ATI AIW 8500DV + geforce2 => dual monitor?

[nil_esh]

I am thinking of getting an ATI All-in-Wonder 8500DV AGP. I also have an PCI NVidia Mx200 Geforce2 that I want to use with a second monitor. Does anyone have any experience running dual monitors with a AIW 8500DV? Do the TV and DVD functions still work with both monitors enabled?

I'm currently using a much older AIW 128. I can run dual monitors, but the TV and DVD functions fail to work when I do so.

[Maximouse]

Originally posted by nil_esh
I am thinking of getting an ATI All-in-Wonder 8500DV AGP. I also have an PCI NVidia Mx200 Geforce2 that I want to use with a second monitor. Does anyone have any experience running dual monitors with a AIW 8500DV? Do the TV and DVD functions still work with both monitors enabled?

I'm currently using a much older AIW 128. I can run dual monitors, but the TV and DVD functions fail to work when I do so.

In your bios, which card is set to be the primary adapter? (there should be an option to initialize either the AGP/PCI card first).

If you boot using the AIW 128 as the primary card then I think the TV functions will work. I seem to recall having the same problems awhile back and that was how I fixed it.

Al

[CrashOveride]

ok, wit dual monitors you need the AGP set to boot first and voth cards need to support it (some older dont your bot h i think do). the DVD feature should work on both (if they both support it) HOWEVER you cannot drag the window from on to the other, it will mess up... but both should work as long as you start the movie in the first monitor... at least that is what happens with me... the TV funtion is prolyl hte same way but it, i think would only work on the AIW ONLY and not the other... :D :eh?: :D

[nil_esh]

Cool, thanks for the responses. I will have to try booting the AIW 128 AGP first. I can't remember, but I might have been booting the PCI Nvidia card first. Its been a while since I've tried this.

It would be really cool to have one monitor to watch TV on and another monitor to do random computer stuff on.

[hassmh]

Another cool feature of the AIW 8500 is on the same monitor you can watch TV and do other stuff at the same time by using blended desktop. It kind of overlays the TV image on whatever else you're doing, and you can adjust the level of blending. If you're doing a lot of different stuff, it doesn't work very well, but it works great when typing in Word.

[nil_esh]

Well I tried booting the AGP first. Using my AIW 128 the TV functions don't work when I have the second monitor enabled. I can disable the 2nd monitor and it'll work fine. Ironically the only the time I want dual displays is when I'm watching TV :eh?:

Hopefully the 8500DV won't have this problem. I think the 128 just wasn't designed for dual monitor use.

[CrashOveride]

i think you may be right... the DVD funtion on cards i hacve used still worked dual-monitored... (ATi Radeo 9700, GeForece 4 mx440 and ATi rage 128) dose it work for u?

[Maximouse]

Originally posted by nil_esh
Well I tried booting the AGP first. Using my AIW 128 the TV functions don't work when I have the second monitor enabled. I can disable the 2nd monitor and it'll work fine. I think the 128 just wasn't designed for dual monitor use.

Thats really strange. I know I used to do it with my AIW 128 Pro AGP and also my AIW 128 PCI. It would only display on the monitor that was hooked up to the AIW card as long as it was the primary display.

[nil_esh]

btw I have only tried this under Windows 2000.

[Maximouse]

Originally posted by nil_esh
btw I have only tried this under Windows 2000.

According to the text below, which I got from the ATI Website..You should be able to use the Multimedia programs (TV etc) if the adapter is the primary in win 2000.
---------------------------------
A7: Drivers that support the RAGE LT PRO™ and RAGE XL™ will be made available in a separate driver release.

Products based on the MACH 32/64™, RAGE II™, or RAGE PRO™ do not support multi-adapter and will not function properly when used as the secondary adapter. They will function properly when used as the primary adapter. This is a design limitation with Windows® 2000 which cannot be rectified with a driver update.

Windows® 2000 does not properly support video capture on the secondary adapter. ALL-IN-WONDER® products should be used as the primary adapter to ensure that all multimedia features function correctly
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Here's the link to the page:

http://mirror.ati.com/products/faqs/windows2000faq.html#7