Dual Montior - M2 = GBPVR, M1 = Screensaver

[Amused]

I've just set up by new HDTV as a second monitor with a DVI-HDMI cable. The plan is that the TV can run GBPVR and watch recorded progs. from the PC.
Beside the obvious screen size and comfort issue this also leaves the pc free if it's needed. However when the PC isn't being used (seriously, working or watch House?) the PC's monitor's screensaver never kicks in. I don't know if Flat Panels can get screen burn and obviously don't want to find out and the extra light from the monitor can spoil dark and moody scenes.

So what I'd like is to have the second monitor (TV) running (and showing) GBPVR yet with the primary monitor (PC) showing a screen saver or something. I guess folks who are using Media Center on a HDTV have a similar problem.

Has anyone got any experience or ideas how to do this?

Amused

[Pob]

I use a similar setup, with gbpvr set to 'start on second monitor'.
Whilst viewing videos or live TV I don't think the Windows screen-saver could ever come on, for the same reason that whilst recording you would not want the PC to enter stand-by or hibernation mode! As the program is 'Active'
However if not playing / recording then gbpvr has it's own screen-saver and Windows power-saving does kick in.
So I don't think screen burn-in could be an issue.
When I watch TV or videos, and am not working, I either use 'clone' mode so both monitors are displaying the same thing, or just turn the montitor off!
BTW I was thinking of getting a 1080i HDTV as a montitor, how do you find it? Could you use yours to replace the primary display?
Pob

[gEd]

FYI: If you are using an nvidia graphics card (possibly ATI as well, I don't know) the card does not do hardware decoding of the mpeg file on the second display. For best picture quality, the TV screen should be set up as the primary.

I think if you search the forums for "primary secondary nvidia" you might find some more info on this topic.

[Amused]

Hi Pob

I know GBPVR has it's own screensaver, it's just that when it's loaded on the TV, the main PC monitor still displays the desktop. I know the Windows Power Management will kick in when I'm not doing anything, it was just hoping that something would exist out there to blank just the one monitor to avoid distraction without me getting up and turning the damn thing off! Maybe there is but I can't find it! I guess someone just has to write a moving image/screensaver prog which runs in full screen and then tie it to GBPVR or the remote or something. BTW ticking the "Run on Second Monitor" doesn't do anything in Vista because it Vista remembers the last monitor the program was run on, regardless of where the prog tries to run. In effect that means I just drag GBPVR as a window over to Monitor 2 and Alt-Enter back to full screen. Once done it stays there.

I can't replace the main monitor really because the PC is in the corner of the room and the TV is in the centre against the wall but angled away from the PC corner if that makes sense. Sat at the keyboard the TV is behind me! I could get a Media Center Keyboard/Joystick unit... maybe I will. It would rock to use the TV as a monitor. I've got use to the high res. of modern TFT monitors but the scale of high res on a TV... the first time I saw the desktop on the TV really was a WOW moment!

[Amused]

gEd

Interesting point. I can't seen any difference between mpeg picture quality on either monitor (aside from the obvious size). I've got a GeForce 8800 so it's possible it supports hardware decoding on both displays. Presumably if the second DVI socket did hardware decode MPEGs then the file would be Software decoded? If so then maybe the card does support both because I don't see any CPU use increase.

[bdshaffer]

How about turning the unused monitor off?