Multiple Video Sources

wicket · 08-11-2006, 10:47 PM

Is there a way to output multiple video, to seperate monitors from a car pc. For example in my suburban the kids in the back can watch spongebob, while my teenagers can watch something else?

pepsibobby · 08-12-2006, 12:25 AM

multiple monitor out video card. gotta please everyone, sounds hard.

FC3S · 08-12-2006, 01:56 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by pepsibobby

multiple monitor out video card.

exactly what he said, well, either multiple out vid card (a lot can output to 2 sources), or get multiple video cards (if your mobo has enough slots)

then just extend the desktop, put whatever video on whatever screen you want, mind you, to run multiple videos, you're gonna need quite a bit of ram..

not to mention you'll need some way to split sound properly, so that each screen can have its proper audio (dunno about this one, sry)

wicket · 08-12-2006, 02:15 AM

Is there a pc program that will let u view multiple videos, I am currently using media player 11. I have used a few others in the past but none would let u play multiple movies.

FC3S · 08-12-2006, 07:53 AM

"media player classic" will let you open up multiple windows, all showing different vids

dunno about any others though

Jahntassa · 08-12-2006, 01:51 PM

You have limitations of the video cards. Most video cards will only display one 'full motion video overlay' at once, even on two monitors. So you'd either need a specialized card (like the Matrox Parhelia) to play two videos on two outputs, or get multiple video cards.

Then you need multiple soundcards to put out the different sounds.

I don't know how you'd control the displays individually unless you have touchscreens. Plus you'd need a pretty powerful system to handle all that in the first place.

pepsibobby · 08-12-2006, 03:25 PM

sounds like a waste of money to me, make them all watch the same thing.

Vinister · 08-12-2006, 03:30 PM

just put in a cheap DVD player under the seats in the back, and hook it to the 'av-in' of all the monitors. Then run the audio to a cheap IR emitter. burn all the cartoons to dvds and let the kids load them in the dvd player themselves. solves your problem for like $150.

FC3S · 08-13-2006, 03:14 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Vinister

just put in a cheap DVD player under the seats in the back, and hook it to the 'av-in' of all the monitors. Then run the audio to a cheap IR emitter. burn all the cartoons to dvds and let the kids load them in the dvd player themselves. solves your problem for like $150.

$150 might not be cheaper

cheap pvi vid card is like $30, cheap sound card is like $20..

dont see how $50 is more expensive than $150

besides, what if the kids are too young and break the tray on said dvd player? not $150 anymore

wicket · 08-13-2006, 03:52 AM

Yeah, thats one of the probs, i dont want them handling dvds

FC3S · 08-13-2006, 04:58 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by wicket

Yeah, thats one of the probs, i dont want them handling dvds

exactly

and the thing most of us want, is multiple video, without multiple units

plus, who wants to carry dvds around, i'd rather just have 1gig movies on my hd, and play those

but like what was already said, you'd need a pretty powerful mobo to support 2 dvds at the same time, 2 avi files mind you, probably a little easier

just extend the desktop, and put media player classic on both in full screen, there u go

wicket · 08-13-2006, 01:31 PM

Everything will be run off HDD, so all i have to do is use 2 touchscreen monitors, extend the desktop, and use media player classic? If that works for 2 screens will it work for 3, Just seeing how far i can go with this, I have a lot af spare computer parts and i would like to use them and not let them go to waste.

Jahntassa · 08-13-2006, 04:51 PM

As said, unless you have a card like the Matrox Parhelia, you will need a seperate card for each monitor you want to use.

Also, if you only have onboard video at the moment, you will need to add at least two cards. Most motherboard video cards will disable themselves when you add a video card. Video cards with multiple outputs will only support showing real video on ONE monitor at a time. You can have three monitors, all which will show video at the same time, but you'll need three video cards.

wicket · 08-13-2006, 06:36 PM

ok, so let me see if Im understanding this correctly (don't look at the expense, only the concept) I can build a pc for my suburban, use a matrox parhelia and extend the desktop across all 3 rows of seating, using 3 touchscreen monitors,then add 3 soundblaster cards for sound. Use media player classic for viewing movies/tv shows seperately, and have complete individual usage and sound through out the vehicle. means I would probably need a dualcore chip and 2 gigs of ram. I have a socket 939 sli system I was going to turn into an arcade machine, but this may be an alternative use.

Vinister · 08-13-2006, 10:56 PM

all I can say is good luck. With a seperate source in a seperate box, you can just hook it all up and pack your bags and drive away, it will work every time, without spending 20 minutes 'setting up the screens' before every drive.

Seldom do video card and audio card installs go perfectly smoothly, and depending on your system it can be quite a chore. To run 2 extra video cards and 2 extra audio cards, you're going to need a beefy power supply to even make it feasible. You'll spend a day setting it all up to work properly, and then you'll be juggling several instances of media player classic on multiple screens (some which you cant see) all while driving, which I must say is rather dangerous considering MPC's teeny-tiny interface. To jab the dagger in further, your machine will be virtually useless doing anything else at all while playing multiple videos full screen, if it can indeed handle it to begin with. You'll need a strong processor, which along with all your other hardware, will get really hot, and yet more of your time will be needed to figure out how to keep it all cool.

Even if your time was only worth $2 per hour, it would be far more economical to just add a simple video player. Since you seem to have the budget for this kind of project, your time is obviously worth more than that - why waste it? There are some HDD-based video players available that have composite output, if you can get one cheap enough it would answer your prayers.

Obviously my opinion is rubbish since you're all freaks about having everything done from the PC even if its a massive waste of time, hardware, and money. Having been such a freak myself in the past, I can understand where you're coming from, all I can tell you is that I've been there and it's nothing to write home about and all you're really doing is being a carputer geek, and expending resources to pass the time by. Similar, in fact, to what im doing right now by pointing this out to you. goodnight.