PC with two monitors?

[MyBudgetPC builder]

Ok I have no dvd players now (don't ask :( ), I was thinking of having a computer that supports 2 screens, one for a TV, one for a monitor. I would like to have it so that I can watch a movie on the TV while able to use the monitor for the internet, etc. at the same time. Is this doable?

[ronniebee]

Ok I have no dvd players now (don't ask :( ), I was thinking of having a computer that supports 2 screens, one for a TV, one for a monitor. I would like to have it so that I can watch a movie on the TV while able to use the monitor for the internet, etc. at the same time. Is this doable?

Yes this is doable. You will need a dual output graphics card with two dvi outputs for Hi-def TV or just a TV out for regular TV.

Research graphic cards at newegg for ones that will work.

Ronnie Bee

[Redd]

OK........I am about to order a video card with dual DVI. Do all dual DVI's offer two different signals or do they send the same signal and only offer separate hook-ups?
Also........I want to go in and delete the drivers for the XFX video card that I am using and I don't see anything in the Add and remove programs that shows anything about XFX drivers other than a listing for NVIDIA drivers. I don't want to remove the wrong programs?

[The Wise Monkey]

When you are about to change video cards, find you card in Device Manager and select Uninstall drivers. That should do it.

Also, dual DVI means that there are two outputs for the same signal. However, if you are going to use multiple monitors, you can get software that allows you to customize what is shown on each monitor e.g. clone view, spread the desktop across both monitors etc.

[Redd]

Thanks for answering TWM.
In response to ronniebees' answer------Two different signals are doable? It would be nice to use my computer to play a movie on my plasma while I use the computer monitor for doing whatever else I might want to do. SO......Are there cards that offer this capability? {OR does the DVI simply allow you to watch the movie on either screen without having to swap cables?}

[The Wise Monkey]

You could do this - just run the movie on your computer in Windows Media Player, say, and use the software relavent to your graphics card to move it onto the plasma screen display.

For example, nVidia have a program called nView, which is installed with the latest drivers iirc. This allows you to set up multiple monitors.

The whole idea is that there is only one signal being sent out, but it is divided into two halves. Your OS will think that it is just one big display - the overlying software will do the work for you.