Dual Screen Setup

[kevin1889]

I'm almost ready to start my first build. Working through the permit process now. This forum has been a tremendous help and I'll be sure to post my progress (as well as ask lots more questions).

My intent is to have a simulator/movie theater room in my basement. My question is for those of you that have a projector and a second TV screen in the room, how do you have them all connected?
- Do you have the Projector and the TV screen running off the computer and use dual-screens on the PC?
- Do you just have the Projector on the computer and the TV on a cable box?
- Do you have a system of switches to go back and forth between cable or PC?

Ideally I'd like to have flexible solution so that I could use both the PC and the cable box on the TV as well as the Projector. When I'm hitting on Skytrak I sometimes stream a video through Kinovea. This would allow me to have SkyTrak on the Projector Screen and the live video on my TV. But, I'd also like to sometimes have the simluator on the projector and watch sports on the TV through a cable box. Throw in an Apple TV and I've got a third source.

Any ideas?

[Supraracer]

I have a smart TV, so no need for a cable box. I use my TV as a second monitor on TV input HDMI 1 and can extend the desktop to run other programs on the TV, like youtube and kinovea. I can also watch tv on it thru the app or just run the skytrak on the TV if I don't feel like firing up the projector. I have my computer feed a surround sound receiver and projector as monitor 1 through the graphics card HDMI and PC direct to the TV as monitor 2. You can use the Graphics card HDMI to Projector and onboard HDMI to the TV (motherboard HDMI) so you don't burden the graphics card with the additional load.

[kevin1889]

I have a smart TV, so no need for a cable box. I use my TV as a second monitor on TV input HDMI 1 and can extend the desktop to run other programs on the TV, like youtube and kinovea. I can also watch tv on it thru the app or just run the skytrak on the TV if I don't feel like firing up the projector. I have my computer feed a surround sound receiver and projector as monitor 1 through the graphics card HDMI and PC direct to the TV as monitor 2. You can use the Graphics card HDMI to Projector and onboard HDMI to the TV (motherboard HDMI) so you don't burden the graphics card with the additional load.

So, when having it on dual display, one display on the projector and the other on the TV screen, do the aspect ratios need to be the same? Or will the computer automatically adjust to the resolution and aspect ratio of each screen individually?

[Supraracer]

You can set them independently

[triplebogeysrbetter]

If I extend the display and my graphics go south is there something I can fix?

I'm looking to extend my laptop screen and projector. On the projector will be TGC. on the laptop Foresight so I can see ball/club data.

Any thoughts?

[longstix]

I just use my home theatre stereo Amp. Have an HDMI coming from my computer video card to my one of HDMI in on amp and all other components as well (blu ray, Apple TV, satellite etc..). It works very well then your amp does the switching. My amp has 3 HDMI outs. As of right now I am only using one and share the projector for sim and theatre with a roll up impact screen. Eventually I want a second projector that is short throw so I can fill the impact screen. Right now it projects a smaller image on the impact screen but still 8’ wide by almost 4’ high. Works great for now till I can get the other projector.