Is this possible ???

**Raas** · 11-27-2001, 09:51 AM

Hi All,

Maybe I'm daydreaming, but I was thinking about the following:

Recently I have purchased a computer for our youth-centre in my town. The main reason for this is to play music.
We already had a computer, but it got old and unreliable so we needed a new one.
The new one is a P4 1.8Ghz,256,80gb,GeForce3 with all in- and outputs,Dolby5.1 outputs,CD-Writer,DVD,FireWire,etc..etc all for &1000

The main purpose for this machine will be playing music. But it's fully loaded with a DVD-drive and a huge HD where I can put mp3s and Divx on.

Now I'm playing with the following:
Is it possible to have this computer playing mp3's and Divx/DVD at the same time ? I would like to play movies using the GeForce3 it's video-outputs on a standard television, and then use the dolby5.1 outputs to create cinema-audio in the room the movie is played.
But meanwhile, in the other room people like to hear music from the computer. And people must have the ability to control the music while the movie is playing. (movie has to be on full screen and must not be stopped when controlling the music)

I figured out that I would need at least an extra sound-card which the mp3-app (preferable musicmatch because off its easy-to-use music library) will use.
Because the movie will use the 5.1 card.

It would be very nice if one could control all with 2 screens (i'll have to add another video-card then)(dual monitor setup)
On one screen all the music-controlling is done, while on the other screen WinDVD (or something else) is running. The screens will be next to eachother, and be controlled by 1 mouse and 1 keyboard. I think I'll have to do it this way, otherwise the movie gets interrupted

So what i want to do is use 1 computer for all applications, controlled by 1 mouse and keyboard, but one application runs on another screen than the other.

Can someone help me out, or point me in some direction ?, 'cause I really don't know where to begin. If it's one application at a time, it's no problem at all. But both applications have to run.

I hope this is all possible with one single machine ! otherwise I have to think of some way that the new machine will be a server with all the media on, and the older computer will only be used to play mp3's, But I want it all in one machine !.

Thanks in Advance !!

Greetz

**PaulzY** · 11-27-2001, 12:36 PM

u seem to have it all figured out

i dunno bout geforece3 but some geforce2mx had twin view with tv out, so you could have playing on tv-out and have vga desktop clean (movie minimised) so you could still change songs without disturbing. otherwise instead of getting another vid-card geta dvd-decoder and use that for tvout, then this should do same thing and bebale to have movie minimised on desktop (although dvd decoder wont let u output divx u would have to use gf3 for that

(note: hollywood bringout a divx decoder and dvd decoeder in one read other post by me somewhere)

but u could avoid this but just putting in a character lcd with a winamp plugin, then someone can come search and change song without disturbing movie. might have to check how much cpu usage the plugin uses though. all the movie might slow down

i hope this was of some help

**Mikesz** · 11-27-2001, 05:38 PM

I think using the old computer for the mp3 player in a second room is by far a better solution. You might be able to get the video situated on 2 different screens while using the new computer for everything, but i dont know how you would get movie sound and mp3 sound to come from 2 different soundcards. If you did figure it all out, could the computer support it? Netgear fa311 network cards go for $20. slap one in each computer, make a crossover cable, map a drive over the new machine and your set.

mike

**Raas** · 11-28-2001, 03:40 AM

Thanks for your input guys !
I'll see what I can do with it !
I'll keep you informed.
Greetz

**gerard** · 11-28-2001, 04:03 AM

ok for the duch under us :
he raas, dat lijkt verdacht veel op het systeem wat recent in de aanbieding was bij onze ondergewaardeerde ALDI supermarktketen.

right?

(now if only i clould walk again)

**darkwingduck** · 11-28-2001, 04:30 AM

Yep the specs sounds alot like the one ALDI is selling at the moment.

hehe, Duch is fairly readable to Danes

**brooksy69** · 11-28-2001, 05:47 AM

Hi Guys - this is a question I guess for Raas and Gerard - and not related to what you guys were discussing before - so apologies for hi-jacking the topic - although I would agree with the networking solution which was proposed to answer the original question - I have done a similar thing at home.

I just wanted to ask what the cost of living in the Netherlands is like compared to the UK - ie food prices, housing (rent or to buy) and also what typical wages are like - I have applied for a job in Mastricht - which I am quite likely to be offered - so I just wanted to do a bit of homework about that kind of stuff before I decide to take it (if I am offered it that is!)

Many thanks.

**Raas** · 11-28-2001, 07:56 AM

Originally posted by gerard_NL:
<STRONG>ok for the duch under us :
he raas, dat lijkt verdacht veel op het systeem wat recent in de aanbieding was bij onze ondergewaardeerde ALDI supermarktketen.
right?
(now if only i clould walk again)

</STRONG>

Gerard, I'll answer in English so others can read too. (Sorry to hear your leg is still bad, good luck with that)

Yep, you're right about the pc from the Aldi.
I thought it was a good choice, good value for money. But you know what I don't get ????
They throw in a Dolby5.1 soundcard, and the speakers you're getting with them just suck, only 2 channel which you can get on almost every corner of the street for like $2,99, that's the only thing that sucks

Only thing with software is explorer.exe crashes each time I want to shutdown.. Damned WindowXP, I think I will just install win98se.

Brooksy69,
In my opinion life is not cheap in Holland, but then again the wages are fairly high. I know housing is expensive, both renting as buying (in holland over 50% of the houses is bought, not rented.) The Dutch are famous that they insure everything ! and in my opinion insurance is pretty high, but you can insure anything!
Then I must say I've never lived in another country before so I can't really compare things.

But If you've got education, and a good job (and thus a good wage) life is pretty cool in Holland.
People are pretty tolerant if you would ask me.

Only bad thing about holland is the weather, But I guess you can't get worse because you're in GB right now. (no offense).

And (I'm sorry I have to bring this up) soft-drugs are 'legal' around here, and this is one of the things I really like

, and that's because I absolutely don't like alcohol.
Hey.. a man has got to do something !!
(we've got something else just but Windmills, Wooden Shoes and Cheese)

Maybe OMS can explain this a little bit more, He as former russian (??) came to holland a couple of years ago.

If have have forgotten something (and I'm sure I am) Gerard and the others will post some other things i guess.

Hope this helps you out !

Greetz

**brooksy69** · 11-28-2001, 09:27 AM

thanks for the info - I guess everywhere is expensive to live - there is always someone trying to screw money out of you for something or another - as for insurance thats is a complete rip off wherever you live. I like the comments on 'soft' drugs - I think the relaxations which it looks like we are going to see over here will make life a lot more pleasent - if you know what I mean.

**etrik** · 11-28-2001, 12:38 PM

ideally for your setup an SMP (dual processor) machine would be perfect. you could set the affinity of the divx player to one processor and the mp3 player to the other. no skipping. i have this working on my home machine.
specs:
MOBO: abit vp6
processors two p3 1ghz
Ram: 2gb pc133
hd: 20gb, 60 gb, 75 gb
PPlextor cdrw
toshiba dvd
geforce 2gts w tv out
sb live 5.1
sb awe64 gold

i have the sblive set as my primary sound device so powerdvd will use it, and i set winamp to use the 64gold as it has rca outputs. works like a charm. good luck man
etrik

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