Multipoint windows question

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Dec 2nd, 2021 5:59 pm

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Jul 12th, 2021 1:04 pm

Piro21 [OP]: Deal Expert; Nov 15, 2004; 20781 posts; 4493 upvotes; Toronto

Jul 12th, 2021 1:04 pm

Multipoint windows question

I have a single tower hooked to two monitors and a TV. Standard keyboard & mouse setup at the desk, with a separate media keyboard next to the couch along with a game controller. Sometimes I want to work using the monitors while my girlfriend watches TV or plays a game. Right now I have to have all 3 active under my login and play the file/streaming service/game/whatever on the TV using volume levels set to match that output. I'd like to be able to have these two use cases separated, so I can work under my login using the monitors using a dual screen logical setup, and she can use her own login on the TV with a single-screen logical setup.

Is there a way for two users to use the same tower in separate instances at the same time? I know if we had a second computer hooked to the TV she could use it for games, TV watching, etc using files stored on this tower, but that seems like a waste given the hardware in this tower is more than powerful enough to run all the screens at once. What would I need to share a single tower between two separate users entirely isolated from each other like this?

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Jul 12th, 2021 3:22 pm

Gee: Deal Expert; Aug 2, 2004; 36922 posts; 10149 upvotes; East Gwillimbury

Jul 12th, 2021 3:22 pm

I don’t think it’s possible to split the monitor and the TV under two different logins on the same computer

You can run two accounts using Remote Desktop by patching termsrv.dll, but you cannot split the screens between the two users.

The only other way I can think you can accomplish this is by setting up virtual machines (VM) and dedicating specific hard ware (Monitor) to the VM

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Jul 12th, 2021 3:57 pm

sexyj: Deal Guru; Feb 10, 2007; 13455 posts; 4822 upvotes

Jul 12th, 2021 3:57 pm

You could do what LTT does, if you have dedicated video card for each desktop.

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Jul 12th, 2021 10:10 pm

death_hawk: Deal Expert; Aug 22, 2006; 30351 posts; 15856 upvotes

Jul 12th, 2021 10:10 pm

Piro21 wrote: ↑ Is there a way for two users to use the same tower in separate instances at the same time? I know if we had a second computer hooked to the TV she could use it for games, TV watching, etc using files stored on this tower, but that seems like a waste given the hardware in this tower is more than powerful enough to run all the screens at once. What would I need to share a single tower between two separate users entirely isolated from each other like this?

How far down a rabbit hole do you want to go and how much interaction is there simultaneously?

If your girlfriend doesn't game (or interact with the PC in any way) you could just set up her show and pipe the audio over to the TV.
Nothing special required. But this obviously isn't isolated.

If you are both interacting with the PC simultaneously (ie you both game) this is where it gets complicated. VMs with USB passthrough are probably how things are gonna go down here.
This will provide isolation but it's also the most complicated way of doing it.

The easiest way IMO however is just building a 2nd PC. Doesn't have to be anything expensive. $100 out the door is really all you need.
You could even get away with something like a RasPi. If you plan on gaming on your TV, there's multitudes of streaming apps that let you stream over your main PC.
You still won't be able to play 2 games at once though. VMing is the only realistic way of doing it if you both plan on gaming.

Do you not have anything else to do rather than argue with strangers on the internet

Nope. That's why I'm on the internet arguing with strangers. If I had anything better to do I'd probably be doing it.

Dec 2nd, 2021 5:59 pm

Piro21 [OP]: Deal Expert; Nov 15, 2004; 20781 posts; 4493 upvotes; Toronto

Dec 2nd, 2021 5:59 pm

I couldn't figure this out and just bought her a Macbook Air. My PC remains unchanged.

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