIDIA also and you need to bring up NVIDIA Control Panel, click on Display section, then click change display configuration section. There should be something there that allows you to select two desktops. You need to have both display connected and powered on for you to see the option for second desktop.

Good luck.

_________________

Seize the day and SING!!!

If indead you card saupports dual monitors it should look like this.....
http://sskaraoke.com/snd/dual_disp.jpg
Make all connections first, then boot up the computer.
If you don't get the 2 displays on properties, then you have a single display card, or a generic driver installed.

If you get the 2nd display showing, click on it then check the EXTEND MY DESKTOP box, and apply.

Note: The pic is off a WIN98 machine, XP looks a bit different, but similar.

Eben I want one of those give more info please

I see, sice you are using a DESKTOP PC, instead of buying a dual display card, just buy another PCI video card with either RCA or S-Video out on it.  I have my 2nd system setup that way.  Use the original ATI video card is used for my display, then I added in a 2nd PCI video card with RCA out on it for the singers screen.  Got the card on Ebay for like $15 (shipping and all)

Thanks eben/twansanne...good news, everything is hooked up and running GREAT with dual display now. Bought the $27 video hookup box from Walmart and spent the night playing with it. It's just like eben says...YOU HAVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING HOOKED UP FIRST BEFORE BOOTING UP.

I went back to the stock nvidia card w/the S-video connection, hooked up the Wallyworld box and booted it up and on the display settings it showed the 2 monitor option. Surprised the --it out of me. It took a while to hone in the settings, but it's working perfectly now. With Compuhost I can put up the "Happy Birthday", "A star is Born" etc. video displays on the singers screen at anytime and my screen stays with the control board panel and lyrics. Just the way its designed to operate.

Thanks everyone for the help...digital rocks!    

For anyone confused about dual display conversion, don't get fooled by the single display showing on the display settings, if its got S-video, hook it to a second set and then reboot, the display will switch to a dual monitor option. In fact my home PC here has a S-video output on it....hhmmmm, guess how long its gonna take to be a dual display home PC!

                                                                                    bigjim56

To set the record straight, the reboot should not be necessary on either Windows 2000 or Windows XP.

WHOAAAAAAAAA....Hold on there pardner....

(HEHE like my Cowboy speak)

Just becasue you have a S-video output on a video card, dosenot make it a dual display.  THere are some that just show a mirror image of the main screen.  But by all means give it a try.

Glad you got it working. I totally agree with you, digital rocks. It certainly saves me about 15-20 minutes per session just on loading time alone. That means I can get 2-3 more songs per night on rotation, worth the price.




Well, there is nothing to it. Most of the mid end graphics card and up now days will support dual desktops. It's pretty easy to tell. Typically if you see 3 connectors on a graphics card, either dual DVI plus S-video or DVI+S-video+VGA connector, chances are it will support dual desktop. One thing to remember is that only 2 out of 3 connectors will work at the same time. I chose DVI+VGA and put the VGA connector in to a splitter/converter that will output to both VGA and S-video so I can use external singer LCD display plus a large screen TV if available. It works great for me.

_________________

Seize the day and SING!!!

I'm sorry twansanne, I got a head of myself. Just happy that it all worked out without having to buy another card/monitor etc. Will definately try my home PC for dual monitor use, it has an S-video outlet next to the PC monitor outlet.

I work with 2-dual monitors at my work to monitor plant operations, intakes/high service pumps/system pressures/chemical feeds etc. We just went to dual monitors 1 month ago after single monitors for years. There's no comparison, dual gives you much more options for controlling systems and operations.

Also, was able to get the old PC desk unit (from my work-they were gonna trash it)after they went to new control desks for the newer PC's. This desk looks great, with a screen for my mixer, and a screen for my CompuHost control. It has dimmer lights, and fans for cooling also. I've got this setup 100% better than the prior KJ's did, and it sounds better too.

Thanks again everybody...    :D

                                                                                         bigjim56