2 monitors and a Plasma TV connected to 1 PC

[dalewww]

What would be the best way to get a dual monitor setup for desktop use but then within the same office space have an option to change the display over to a plasma?

I don't see how this can be done with a video card. Is there a possibility of a switch?

Also, does anyone know how to make 4 plasma TV monitors work with one computer. Each monitor would be playing separate things. Three of them would be running some sort of slide show and the 4th would be hooked up to TV. However at any given time all 4 would run the same slide show.

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

[madcadder]

go to nVidia.com and look at the
Quadro Plex 1000 Series
and the Quadro FX 4500 x2
Those are both 4-head solutions that cost MEGGAA BUCKS.

You can also use two video cards.
Run a dual head (FX 3500) to your LCDs and a nice single head to the Plasma

EDIT:
One more post and you got your 1st 100. Congrats.

[avdesign]

Cool a Question an actual Audio Visual Design Engineer can answer. Your questions sound like you may want to do digital signage. If that's the case you would really need a Hardware and software solution to correctly do this.
If you only want to only distribute a computer signal and not manage the content you are sending you would be looking a Distribution Amplifier and then just switching the source on each Plasma locally. Not knowing your Plasma Model # , it's inputs, the distance you'd be sending the signal I would not be able to correctly spec a DA to do the job.
Let me know and I'd be happy to recommend a box to do the job, and give you a ball park cost so you can budget.

[jpfsiglo]

Nvidia and Matrox have graphic cards with 4 independent ouputs if you only want 2d image, if you need 3d aceleration you need two separte cards or a expensive quadr 4500.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_14605.html Quadro 440 NVS 2D
http://www.nvidia.com/object/quadro_fx_4500_x2.html Quadro 4500X2 3D
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/cadgis/products/mms/g450quad.php
http://www.matrox.com/graphics/en/cadgis/products/qid/qidlppcie.php

[dalewww]

avdesign
Yes, Audio Visual!!!!!

We are looking at 4 Sony KDL40s2000 or 4 Philips 42PF7421D.

We are looking at one computer running 3-4 different slide shows and the possibility of one monitor having SAT TV on it.

What type of computer am I looking at in this respect then if you say there is hardware required and software?

The main computer is going to be placed maybe 8'-10' max down and to the side of the plasmas (6' down and 4' to the side) in a cabinet below the plasmas behind the reception desk.

Thanks for the help. Any links to sites that would help me visualize what we need would help too. I can then present these items to the board.

Appreciate the help

[avdesign]

avdesign
Yes, Audio Visual!!!!!

We are looking at 4 Sony KDL40s2000 or 4 Philips 42PF7421D.Ok based on the model numbers listed your looking at LCD's instead of Plasma's.
The Sony KDL-40S2000 has been discontinued and has been replaced with the KDL-40S2010 (http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?CategoryName=tv_flatpanel_32to40&ProductSKU=KDL40S2010&TabName=specs&var2=). The Philips 42PF7421D (http://www.consumer.philips.com/consumer/catalog/tree/TV_GR_US_CONSUMER/FLAT_TV_CA_US_CONSUMER/product/42PF7421D_37_US_CONSUMER/catalog.jsp?activeTab=features&language=en&country=US&catalogType=CONSUMER&proxybuster=OHGIJ20WB4UNNJ0RMRESHQFHKFSEKI5P) doesn't have any VGA/RGBHV inputs so don't even look at a purchase of it. Both of these LCDs are more for the consumer/home environment, and generally not installed into the Computer/Business environment. I would recommend looking more towards the professional displays at least from a warranty stand point.

Now for just Computer distribution and no digital signage you'll need a 1X4 DA like Extron's P/2 DA4xi (http://www.extron.com/product/product.asp?id=p2da4xi&subtype=32), or DA4 RGBHV (http://www.extron.com/product/product.asp?id=da4rgbhv&subtype=32), FSR's CDA-4 (http://www.fsrinc.com/products/cda-4.htm), and Gefen's 1x4 VGA Hub (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2077).

For a digital signage solution you need to look at products from 3M (http://www.3mdigitalsignage.com/corporate_site/index.cfm), Scala (http://www.scala.com/), Focus Enhancements (http://www.focusinfo.com/solutions/digital_signage.asp), and Chyron's ChyTV (http://www.chytv.com/). Each for these manufactures have a software, hardware or both to do digital signage. Also some of the professional displays have the ability built right in to do digital signage via Cat5.

I hope this will help a little I really recommend you look up a local system intergrator in your area, and request a quote to give you a real dollar and cents idea. Look for one that is a member of InfoComm or NSCA. To find a local system intergrator in your area for InfoComm (http://www.infocomm.org/Membership/searchmembersnew.cfm), and for NSCA (http://www.nsca.org/Home/IndustryResources/MemberDirectory/tabid/245/Default.aspx). If you have more questions let me know.

[dalewww]

...generally not installed into the Computer/Business environment. I would recommend looking more towards the professional displays at least from a warranty stand point.

Now for just Computer distribution and no digital signage you'll need a 1X4 DA like Extron's P/2 DA4xi (http://www.extron.com/product/product.asp?id=p2da4xi&subtype=32), or DA4 RGBHV (http://www.extron.com/product/product.asp?id=da4rgbhv&subtype=32), FSR's CDA-4 (http://www.fsrinc.com/products/cda-4.htm), and Gefen's 1x4 VGA Hub (http://www.gefen.com/kvm/product.jsp?prod_id=2077).


Thank you for the information. In response to what you have provide could you elaborate?
What would you recommend as a professional display?

Second, in looking at the distribution of the VGA signal, I understand the hubs. However, they only allow for a mirror of the primary input. What I need is a way to play 3 different DVDs or slide shows. One unique slide show per monitor and then the 4th monitor will have the TV news playing. I do not believe these hubs are able to do this. Is there something else that I would need.

I do not believe we need to place text on the screens which is what the digital signal does.

Thanks again.

[avdesign]

What would you recommend as a professional display?That would depend on application and venue. Pro displays have a wider range of features from anti-glare coatings, longer warranties, the ability to operate in 24/7 conditions. They are built and designed to take the abuse of a commercial environment. For example I would spec a Display that was going to be in a store front with a high contrast ratio, and anti-glare coating. As for manufactures I favor Samsung, NEC, and Panasonic for their warranties, product features, and reliability.


What I need is a way to play 3 different DVDs or slide shows. One unique slide show per monitor and then the 4th monitor will have the TV news playing. I do not believe these hubs are able to do this. Is there something else that I would need.This is sounding more like many sources to many displays instead of one source many displays. What you would then need is a matrix switch which would allow you to send any source to any display, or one source to all displays. The correctly spec a matrix one needs to know total number of inputs and total number of all outputs. For instance Two computers, a DVD and a VCR would be 4 inputs and if you had say 4 displays that would be a possible 12 outputs. One output for the RGB and two possibility for the video sources for each display. I would spec a 8x16 or a 16x16, as a possibility.

There a dozen ways to skin this cat especially with digital signage it can be a hardware solution,a software solution, or a combination of both and it all depends on factors from content to budget.