"Hot change" HTPC between Epson projector(DVI) and (1 Viewer)

[sri]

Hello!

I want to start with saying thanks for reading!

I've planned on getting a projector soon, my problem is that i use VGA->scartRGB on my CRT TV to get the optimal picture. The TV uses a 720x576 resolution at 25Hz. In my HTPC i have an ATI x700, which has two outputs, one DVI and one VGA. I plan to use the VGA for my CRT (as i do now) but at the same time have my projector connected to the DVI output, which will have run at 1280x720 and 50/60Hz..

Now, to change between the two "displays" while running windows is just a keycombination away. I am though not certain on how MP will react in the sense that the overscan et.c. is adjusted to fit the CRT TV, which of course HAS overscan while the projector does not.. That's the only problem i can come up with, but is there other concerns to this matter?

Does anyone know if there is a way to "avoid" this problem?

And btw, does anyone have an Epson EMP-TW520 (or the equivalent Cinema 550 i think it's called in USA )? How do you like it?

Again, thanks for reading!

Best regards, sri

 

[RoyN]

I dont think there will be any problem... afaik the overscanning can be set at the graphic card (at least in my card it can, on the svhs output, didnt check for vga, but it might have something), and in that case adjust it on the card...

Try hooking up a VGA monitor on your vga port and see how the overscan affects it, the projector will likely respond in the same way...

now if you do it at the graphic card level, as opposed to doing it in MP, you will have different overscan levels for each output, giving the appropriate scan for the Projector and TV...

good luck

 

[sri]

Thanks for the tip Roy! =)

I'll definately look for some settings for this, that would be awesome! Would you mind telling me what graphics card you have?

I've also downloaded a "tutorial" for accessing the service menu of my CRT TV where i probably can decrease the overscan, but i'd rather not do that since i no longer have any warranty left on it..

Thanks again!
//Sri

 

[RoyN]

like I said, i never changed overscan for a vga port.. my card (geforce 5600) has a s-video out, and the softqare has a overscan feature....it changes overscan on that port

 

[kamrat]

There is another problem to consider.
I am running a similar setup - one projector running 1280x720@50Hz on the VGA-out, a TFT-monitor on the DVI-D and a CRT on the S-video-output of my Geforce 6600GT.
That means that I have three different outputs running at different resolutions and refreshrates.
I can toggle between the outputs using CTRL+B and that works very well. Resolutions are remembered for the different devices and change automatically HOWEVER media portal does not recognize that the resolution has changed. Even if MP is minimized when i change monitor it has problems displaying video at the right resolution when maximized again. As long as no video is shown in MP it all seems to be fine but when entering My TV it starts to display video using the old resolution.
The workaround is to exit MP first, then switch screens and start MP over again. This is a problem when MP is recording and you want to change display.
Anyone know how to get around this?

 

[GitsLM]

kamrat,

I know it is not related tothe question in the beginning but how do you change from one display to the other with a key combination. Do I need a tool for that or is there a setting in the nvidia driver available ?

 

[bigj]

Hi - I just found this old thread using a search.

I'm looking to maybe upgrade to a projector + TV combo soon.
I will probably attach both devices to the same head (primary) and dynamically adjust the video mode using powerstrip/girder key mapping.
(1024x576PAL 50hz interlaced for the CRT TV and probably 720p for the projector).

So, the question for me is how well does MP handle the video mode being resized while it is running.
Kamrat stated the same issue quite well. Is it resolved in any way?

My thoughts are this - that MP does support video mode (DX9) being reinstantiated dynamically since it supports the switch between windowed and fullscreen using ALT-ENTER. So...... if it handles the windows messages correctly it should work; at the very least it should be possible to wire up an MP command/key to 'reinitialise video mode' as if 'fullscreen' was being re-entered (albeit at a new resolution).

Anyone any experience with making this stuff work?

Thanks
BigJ.

 

[Atramhasis]

Hi - I just found this old thread using a search.

Me too.

I have the same problem: I use a small screen and a projector with different resolutions. When I watch TV on the screen and then decide to switch to the projector than MP stops TV and after switching it on it uses false aspect ratio (sometimes the skin looks bad, too). I use a macro now that closes MP and opens it again after the switch, but it is just a workaround.

Is there a solution for it?

 

[bigj]

Hi,
I do now have a projector.
But I run it on the 2nd head (DVI->HDMI) in clone mode.
The CRT is PAL interlaced VGA->SCART - mode is 720x576
I use powerstrip to ensure that the cloned mode is *not* interlaced so get full progressive.

This means I just turn on the projector or TV or both and it just works.
I don't get the native proj res (1280x720) so proj is scaling up from 720x576 - but then I don't have any HD sources so no worries there really.

I may update TV to LCD in future - if I get HD DVBT or Bluray - and would be sure to get device handling 720p so could run both devices at 1280x720

If cloning isn't an option or the resolution definitely needs to change - it's worth noting that using TVServer it isn't that much of a hassle now shutting down MP and setting new mode - I mean recordings continue.
It might be easy to write a script that automates MP shutdown/mode change/MP restart. oops - as indeed you say you are already doing.

 

[Atramhasis]

Cloning is not a solution for me because I like it sharp and not stretched (Screen is 16:10, Projector 16:9).
Anytime I hope to have just FullHD screen and projector and the problem will be gone...