Dual Graphics - Non-SLI

[Ambian]

Ok... a bit of background. My main box stores my TV shows plus I use it for games, etc. Now I currently have my TV hooked up via S-Video, and LCD through DVI. I have onboard sound connected to the RCA on my TV too, while my X-Plosion goes to my amp. Now im not a big fan of Desperate Housewives or Greys Anatomy, so if my girlfriend wants to watch them I just put on a heap of episodes that outputs to the TV and then load up a game with some headphones on the LCD... all is good, MOST of the time... some games tend to take over the TV (No game images, just blank desktop), where as others leave the TV alone and i can play without interupting the output or playback at all.

 

I just want to get some ideas on whether other people have similar issues, or whether there are ways via software to 'lock' the second monitor so that changed to the resolution/whatever to the first doesnt interfere.

 

The other thing i was thinking of was adding another Graphics card to the system, TV connected to one, and the LCD hooked up to the other. HIS have released this card which uses a 1xPCIe slot (Finally..a reason to have them! ) which fits the bill nicely. NinDeals are looking for interest in the card for a bulk buy, and for the right price I think it would be good for a HTPC or a dual card setup.

 

What I dont know is how it would work with a PCIE primary and a PCIe secondary, or if it would work at all? How to the drivers work? How do you specify where a program sends its images? I googled and found mostly older setups with PCI & AGP, but not alot of detail of how it actually works in practice.

 

Alternativly, I could pick up a cheap PCIE card and drop it into the other slot... might be easier to configure.

 

Let me know if you have any suggestions or experience in this kind of thing.

 

Cheers