Version 5.5 > S-Video Y Splitter

 


sspwiz532
7/14/2005 9:13:56 PM

Instead of getting a 2nd computer monitor, I was thinking of getting an S-Video Y Splitter, getting 2 S-Video cords and having one go to the Componant selector and the other one going to an RF modulator that is hooked up to a 13in. TV and use the TV as a 2nd monitor. Has anyone messed with that and does anyone know the results. Also, what would be the best method of using a TV as a 2nd monitor? (The reason why I am asking is because our Video Card only has 1 monitor plug-in rather then 2. It also has S-Video)
Thanks in advance for the advice.


Kholsinger
7/15/2005 12:27:39 AM
You may want to call (1-800-729-0163) and have Tech Support walk you through this... To be truly dual monitor you must have a dual-head PC video card. It would have 2 VGA outs or a VGA and DVI or some combination. The Svideo or Composite out is usually redundant or in lieu of your primary monitor. Unless I am missing something your best bet is to get a new dual head card for the PC Which Steven just discussed today in his SSPlog here.
Assuming your original method would work though, you should use a distribution amplifier rather than a y cable. Just like with a garden hose, if you divide the flow in half you lose half the flow! Your result would be in the very least lacking some color information and may not sync correctly... As to a second PC monitor it is not necessary, only a luxury. SSP has a preview pane that will show you what is being sent to your projector or TV.
 
Hope this helps!

Lee
7/15/2005 2:01:00 PM
Electronically it may work (we do that in our trailer but we do use an amplifier), but for SSP that is missing the point of a 2nd monitor. The value of a 2nd monitor is having different information on each monitor, which, as KHolsinger pointed out, can only be accomplished with a "dual head" (meaning it has two separate information channels) video card. Windows and SSP both know how to direct different information to each of the video card channels, so that one monitor will show the SSP/Windows control screen, and the 2nd monitor will show what is being sent to the projector.

Be advised that even with a dual-head card properly setup, using a TV will have low resolution so that fine print cannot be read. It is useful to show what data the projector is getting, but a TV cannot be used effectively as the control monitor. The control monitor must be the VGA output of the video card, never the s-video output.

Karen39
7/15/2005 3:39:45 PM
Well, before we had a dual video card, we used a computer screen for 1 monitor and used a tv for the preview monitor.  It worked out well for us.  We did and do have our computer SVideo go through a mixer and then one of the mixer outputs goes to the tv monitor.  On our tv monitor we have the mixer outputs which helps us.  In our youth room, we have a tv preview monitor which comes out of the output of a RF Modulator.  It also works out well, but it does have the same thing on it that the screens do.  It is just easier to see the output close up.  We also have a dual video card in that computer, but we extend the desktop onto the screens. The computer does recognize the 2 monitors.  I'm not sure if that is because of our video card or not because before we had a dual video card, it recognized 2 monitors also.

Am I making sense?

Karen

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