Easiest way to switch HDMI pc to tv

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Hello,

I am planning to use the following setup:

PC connected to surround system (optical)
PC connected to HD monitor (HDMI)
HDTV (HDMI)

That way I can use windows media center to watch movies on my tv. I have 2 HDMI ports from my graphics cards (CrossFire) and an optical output from my motherbord.

What would be the easist way to switch between my TV and monitor when I want to watch movies? I would prefer some simple software only soluton so that I dont have to unplug any cables.

Also, if my PC is normally conneced to my surround system, whn insert headphones (from the input on top of my chasis) will it output to that instead of the surround system through optical?

Thanks in advance!
 
I've got the same setup

5.1 Surround sound
HD TV/Monitor

What I do is have my TV connect to my PC via a HDMI cable

My 5.1 connected to my PC via a fibre optic cable (SPDIF)

And my 5.1 connected to the second HDMI port on my TV

So if im using my PC I'll have my TV on channel HDMI (1) and my 5.1 on AUX OPT

And if I want to watch a movie I'll switch over to HDMI (2)
 



Thanks for your response! so, if you dont use hdmi2 on your tv, your graphic card(s) only output to your monitor? did you have to change any settings (eg which output has priority such as a tv)? Finally, if you switch off your 5.1 receiver, can you use headphones you connect to your computer without changing any settings? Thanks a lot!
 
I think we might be talking about different things here, I use my 5.1 to watch movies as it has a DVD player, and I think your talking about watching movies in windows media center which I've never used.

Anyway to answer your questions, I do use the second HDMI Channel on my TV when I want to watch a movie. because my 5.1 is connected to my TV's second HDMI port.

And Yes my graphics card only outputs to my TV which I use as a monitor when I'm on my PC.

If I'm using my PC and I want to use headphones instead of my 5.1 then all I would have to do is plug in my headphones and windows detects that I've plugged them in and automatically changes from 5.1 to headphones
(using windows 7 64Bit home premium)
 


Thanks for your help. However, my setup will include another monitor (if i understand it correctly you are only using your tv as display). do you think its easy to switch between my regular pc monitor and my pc and do you know what i would have to do for that? thanks a lot!
 
Yeah your right, I'm using just my TV for everything.

And your looking to connect 2 monitors to your PC right?

Its really easy to connect 2 monitors to your PC so long as you have a graphics card with atleast 2 outputs such as HDMI or DVI.

Its pretty much as simple as connecting both monitor cables to your graphics card
 


Yes, my new PC will be running 2 cards in Crossfire so that shouldn't be a problem. The only thing I want to be sure of is whether they will be seen as completely seperate monitors (I don't want to be able to move my mouse onto my tv if i move it to the right for example. when i switch my tv on and i for example put it on HDMI-3 is there anything i should do or will it automatically switch to my tv? do i have to change settings to make the tv the preferred one (when switched on)?
 
Right basically you have two options:

1) Use both cards in crossfire for better performance, and hook both monitors to the primary card (the first card). This way both monitors will work as one if you like, so your desktop will be extended across both monitors.

2) Have both cards run independently and have 1 monitor connected to the primary card and the second monitor connected to the secondary card, this way you can have different things going on, on each monitor (E.g. you could play a game on one and browse the web on the second monitor)

But you cannot have crossfire enabled and have both monitors doing different things.

So if you want the two monitors to be seperate from each other then you cannot use crossfire technology.
 


The thing i actually want to do is run them is crossfire but only use 1 monitor at a time (pc or tv). how difficult is it to change between the who? i do have 2 hdmi outputs form my cards
 
What you should probably look into is in Catalyst Control Center. Look for a dual-monitor setting called "Cloned Mode" (Edit: I don't know if this option is available in Crossfire mode). This will work if both your monitor and HDTV have the same resolution. This essentially mirrors your desktop onto both your monitor and your HDTV. What happens on one, happens on the other.

This is how I have my HTPC set up. Rather than having a monitor and an HDTV, though, I have an HDTV and a projector. When I want to watch something on the TV, I just turn on the HDTV and the desktop is there. When I want to watch something on the projector, the desktop is there as well.

-Wolf sends
 
ah ok, well you can run crossfire and 1 monitor when you want to use your PC and then if you want to watch TV, use a TV.

If you monitor is just a monitor (and not a TV your using as a monitor) then you can't watch TV on it. ( unless you watch 40D or BBC iPlayer)

However if your like me and you have your PC connected to your TV and use your TV as a monitor and also to watch TV then all you would have to do is use your remote to switch between TV and the HDMI channel your PC is on.
 


thanks a lot! so i could then boot up windows media center nd then press the on/off button on my monitor (so i dont have 2 monitors dispaying the same thing since my pc nd tv are near to one another. however, if my tv is switched off will it automatically just send the image to my monitor? the thing i want to avoid is having to change setting everytime i wanna use the tv as home theatre. thx for the help guys appreciate it
 
Yes. If you wanted to, you could boot up Windows Media Center with the TV on and the monitor off. Clone mode sends the signal to both displays, simultaneously, regardless of which one is on (if either... or both).

-Wolf sends
 
thanks for your help. i wont need a too long cord since its for my bedroom and both the pc and tv are located there.

one more question: if i use clone mode and the tv is switched off, will there be any decrease in performace when playing games? or is that only if they are both switched on? thanks
 
Unfortunately, I can't answer that as I don't game on my setup. With your setup in clone mode, turn the monitor on and the HDTV off. Then check the status of your setup in Catalyst Control Center. If both displays are still active, then I would guess (and it's only a guess) that data is still being sent to the HDTV, thus causing a loss in performance. If the second display is inactive in Catalyst Control Center, then I would guess (there's that word again) that you're not losing performance.

-Wolf sends
 


Thanks a lot for your advise. The thing is however, I have yet to buy my new PC and that's why I was trying to find out some info in advance but I guess I'll just have to play around a bit once I get it. Anyway, now I at least have an idea of what I should try! Thanks for your help guys it was really helpful!

PS: if anyone knows whether in clone mode there is performance loss if one monitor is switched off please post it it'd really help me. Thanks!!
 
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