HELLO FELLOW FORUM MEMBERS

I have a front projector running off a cpu on one of the dvi outputs from a 7600gt card in dual mode.

the 2nd 15 in.monitor has its own resolution from 8 port vga splitter which it is supported by the other dvi output on the video card. the 15 in monitor is in the theater and i would like to turn off the signal when the movie starts, but not turn off the 8 port splitter.

the work arounds i came up with are:
using pixel buddy and setting program to black. It is not as black as turning off monitor.
use x ten appliance module and turn off 8 port splitter (the lobby monitor runs off the splitter and would not like to turn that off) the click is perdy loud. I use insteon control linc to turn the appliance module on and off in the theater.

the monitor is on central console in theater out of reach of my lazy finger. I have been using xlobby to access movies on small monitor and activating theater tek on big screen. I do not at this time have ir control on cpu (by reading, i thick i need a us virt??? and girder to control buttons in xlobby?)

I was thinking of having the monitor on a pole next to the seat but it is to cumbersome. the console area is nice since it is directly below the big screen.In dual mode,the n-veiw properties has the mouse scroll top of 15 inch monitor to the bottom of big screen. very nice. the monitor is very bright and would like to turn it off by removing signal.

i have seen the 100 dollar ir (http://www.shop.com/op/~Startech_com_8_To_1_VGA_Video_Switch_With_R-prod-14312297-20817245?sourceid=298) controled splitters but is there a better and simpler way of doing this?

any help would be most welcomed!

try a program called poweroff. You can configure it to turn off a monitor and to be initiated from another pc.

CQC (http://www.charmedquark.com) has a "Blank and blanker" function that would allow the monitor to be visibly turned off. The advantage with is if it was a touchscreen, any touch on the screen would 'wake it back up'.

This is more than just turning all the pixels black, as I understand it, it actually turns off the light source itself.

MainLobby uses a Client app called "MLWMIClient" that runs on the PC to be either shutdown, or monitor shutdown or brightned. Our Server component "MLWMIServer" then keeps in touch with the client to monitor critical functions on the client as well as ability to turn the monitor on / off. You can also shutdown the client and reboot it via a Wake On Lan packet that the WMIServer dishes out. All of this can be automated as well to turn on via a motion detector, a certain time of day, if a particular person logs into the security system, or a light switch is hit (or whatever).

Now, I am not sure if it will shutdown one monitor instance which sounds like is running on Extended desktop in your setup (dual mode)? Not quite sure from your description.

But, like you mentioned, you could just automate shutting the power off to the monitor as well. Not sure if Windows will see this and popup a message / make an annoying sound or not.

thank you guys for your insight.

dual mode is being used. one of the biggest problems with htpc is avoiding pop ups and dual mode does this nicely. pop ups go to the smaller monitor.

currently i am using a x-ten appliance module. It works fine but sounds noticeable.
i will look into power off. after further research i found a better hardware fix. a active vga splitter and a insteon app. module. they are suppose to be quiter. If they are anything like the wall relay then that would be great.