TV-out and VGA at the same time?

[Bob151]

Is there one card that has simultaneous video output via the TV-Out and the VGA-DB connectors?

Do TV-out cards do this by default? I want the images to be unique. This is for a MythTV box. I want frontend running on the TV-out and standard gnome desktop on the VGA.

Thanks


PS. I'm looking for a cheap one, this is not for games.

 

[Peter]

Most of today's video engines do that, yes. Even those in VIA EPIA-M boards, as far as I remember.

Keep in mind that the vast majority of Linux/X graphics card drivers do NOT support the TV-out!

 

[Bob151]

It seems that many use FX5200 cards. That chipset has supposed enhancements for MPEG2 decoding, and its cheap.

If I can have a standard desktop on VGA and frontend out the TV-out, that would be great. But, some manufacturers say they have dual monitor or twin monitor support. Since they say they do it, does that imply that all the others don't. That's what I'm really not sure about.

 

[Peter]

Well ATi and NVidia certainly do, SiS/Xabre/XGI do too, discrete S3graphics units as well. VIA's integrated "S3 Unichrome (Pro)" chipsets do too.

All of these have MPEG2 decoders as well, SiS had them since 1997. VIA CN400 chipset even has MPEG4.

http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/chipsets/c-series/cn400/

As I already said, your main concern shouldn't be whether the chips support TV/CRT dualhead, but whether their X drivers let you actually do it.