Currently, I have a desktop computer hooked up to my projector in the living room and I use it as a HTPC. I also have an HDTV and laptop in my room that I use for personal stuff. I can hook up my laptop to my HDTV, but my laptop can't really play HD content, so I am trying to connect my HTPC to both the projector and my HDTV.
Ideally, I would like to have completely separate user accounts for the projector and HDTV so that both can be used to do different things at once, without anyone noticing. I know that Microsoft doesn't make this easy, but I've read some blurbs that made it seem possible to have concurrent user sessions. If it's not possible, then I think there may still be some decent options.
Here is what I've been able to do so far by myself:
I bought a second video card for my HTPC and a 25' hdmi cable so that I can have both the projector and the HDTV connected to the HTPC, with the HDTV being an extended desktop of the projector. I also installed TightVNC so I can control the HTPC with my laptop. That all works fairly well - I can watch separate videos on both screens, but the problem is that the audio for both videos goes to the speakers in the living room and my HDTV plays no sound. Is there a way to have all the audio coming from applications that are shown on my HDTV to come out of the HDTV's speakers?
While not ideal, it would not be a huge problem to share control of the mouse with whoever is watching the projector because whoever is using the projector is usually just idly watching vidoes. So if there is a way to solve the audio problem, I might just stick with this approach. But I would definitely be interested in any ideas that allow me to have completely separate user sessions on both screens.
All ideas are greatly appreciated.
Ideally, I would like to have completely separate user accounts for the projector and HDTV so that both can be used to do different things at once, without anyone noticing. I know that Microsoft doesn't make this easy, but I've read some blurbs that made it seem possible to have concurrent user sessions. If it's not possible, then I think there may still be some decent options.
Here is what I've been able to do so far by myself:
I bought a second video card for my HTPC and a 25' hdmi cable so that I can have both the projector and the HDTV connected to the HTPC, with the HDTV being an extended desktop of the projector. I also installed TightVNC so I can control the HTPC with my laptop. That all works fairly well - I can watch separate videos on both screens, but the problem is that the audio for both videos goes to the speakers in the living room and my HDTV plays no sound. Is there a way to have all the audio coming from applications that are shown on my HDTV to come out of the HDTV's speakers?
While not ideal, it would not be a huge problem to share control of the mouse with whoever is watching the projector because whoever is using the projector is usually just idly watching vidoes. So if there is a way to solve the audio problem, I might just stick with this approach. But I would definitely be interested in any ideas that allow me to have completely separate user sessions on both screens.
All ideas are greatly appreciated.
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