Multiple OS on one PC?

[dmepham]

Hey Guys,

Not sure if this is the right forum, but wondering if someone can help me. Here's what I have: Decent computer (P4 3.6/2GB/Radeon X850XT) in one room, needs to run Windows XP or Vista. Large library of MP3s and video, etc. In another room, I have my TV (LCD) and stereo system.

What I want is to be able to run normal Windows on the computer, but also be able to run something like Media Center on the TV & Stereo.

Assume for a minute that I could find a cable long enough to reach the TV (or suitable wireless sustitute), is there any way that I can run two versions of Windows (say one XP, one Media center) on the same PC at the same time?

Basically I was looking for something similar to the setup/interface you'd get by placing a PS3 by the TV & wirelessly connecting to the computer, only I was hoping to do so w/out the $400 PS3.

Any ideas? Thx

 

[Billb2]

Originally posted by: dmepham


What I want is to be able to run normal Windows on the computer, but also be able to run something like Media Center on the TV & Stereo.

You can boot multiple OSs..hundreds of them if you wish. But you can only run one at a time, unless you use something like VNWare. BUt then, I'd imagine Vista Home Premium would have everything you'd need to do what you want. And the "long cable" probably won't work. The signals are not strong enough to run much over 10-12 feet reliably.

 

[dmepham]

Hey... thanks for the info. Okay... wireless transmitter instead of long cable.

So Vista Home Premium... I could run regular apps on one monitor, and on the other monitor (in this case the TV), display a media center-like interface? Could it be controlled w/ an RF remote, if I added one?

 

[Billb2]

Originally posted by: dmepham
Hey... thanks for the info. Okay... wireless transmitter instead of long cable.

So Vista Home Premium... I could run regular apps on one monitor, and on the other monitor (in this case the TV), display a media center-like interface? Could it be controlled w/ an RF remote, if I added one?

Yes, multiple monitor capabilities have been built into all MS windows OSs. In the Display Properties dialog box both (or all the monitors you have installed) will show up. Resolutions, etc. can be set for each monitor separately. Of course you will need a video card with multiple outputs (each matching it's monitors requirements), or dual video cards. Perhaps a video card and a TV tuner card would be the best way to get the remote control you desire, as that is a hardware function not an OS function. But again, you can't push the video signal (to the TV) much further than the standard length video connector cable.

"Could it be controlled w/ an RF remote, if I added one?" I'm sorry, but that question makes no sense. What be controlled? Added one...where?...they don't just plug into a motherboard. It's like if your TV doesn't have remote control capability, you can't just go out and buy a universal remote and have it work. You need hardware that supports remote control too.

What you really want to do is to set up a server, put your multi media stuff on that and access the server from both your desktop PC and a media center PC (w/remote control) in the other room. You can stream multi media over a network as far as you want, without the distance limits of a video card's output. And your P4 will be hard pressed to run multimedia and other apps at the same time.

And what you really, really want to do is visit a few multi media forums as there are many, many other ways to accomplish what you want. Theres's HDDVD, Blue Ray, HDTV, 1080i, 1080p, future proofing, and a whole bunch of other considerations too.

Not to be insulting with the following analogy...but..
Let's say you read that driving a car to the grocery store is a good way to get your shopping done. And since you've never seen a car before and have no idea what one is, you post, on a shopping forum, "What's a car and which kind do I need?"....See, it depends... on what you want to do, and you won't get very good answers from a grocery shopping forum either.

The whole multimedia PC "thing" is rather cryptic to the novice. It's not well covered in the mass media or advertising. At the present time it's kind of a "black art". But there are solutions there for every budget and skill level. Happy hunting!