Adding a second monitor...

[Billy Bob Joe Bob 1958]

Hey all,

I run my show from a laptop.

Right now I have ONE external monitor--primarily for the singers to use.

What I'd like to do is add a SECOND monitor, or more specifically, I'd like to be able to plug in to the TV screen/monitors that are available at various venues.

Is there an easy way to add a second monitor? Is there a way to (1) get my first monitor up and running and then (2) split its signal?

Does anyone know how to do this simply and reliably?

Thanks!

[DanG2006]

run coaxial to your tv's. If you get the right RF modulator, you can power up and get both of your tv's a picture without even being hooked up to the tv's yet. At least that worked for me. It also worked when I was hooked up to a HDTV's rca video in. It wouldn't send the signal needed to tell my laptop that it was there so I finally had to hook up the laptop to my rf modulator, which I have if the venue's TV is so old it only has Coaxial connections, and switching to the rca cord connected to the tv to get a picture. If you split the signal with a splitter, possibly only one of your monitors has to be on the channel to send a signal back to your computer.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... id=prod_cs is a cable you can split with.

[mnementh]

Hey all,

I run my show from a laptop.

Right now I have ONE external monitor--primarily for the singers to use.

What I'd like to do is add a SECOND monitor, or more specifically, I'd like to be able to plug in to the TV screen/monitors that are available at various venues.

Is there an easy way to add a second monitor? Is there a way to (1) get my first monitor up and running and then (2) split its signal?

Does anyone know how to do this simply and reliably?

Thanks!

Minor request for extra information!!!

The 2nd "monitor" you already use? IS it a second PC monitor or a TV?

Either way is no problem but it's important to be sure which it is!

If it's a PC monitor, then you simply need a VGA amplifier/distribution box;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/StarTech-8-Port-2 ... 5d2739901e

This is an 8 way unit and IS a bit expensive plus you'll need extra VGA leads.

If you have a VGA to composite convertor for use with a TV phono input, then this would be the beastie;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Audio-Video-6-Way ... 2c53325a46

This would only require 75R phone leads.

If you have flat screen TV's at your venues, then "most" of these will have direct PC input sockets and option 1 above would be O.K.

If not, then you'll need a VGA/TV convertor;

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Notebook-Laptop-P ... 5ad1e0dcfb

This is what I use and it works very well.

HTH,
Sandy

[Billy Bob Joe Bob 1958]

[quote="DanG2006"]run coaxial to your tv's. quote]


Coaxial is certainly inexpensive...I could easily afford 100 or 200 feet!

The question is...how do I get my laptop to interface with coaxial cable? (How do I plug it in?)

[wiseguy]

Coaxial is certainly inexpensive...I could easily afford 100 or 200 feet!

The question is...how do I get my laptop to interface with coaxial cable? (How do I plug it in?)

Get an RF modulator (about 30 dollars at RadioShack) that has an s-video input. Run an s-video cable from the laptop to the RF. The RF converts the signal to VHF and has a coaxial connection. Now you can run coaxial to any TV (or TVs if you use a splitter).

[Billy Bob Joe Bob 1958]

Hey all,

Is there an easy way to add a second monitor?

Thanks all for the great help!

It looks like there are two ways I could go...either the RF Modulator approach or the VGA splitter approach.

Neither is perfect for me...

My sound system and MOUSE already eat up all my USB ports...(so the VGA splitter would force me to use the clumsy touchpad during shows).

As for RF Modulation, my laptop lacks an S-video port.

But no worries...you've given me great info and I'll figure it out from here! Thanks a bundle! (I'll come back later and let ya' know what I do and how it goes!)

By the way, Billy Bob Joe Bob 1958 is my youtube ID. (For those who were curious.)

[wiseguy]

How do you use have extended desktop without s-video out?

Anyway, the RF modulator also has an RCA video input.

[Billy Bob Joe Bob 1958]

How do you use have extended desktop without s-video out?


Hey again...

I have a standard monitor jack...

You think there's an RF Modulator that can plug in there? (The one's I've seen have S-vide jacks, the round ones.)

Best!

[mnementh]

Hey all,

Is there an easy way to add a second monitor?

My sound system and MOUSE already eat up all my USB ports...(so the VGA splitter would force me to use the clumsy touchpad during shows).

As for RF Modulation, my laptop lacks an S-video port.

Ever heard of a USB hub???

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MINI-4-Port-USB-2 ... 414d4d98cc

Extra ports, as if by magic!!!

My earlier post gives the option of a PC to TV convertor, readily available on Ebay. No need for S-Video, in fact it gives you one, as well as a composite video and extra monitor VGA connector.

Sandy

[Bigdog]

You don't need s-video output to have a second screen.

You can not run 100-200 feet of coax to multiple TVs without an RF amplifier. The signal will degrade and have interference lines through it.

From computer to RF modulator, to RF amplifier, to TVs.

[DanG2006]

or from PC to TV, to RF Modulator, to RF Amplifier and then to the TV's.

[Billy Bob Joe Bob 1958]

[quote="mnementh"

Ever heard of a USB hub???

Nope, never have--I'm not an IT guy...but that could be helpful.

But how about THIS? I'm really intrigued about using coaxial cable. That's cheap and easy to split. (I could easily afford to use three or four TVs at this one bar where I work.)


The trouble here though: I have no S video coming out of my laptop (to go into an RF Modulator). Is there a way to emulate one of those?

Hey, and at least for tonight, I bought a Radio Shack two way VGA splitter. Talk about simple!

But again...any way to emulate/splice that S video output?

Best!

[mnementh]

But how about THIS? I'm really intrigued about using coaxial cable. That's cheap and easy to split. (I could easily afford to use three or four TVs at this one bar where I work.)
Best!

Again,
the third option in my initial reply provides

1) spare PC VGA connection
2) S-video output
3) RCA phono composite output.

You should note however, that simply splitting the signal between numerous monitors will result in the same problems as trying to run a single VERY LONG phono lead, i.e. picture degredation, etc.

You need a video AMPLIFIER/splitter to run to multiple TV's

Sandy

[Bigdog]

http://sewelldirect.com/pc-to-tv.asp

This does it.

VGA in...... S-video...RCA...VGA...outs

You can send the RCA or S-VIDEO to an RF Modulator. Make sure the modulator accepts the one you pick to feed it.