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Author Topic: HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?  (Read 1888 times)

ieee_raider

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HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?
« on: February 16, 2011, 01:07:45 am »

Let me explain...

I have an HTPC that's hooked up to my Panasonic hdtv.  The hdtv has limited resolutions available that it will actually display.
I'm currently running Windows 7 with WMC.  I can control it and it runs fine, but I want to do something a little more creative...

I recently purchased a 7" USB touchscreen monitor.  I can't run my monitors in "clone" mode because they can't display at the same resolution.

So what I'm trying to do is basically be able to do everything on the 7" touchscreen, but when I play a movie; have it automatically "sling" or display the video on the TV.
So that's the ideal, but I don't have to do exactly that... just something in that ballpark.

So the next idea I've had is that I could have something like WMC or MC15 running on the HDTV all the time and have a "remote access" display (like a web page or whatever it takes) on the USB monitor.  So I can control everything from the monitor.  I'd really like to have a nice big-button GUI on the touchscreen though.

I guess the other part to understand is that I don't use the tv display that often.  More often this is serving as a media streamer to a whole-home audio system.  So I use the touchscreen to change stations and such.

Anyone with MC15 experience have any ideas on how I could accomplish this?

Looking back, I probably should've just purchased an android tablet instead of the touchscreen; but I'm determined to make this work!  I need the wife acceptance factor!  :)

Thanks in advance!
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steveklein

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Re: HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2011, 01:57:43 am »

there are tablet-like apps available on things like the itouch and iphone that will essentially do what you are asking... turn into a touchscreen remote control with lots of displayed info basically. if you can navigate to http:// on your 7" touchscreen, this shouldn't be any problem.

and to be honest, this is your worst case scenario. i'm sure other people will offer more effective suggestions.

just as some examples:

apple itouch/iphone, or just any web browser http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=43402.0
logitech lcd's http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=51079.0
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glynor

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Re: HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2011, 03:25:22 pm »

This should work well.

1. Open MC's UI and move it to the touchscreen monitor and play something that shows a display (like a video).
2. Detach the display (right click on the playing window and choose Detach display).
3. Drag this new window over to the TV screen.
4. Double Click it to send it fullscreen on the TV.
5. Switch the main MC UI (still on the touchscreen) into Theater View mode.
6. Enjoy.  It will remember this setup so long as you don't close or "reattach" the detached display (when you want to shut MC down, just exit out via Theater View on the touchscreen).
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ieee_raider

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Re: HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?
« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2011, 03:30:36 pm »

Awesome!!! Will purchase and give it a shot on my next day off.

Thanks!
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glynor

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Re: HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?
« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2011, 03:33:53 pm »

There's a 30-day free trial.  Give it a shot first.
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glynor

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Re: HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?
« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2011, 03:36:13 pm »

One additional little note... MC16 is going to be going public sometime relatively soon.  But, you don't need to worry because if you buy MC15 now, you automatically get a MC16-compatible license.  So, the only reason I'm pointing this out is that you don't need to worry about it.

Also... For the record, I have a conceptually similar type of setup at work.  I have a "Video Wall" system (8 1080p displays combined into one massive desktop) in our lobby which runs a few different videos I made in a loop.  The videos are run by MC15 running on a computer in a different room (where you can't even see the video wall).  The MC UI runs on the little junky 1024x768 monitor attached locally to the computer in that separate room, but the "display" is detached and runs fullscreen on the video wall.  It works quite well.

Eventually I'll probably get a Windows 7 tablet and run MC in Theater View on the tablet, connected to the video wall system via the awesome "Tremote" feature of MC, so that you can browse and choose what content you want to see from the couch in the lobby.
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MrC

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Re: HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2011, 03:50:39 pm »

I have a "Video Wall" system (8 1080p displays combined into one massive desktop) in our lobby which runs a few different videos...
What, no photo for us to see?! :-)

This brought me way back.  I wrote the Unix video driver code for A/UX 2.x (Apple's foray into Unix) years ago.  My testing setup had 6 large CRTs acting as a single desktop. Ahhh, the glow.  Must've been around 1990.  Good times.
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glynor

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Re: HTPC with 2 monitors - Can MC15 "sling" to the 2nd monitor?
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2011, 04:18:50 pm »

These are quite old, unfortunately (wow, 2007).  I should really go down and take some new ones.

The system in those pictures has been replaced.  Those were 42" Samsung DLPs, and the layout was totally different.  Now they're 46" Samsung LCD panels, which are connected a bit differently, and the display is less "stuck" to the different individual screens.

PS.  One amusing difference between the old DLPs and the new LCD panels?  You can REALLY feel the heat coming off of the LCDs when you walk past the wall now.  LCDs (and Plasmas) throw most of their heat out the front of the display.  The DLPs were actually cold when you touched the glass.

I'll try to get some new pics tomorrow.
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