Multiple Monitor questions on hardware and software

A friend of mine want to set up a multiple monitor system in a new
visitor center and asked for my help. This is not something I've ever
had a reason to experiment with.

Basically, she want's visitors to enter a "movie area" and have a video
w/ sound or PowerPoint or XXXX automatically start to play on a monitor
to the left. Then progress to the center monitor, the to the right and
last monitor. After that, I'm not sure what she wishes to do. She's
still fleshing out her thoughts and ideas.

So, I'm elected to do some research. LOL

She needs to keep costs to a minimum. It's not certain what OS she will
be using. XP, Vista, and Win7 are all possibilities, depending on what
is available internally to her, compared to what may have to be purchased.

The multiple monitor idea may be reduced to a wall projector, again due
to cost and internal availability.

Hardware and software wise, what do I Google for as far as the subject
and search terms?

If anyone has any suggestions and/or recommendations for hardware,
software, or anything else, please toss them out.

Feel free to ask questions too.

--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 16.0.1
Thunderbird 16.0.1
LibreOffice 3.5.6.2

From: "Ken Springer" <>

> A friend of mine want to set up a multiple monitor system in a new
> visitor center and asked for my help. This is not something I've ever
> had a reason to experiment with.
>
> Basically, she want's visitors to enter a "movie area" and have a video
> w/ sound or PowerPoint or XXXX automatically start to play on a monitor
> to the left. Then progress to the center monitor, the to the right and
> last monitor. After that, I'm not sure what she wishes to do. She's
> still fleshing out her thoughts and ideas.
>
> So, I'm elected to do some research. LOL
>
> She needs to keep costs to a minimum. It's not certain what OS she will
> be using. XP, Vista, and Win7 are all possibilities, depending on what
> is available internally to her, compared to what may have to be purchased.
>
> The multiple monitor idea may be reduced to a wall projector, again due
> to cost and internal availability.
>
> Hardware and software wise, what do I Google for as far as the subject
> and search terms?
>
> If anyone has any suggestions and/or recommendations for hardware,
> software, or anything else, please toss them out.
>
> Feel free to ask questions too.
>

It sounds doable. Get a video card that drives two or more monitors. That
is it has two are more VGA or DVI outputs. This can be done with one card
with muliple ports, a card using a video splitter cable and some cards that
may take two card slots.

4-port Video card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-pla-_-NA-_-NA

2-port video card (shows card and both VGA and DVI Y-connectors)
http://www.geek2seek.com/lenovo-nvid...Fc1lOgodfywA_Q

I have had numerous situations of managing systems with two monitors. Most
were Dell platforms. Many desktops that have a video card that drives two
monitors using a Y-connector. Others were Dell Latitude notebooks using
docking stations driving two monitors (one DVI and one VGA). In one
instance using a Dell Latitude D630 and a full sized Latitude D series
docking station, I installed a PCI video card in the docking station that
allowed that notebook to drive three monitors. That guy used the three
monitors to the max. One monitor with MS Outlook, one with Excel and the
third was his desktop. Also taking advantage of rotating the screen 90
degrees for Portait Video Mode.

I also had a chance to implement (and I can't remember the name or vendor)
a device that had one VGA input and three VGA outputs; Left, Mdiddle and
Right. This allowed one virtually large screen spread over the three
monitors or three virtual screens. It was software driven and was too
difficult to get to work as expected so its was dropped in the circular
file.

At home I have a docking station connected to my JVC TV in my living room.
I use the LCD screen of my Latitude for the desktop and show content on the
JVC TV which amounts to a 25" (1024x768) monitor.

--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

On 11/19/12 3:48 PM, David H. Lipman wrote:

<snip>

> It sounds doable. Get a video card that drives two or more monitors. That
> is it has two are more VGA or DVI outputs. This can be done with one card
> with muliple ports, a card using a video splitter cable and some cards that
> may take two card slots.
>
> 4-port Video card
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-pla-_-NA-_-NA
>
> 2-port video card (shows card and both VGA and DVI Y-connectors)
> http://www.geek2seek.com/lenovo-nvid...Fc1lOgodfywA_Q

Thanks, Dave. With the links I found further info on using multiple
monitors, but what I've found so far, only talks about moving your
normal windows to the monitor you wish. So that, I think I now have a
handle on, and to me doesn't seem all that difficult to understand.

Now, I need to try to find out how to play a video, for instance. Have
the video start in one monitor, then move to a different monitor
automatically.

Any idea how that can be done?
--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 16.0.1
Thunderbird 16.0.1
LibreOffice 3.5.6.2

From: "Ken Springer" <>

> On 11/19/12 3:48 PM, David H. Lipman wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>> It sounds doable. Get a video card that drives two or more monitors. That
>> is it has two are more VGA or DVI outputs. This can be done with one card
>> with muliple ports, a card using a video splitter cable and some cards that
>> may take two card slots.
>>
>> 4-port Video card
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-pla-_-NA-_-NA
>>
>> 2-port video card (shows card and both VGA and DVI Y-connectors)
>> http://www.geek2seek.com/lenovo-nvid...Fc1lOgodfywA_Q
>
> Thanks, Dave. With the links I found further info on using multiple monitors, but what
> I've found so far, only talks about moving your normal windows to the monitor you wish.
> So that, I think I now have a handle on, and to me doesn't seem all that difficult to
> understand.
>
> Now, I need to try to find out how to play a video, for instance. Have the video start
> in one monitor, then move to a different monitor automatically.
>
> Any idea how that can be done?

Why would you want it to start in say Monitor 1 and move to Monitor 2 ?

Drag the video player to Monitor 2 and it always play on Monitor 2.



--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

On 11/20/12 6:56 AM, David H. Lipman wrote:
> From: "Ken Springer" <>
>
>> On 11/19/12 3:48 PM, David H. Lipman wrote:
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>>> It sounds doable. Get a video card that drives two or more monitors. That
>>> is it has two are more VGA or DVI outputs. This can be done with one card
>>> with muliple ports, a card using a video splitter cable and some cards that
>>> may take two card slots.
>>>
>>> 4-port Video card
>>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-pla-_-NA-_-NA
>>>
>>> 2-port video card (shows card and both VGA and DVI Y-connectors)
>>> http://www.geek2seek.com/lenovo-nvid...Fc1lOgodfywA_Q
>>
>> Thanks, Dave. With the links I found further info on using multiple monitors, but what
>> I've found so far, only talks about moving your normal windows to the monitor you wish.
>> So that, I think I now have a handle on, and to me doesn't seem all that difficult to
>> understand.
>>
>> Now, I need to try to find out how to play a video, for instance. Have the video start
>> in one monitor, then move to a different monitor automatically.
>>
>> Any idea how that can be done?
>
> Why would you want it to start in say Monitor 1 and move to Monitor 2 ?

The presentation is about mining operations. Monitor 1 would be about
getting the material out of the ground. Then move to the 2nd monitor,
which would be about transporting the material to the processing plant.
The 3rd would be about the processing itself.

Spatially, if you think of just 4 walls to a room, you walk through the
door that's located in the middle of one wall. Monitor 1 is on the left
wall, and plays its portion. Monitor 2 is on the wall directly in front
of you, and when Monitor 1 is finished, it plays its portion. Monitor 3
is on the right wall, when Monitor 2 is finished, Monitor 3 plays it's
portion. I think the idea is to try to present a better "feel" of
distance traveled.

> Drag the video player to Monitor 2 and it always play on Monitor 2.

That understood by me now, after checking links out last night.

I wonder if it would be possible to automate playing of 3 different
videos, sequentially, in the 3 monitors. Doing it with scripts and/or
batch files is beyond our abilities, though.

I stumbled on to a comment about the VLC Media Player, and it's ability
to do something similar. I posted my question there last night, but
some views and no replies as of yet. I'm not a viewer of videos,
movies, YouTube, etc. on the computer, I'd rather sit in the recliner
and watch the TV! LOL So I have minimal knowledge of video software
and its capabilities.


--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 16.0.1
Thunderbird 16.0.1
LibreOffice 3.5.6.2

From: "Ken Springer" <>

>> Why would you want it to start in say Monitor 1 and move to Monitor 2 ?
>
> The presentation is about mining operations. Monitor 1 would be about
> getting the material out of the ground. Then move to the 2nd monitor,
> which would be about transporting the material to the processing plant.
> The 3rd would be about the processing itself.
>
> Spatially, if you think of just 4 walls to a room, you walk through the
> door that's located in the middle of one wall. Monitor 1 is on the left
> wall, and plays its portion. Monitor 2 is on the wall directly in front
> of you, and when Monitor 1 is finished, it plays its portion. Monitor 3
> is on the right wall, when Monitor 2 is finished, Monitor 3 plays it's
> portion. I think the idea is to try to present a better "feel" of
> distance traveled.
>
>> Drag the video player to Monitor 2 and it always play on Monitor 2.
>
> That understood by me now, after checking links out last night.
>
> I wonder if it would be possible to automate playing of 3 different
> videos, sequentially, in the 3 monitors. Doing it with scripts and/or
> batch files is beyond our abilities, though.
>
> I stumbled on to a comment about the VLC Media Player, and it's ability
> to do something similar. I posted my question there last night, but
> some views and no replies as of yet. I'm not a viewer of videos,
> movies, YouTube, etc. on the computer, I'd rather sit in the recliner
> and watch the TV! LOL So I have minimal knowledge of video software
> and its capabilities.
>

I think you are on the right track with VLC.


--
Dave
Multi-AV Scanning Tool - http://multi-av.thespykiller.co.uk
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

On 11/20/12 10:19 AM, David H. Lipman wrote:
> From: "Ken Springer" <>
>
>>> Why would you want it to start in say Monitor 1 and move to Monitor 2 ?
>>
>> The presentation is about mining operations. Monitor 1 would be about
>> getting the material out of the ground. Then move to the 2nd monitor,
>> which would be about transporting the material to the processing plant.
>> The 3rd would be about the processing itself.
>>
>> Spatially, if you think of just 4 walls to a room, you walk through the
>> door that's located in the middle of one wall. Monitor 1 is on the left
>> wall, and plays its portion. Monitor 2 is on the wall directly in front
>> of you, and when Monitor 1 is finished, it plays its portion. Monitor 3
>> is on the right wall, when Monitor 2 is finished, Monitor 3 plays it's
>> portion. I think the idea is to try to present a better "feel" of
>> distance traveled.
>>
>>> Drag the video player to Monitor 2 and it always play on Monitor 2.
>>
>> That understood by me now, after checking links out last night.
>>
>> I wonder if it would be possible to automate playing of 3 different
>> videos, sequentially, in the 3 monitors. Doing it with scripts and/or
>> batch files is beyond our abilities, though.
>>
>> I stumbled on to a comment about the VLC Media Player, and it's ability
>> to do something similar. I posted my question there last night, but
>> some views and no replies as of yet. I'm not a viewer of videos,
>> movies, YouTube, etc. on the computer, I'd rather sit in the recliner
>> and watch the TV! LOL So I have minimal knowledge of video software
>> and its capabilities.
>>
>
> I think you are on the right track with VLC.

I got one reply in the VLC forum since writing my post, and the poster
doubted it could be done. :-(

Eyefinity has been mentioned twice to me, so I'll have to check it out.
I wish there was a way to try the ideas out without having to purchase
it. <grin>

--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.6.8
Firefox 16.0.1
Thunderbird 16.0.1
LibreOffice 3.5.6.2