Two Monitors Already - Want to switch between primary display and TV

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Lapys

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Nov 7, 2011
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So I have two monitors hooked up to my GPU, a Radeon HD 7800. I have one monitor running through the VGA connection on the card, and another running through the HDMI.

Basically what I want to do is to be able to hook up a television to this system and switch back and forth as my primary display, while still having the second monitor running. (For example: I decide I want to watch a movie from my computer, so I switch the primary display to the television and I can still have my second monitor up for gaming or browsing or whatever.)

I think the card could handle this, but I'm not sure I want to get a splitter, because wouldn't my card have to bear the load of 2 monitor display and the television all at once? Seems like a bit much, and I don't want to put too much strain on it and burn it out quickly.

What are my best options for this? I can't decide if I need some kind of HDMI splitter, switcher, or what. Money is not too big of an issue, but I don't want to pick up an $80 device if I don't need to, and I've seen splitters as low as the $20-40 range.

Any advice? Thanks in advance.
 
Solution
E
I do this now very simply
I have the tv hooked up with an hdmi cable, and set it to be a copy of monitor 1. (main)
Desktop is extended to monitor two.
Now when I want to watch a movie, I merely select the hdmi input option on the tv, and make the movie on monitor one full screen, and set the tv as primary in audio devices.
This results in the movie playing full screen on the tv, with the sound coming from the tv speakers.
And I can have a browser up on the second monitor to surf if I want.
As long as you video card has enough outputs to do this, just hook it up, and set up your displays accordingly.
Only thing I bought was a hdmi cable.
If I wanted to I could set the tv as it's own monitor number, and use all three screens, all...
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cbrunnem

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Dec 19, 2010
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your monitor needs to have a tv tuner. if it doesnt you need to buy an add on tv tuner to your PC. you dont need a splitter as i would run an HDMI cord off the tuner and use dvi or display port for your two monitor outputs from your gpu. your gpu will not have a problem at all with this load. if wont ever break a sweat.
 
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exroofer

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Jun 4, 2013
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I do this now very simply
I have the tv hooked up with an hdmi cable, and set it to be a copy of monitor 1. (main)
Desktop is extended to monitor two.
Now when I want to watch a movie, I merely select the hdmi input option on the tv, and make the movie on monitor one full screen, and set the tv as primary in audio devices.
This results in the movie playing full screen on the tv, with the sound coming from the tv speakers.
And I can have a browser up on the second monitor to surf if I want.
As long as you video card has enough outputs to do this, just hook it up, and set up your displays accordingly.
Only thing I bought was a hdmi cable.
If I wanted to I could set the tv as it's own monitor number, and use all three screens, all at the same time.

If you do not have a spare hdmi output on the card, you would need a splitter/switch as described above.
 
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