Can you do this with Windows?

[John Gray]

I've been asked if a Windows (rather than an Apple) laptop can do the following:

• use a projector or an attached large screen (perhaps a TV screen) to display a YouTube video with sound

while at the same time

• being able to set up, in one or more browser instances, a small number of further YouTube videos while the first video is playing undisturbed, so that the second, third, and so on, can be set to follow on more-or-less seamlessly when the first finishes

Anyone done this before? I certainly haven't!

[HansV]

With a dual monitor setup, that should be possible. Modern browsers will let you drag a browser tab from one screen to the other. You'd have to be very careful to prevent the videos in the browser on the laptop's monitor from playing - Windows will happily mix the sound of multiple videos.

[John Gray]

You say "dual monitor" - does that cover the laptop's own screen as one, with the second 'monitor' being whatever's connected to the VGA port, either a projector or a large TV-screen-type monitor?

I'm very familiar with multiple sound sessions being happily mingled/mangled by Windows!

[HansV]

Yes - almost all laptops provide for an external monitor being connected. The graphics properties dialog then lets you choose between 4 options:
- video output to the internal monitor only.
- video output to the external monitor only.
- identical video output to both monitors.
- extended desktop: independent video output to the two monitors.

With 'extended desktop', one usually sets up the internal monitor as primary screen, with the Windows start menu. and the external monitor as secondary screen.
You can define how the two screens are positioned relative to each other.
Simply drag a (non-maximized) window from one screen to the other.

[John Gray]

Thank you!

[stuck]

Another idea...

Rather than queueing each video up in a separate browser tab and then switching to each tab in turn why not get everything ready ahead of the show? Simply use a video downloader to capture each of the videos to the laptop then add them to a play list in your favourite media player. At the required time hit play and then sit back and enjoy the show.

Ken

[John Gray]

Sounds a good idea - thanks, Ken!

[Rudi]

If it is youtube videos you will download, I'd recommend to use VDownloader. You can even search within the app for the appropriate vids.
If it is streaming content you will download, I'd recommend VSO Downloader. It grabs any video streaming and saves it to your hard drive.