Odd Request

[2Xtreme21]

Hi guys. Got an odd predicament here:

We have 2 laptops. I want to make it so that when we go on vacation, in the car, my boys can watch the same movie on both screens. Neither laptop has any kind of video in port, so that's pretty much out of the question.

I was up late last night googling for this, and found a program called MaxiVista which mirrors desktops over a network, but I don't think it'll be exactly what I want. I, pretty much, want one laptop to just be a second monitor and display exactly what the first one does.

Any ideas? I'm up for buying any cables / devices necessary. Thanks.

 

[Cares]

They have a USB --> S-Video output device I believe. I'm sure you can find one that is USB --> Analog/Digital.

 

[biostud]

I guess you mean they have no video out ports?

 

[NokiaDude]

I think you're asking the impossible.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Originally posted by: biostud
I guess you mean they have no video out ports?

No video in. They each have S-Video Out ports on the back, however nothing where it can accept any incoming video transmissions.

 

[Gravity]

Burn a copy of the DVD and give them both headphones. Both lappy's play the same movie.

Done.

Next dilema?

 

[2Xtreme21]

Heh Gravity, I was figuring someone would say it. The one laptop has no DVD Drive and where's the challenge in that?

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Hi guys. Got an odd predicament here:

We have 2 laptops. I want to make it so that when we go on vacation, in the car, my boys can watch the same movie on both screens. Neither laptop has any kind of video in port, so that's pretty much out of the question.

I was up late last night googling for this, and found a program called MaxiVista which mirrors desktops over a network, but I don't think it'll be exactly what I want. I, pretty much, want one laptop to just be a second monitor and display exactly what the first one does.

Any ideas? I'm up for buying any cables / devices necessary. Thanks.

Tell the brats to sit closer and use the same screen.

 

[windraider]

Are you looking at just using the monitor on the second laptop as a display only? or just have it display a second copy of the video. IE, the second laptop is still fully functional, but is displaying the video? If it's the second, i think the maxivista software might work for you. or you could look at VideoLAN similar concept, but does streaming of video files/DVD's over the network, not just mirroring the desktop.

If you want it to be just a display with no other functions, i don't know of any solution.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Windraider, wonderful idea. I'll be sure to look into the VLC software.

 

[ExplodingBoy]

If it's just a one-time thing, rip a copy of the DVD onto both laptops and let them watch it. Advantage to that is that they can pause/FF/rew independently.

I think using VLC or something similar over the network is going to be awkward (don't tangle up that network cable!) or you'll have to use wireless which might be slow and/or drain batteries faster.

 

[2Xtreme21]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

 

[russell2002]

Maxvista allows you to mirror one screen onto another comp over LAN.

 

[Cares]

Originally posted by: ExplodingBoy
If it's just a one-time thing, rip a copy of the DVD onto both laptops and let them watch it. Advantage to that is that they can pause/FF/rew independently.

I think using VLC or something similar over the network is going to be awkward (don't tangle up that network cable!) or you'll have to use wireless which might be slow and/or drain batteries faster.

How are you going to rip a DVD on to one laptop if it doesn't have a DVD-rom? Won't work unless you rip the 4.7 GBs onto one and transfer it over to the other.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: AlphaQ

Originally posted by: ExplodingBoy
If it's just a one-time thing, rip a copy of the DVD onto both laptops and let them watch it. Advantage to that is that they can pause/FF/rew independently.

I think using VLC or something similar over the network is going to be awkward (don't tangle up that network cable!) or you'll have to use wireless which might be slow and/or drain batteries faster.

How are you going to rip a DVD on to one laptop if it doesn't have a DVD-rom? Won't work unless you rip the 4.7 GBs onto one and transfer it over to the other.

Or encode in divx or xvid and put them on CD's.