How to connect a DVI output to a DVI monitor and a HDMI projector?

[mashkax7]

Hi,

I am attempting to connect my PC video card's (ATI All-in-wonder 9800) DVI output to my Dell DVI monitor and my Sanyo PLv-Z5 HDMI projector simultaneously. To do this, I used the "DVI-D (Dual Link) Male to 2 DVI-D (Dual Link) Female Splitter Cable, 1 ft." splitter from Sewell to split the DVI output from the video card, connected the monitor with a standard DVI cable from one of the split signals and and used a DVI -> HDMI adapter and a HDMI cable to connect the other split sgnal to the projector.

However, as soon as I connect the DVI -> HDMI adapter to the splitter (even with the HDMI cable disconnected), the display on my monitor (which I first connected to the splitter using the standard DVI cable) goes blank. I am also unable to get the projector connected to the video card individually, without the splitter.

Has anyone had similar issues and dealt with it, or does anyone have any bright ideas as to why this could be happening?

Thanks
-Mahesh

[Jonathan]

Unfortunately a lot of times those splitters don't work with computer video cards.  Computers and Monitors do what is called handshaking.    This is where the monitor reports it's specifications to the video card.  Unfortunately the Video cards are not generally built to be able to hand handshaking through a splitter so you often loose that signal.  Because that signal is lost the computer doesn't think any displays are connected to it so it stops outputting video.

To really get the dual display like that i would recommend using an actual active splitter.  This will help get around that problem.  You could use one like this here:
DVI Splitter

Unfortunately they're a lot more expensive than just the splitter.  Another option is to purchase a new video card for your computer that has 2 DVI ports.  That usually isn't as expensive as one of these splitters.

[mark]

It's probably a pretty "smart" feature of your video card.  It could probably pass through the handshaking signal, but it would have to pick one of the displays.  If the second display didn't support the same resolutions and timing as the first, it could damage the display. 

I agree with Jonathan, the best option is to upgrade the video card.  The active splitters work well, but they are pretty pricey.