What do I need for dual monitors? (and other questions:)

[doubtme]

Hi all, just a couple of quick questions I'm hoping someone can answer for this poor pc newbie :)

(1) What do I need to do dual display? Do I have to have a gfx card with two VGA outs or can I get (an AGP) one with a VGA out and put my old PCI voodoo-1 in as well?

(2) What is S-video? And what sort of connector does it use? Standard red-white-yellow? Or is that RCA? Any help with this would be much appreciated - I have not been able to find any information one way or the other :(

(3) Presumably if playing back DVD's through a TV out the sound will come from the TV system? Or is it still passed onto the soundcard? (In which case I might not get those $10 speakers after all...:)

Thanks in advance for any help or links :)
Cheers,
Doubtme

[RJ]

Hello,

1: In order to use dual display you eighter need a card with two VGA outputs (like the Matrox DualHead cards) or two graphics cards (eighter 2 PCI or 1 AGP + 1 PCI).
After installing both cards you can choose eighter to expand the desktop to the other screen or just to view the same screen twice. That's done in properties of display.

2: Go to http://www.tvtool.de and choose your english language. On that site all things referring to TV out is explained very well.

3: No, the sound still gets out form the sound card. The TV-Out only sends video signals.
The easiest thing is to get a SCART adapter (it's cheap), then connect TV-cable (normally S-VHS) to SCART adapter and also connect sound card with SCART adapter via a Y-cable. Then you send both video and audio signals to your TV or video recorder.

Hope this helps.

RJ

[doubtme]

Many thanks for your help - tis much appreciated

Doubtme

[glc]

Using 2 video cards and Windows' dual monitor support will not allow you to view the same thing on both monitors - it will only allow you to extend your desktop. To get same display on both monitors, you need either a dual head Matrox card, or a Startech video splitter box.

[archie]

A s-video connector looks somewhat similar to a PS/2 connector. More info about s-video ... http://www.vidgames.com/ps/hints/svideo.html