Are there any media player(s) with preview to external monitor feature?
 

Pardon me if this question has already been answered, but I can't seem to get a clear answer. Are there any media players out there (such as Window Media Player, or PowerDVD) that has a preview to external monitor feature (via firewire or otherwise).

Thanks

That mostly depends on your video card. For example my Matrox P650 card comes with a software utility (as well as hardware) to display Windows Media Player content on an external monitor. I'm sure many other cards with multiple display capabilities include such software utilities.

I use that mostly for viewing a final product. For true previewing (while I'm editing) I use Premiere Pro's preview window video out over firewire capability (then through a cheap minidv cam to a monitor).

For simply watching video from my PC on my TV, I have a "lowly" GeForce FX5200 card running S-Video out to my set. Overlay controls in the software that came with the card allow me to watch any video in any of my media players (Divx, Winamp, WMP, etc...) at full screen on the TV while I do other things on the computer. For previwing video from my NLE, I use the MiniDV cam method as well. I wish I could do it through the card like everything else because I don't have a broadcast monitor and therefore don't need the highest quality.

Jesse, which software are you using for the Overlay controls?

The Nvidia software that came with the board. I could look up the name and version number if you want. I've messed with all the settings and can't seem to get it to play the preview video from any of my NLE's (PPro. Vegas, etc...). Any ideas?

Jesse, I would appreciate it very much if you would look up the name and version number of the software. I have a athlon64 with a Nvidia gforce fx5200 (256mb). I already have a dual monitor setup (2 sonys with the desktop extended from the first to the second monitor). I literally want to view my media vids from a simple media player such as windows media player, powerdvd, etc., to my television, and not tie up my system or NLE resources in the process. This option is simple and would do the trick.

Actually, all I seem to have installed is the detonator driver and some kind of "nView" software (i think it's part of the driver). It sounds like you're trying to get triple monitor output, which the Nvidia cards don't have. You can easily send any of your video to your TV if you unplug one of your monitors and hook up the S-video connection on the card to the TV. Then set the TV as the 2nd monitor and as a "clone", and then change the "full screen video" setting to 2nd display. Whatever video you play should be full screen on your TV. For triple monitor support you'll have to check out Matrox graphic boards.