Watching movies and playing games simultaneously

[DivXviD]

I would like to play a movie using TV-OUT so I could watch it on TV and simultaneously I would like the PC to be available for use, run other programs (not in the background) that will not affect the output of the movie.

I know that it works in the "What you see is what you get" way, but are there any DIVX players or any apps that "simulate" the TV output and act as the "screen"? There has to be a solution besides having a separate computer, right?

Help is greeeeeeeeeeeeeatly appreciated,
Thank you very much.

[anonymez]

don't think its possible-- games and video both need the graphics card, not to mention the game must have the option to run in a window; but i've never attempted it myself.

its quite possible to play a video on the tv and do tasks other than gaming, (using extended desktop), just drag the player window across so its visible on the TV. use the monitor to do other tasks

[DivXviD]

Thanks, I'll try that.

Cool, it works!

I can't play games though, because as you said, it uses the Nvidia card.

I have another question though... It sounds like a riddle or something.
I have 2 PCs. PC1 is connected to PC2 and PC2 is connected to the TV. PC1 cannot be connected to the TV.
How do I play a movie on PC1 using its graphics card, transmit the data to PC2 through the already established network and stream the data on, to the TV? In other words, I want to use the graphics card of PC1 and stream it indirectly through PC2 on the TV.
Is it even possible?

Or maybe there's a way to disable hardware rendering of the divx codec and thus release the graphics card to be available for gaming?

[techreactor]

I hope you dont plan to do this multi-tasking yourself, means playing game and watching the movie also, I am sure it wont work out.

[anonymez]

again, never done this myself, but use pc1 to play the video. use a remote access app like ultravnc to "view" the pc1's desktop on pc2. drag the viewing window on pc2 across to the tv. use pc2 for gaming.

i still don't think it will work though

[DivXviD]

Thanks! I'll try that.
Now that you mention it, what are good apps for remote desktop control through a network?

[drfsupercenter]

for outside a network I reccomend www.logmein.com
Dunno about inside one tho.

[anonymez]

ultravnc is the best freeware one

[techreactor]

ultravnc is the best freeware one

havent tried ultravnc but I use and know that VNC works.