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Dual Head & HDTV Component Out

426 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by elmalloc, Oct 17, 2004

Big Foot

Discussion Starter · Oct 15, 2004

I have a Matrox G400 dual head video card which I currently output to my 1024x768 computer monitor via a VGA cable. I also have an HDTV with component inputs (no DVI). I want to simultaneously output to the HDTV in its native 1920x1080 resolution.

The only option that ATI says will support dual head and component out according to their HDTV Component Video Adapter FAQ is an All-in-Wonder card.

Specifically it says:

"Component Output is a single display feature and will not work simultaneously with TV Output (ALL-IN-WONDERÂ® cards) nor simultaneously with VGA monitors (non-TV enabled graphics boards). The only exception is with the ALL-IN-WONDERÂ® 9700 Series."

Additionally, the ATI HDTV Adapter manual states you have to shut down, switch the cable and reboot to switch from one display to the other.

Does anyone have experience with a less expensive alternative than a $350 All-in-Wonder card?

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miimura

· #2 · Oct 15, 2004

Yes, use a component transcoder. Then you basically have a conventional VGA dual-head setup. The output that goes to the HDTV goes through the component transcoder first. Windows can set different resolutions on differnt monitors, but to get the HDTV resolution, you will probably have to use Powerstrip. However, to make things easier, do it with a single monitor config first. Then once you know exactly what settings you want to use, then go dual-head.

Good Luck,

- Mike

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Big Foot

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 16, 2004

Thanks for the transcoder idea. I also discovered that the AIW 9700 Pro is going for $125-$175 on Ebay, so I am also considering upgrading my card. Anyone have any experience comparing:

1) An AIW 9700 in a dual head configuration with one output to a computer monitor and the other output to a HDTV using the red component out adapter cable.

vs.

2) A dual head card that does not support component out (such as the G400) with the second head connected to a HDTV via a transcoder.

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elmalloc

· #4 · Oct 16, 2004

hey,I have an ati all in wonder 9700 PRO, the same card you guys are discussing.

It has only a DVI out (which I use a vga connector to connect my monitor to). It has a dongled video out for HDTV components. Everywhre I read though, why would I use COMPONENTS to my TV instead of the DVI? So I bought an HDMI-DVI-D, and a DVI-D cable to go to my PC. I haven't treid it yet, but basically I can't use my PC monitor and TV at the same tim ewith this configuration...

What am I doing wrong? I dind' ttry to do it yet...should I try to do the hdtv component outs?

-ELmO

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araghava

· #5 · Oct 16, 2004

i have ati 9700 (not aiw). its a dual head card. i have the dvi output connected using the component dongle to my hdtv and the vga output to a computer monitor. i use extended desktop mode. works without any problems.

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elmalloc

· #6 · Oct 17, 2004

the all in wonder is NOT dual head in the sense of vga and dvi. It has a DVI output, and a dongle to get component output (via anothe connector). I don't want to go componnet to my HDTV via PC, people said it looks bad - so what ar emy choices, I can't get DVI to work, i either do component to TV or I get a stand alone DVD player and connect it via DVI (and then I cna't use my PC on the TV...)

-ELmO

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