Video Display from Vista Desktop to TV

It doesn't work. Even if VLC is totally moved onto the TV, it goes back to my monitor for full screen. It does work using media player classic, but it's still not a great solution because I can't see my tv screen from my computer and moving stuff around that way is a gigantic pain. On my laptop (RIP) running XP, I could control everything from my monitor with just the video going to full screen (via DVi) on the TV. I got the HDMI so that I could get audio, too.

I'll attach a screen shot of the video card setting that shows exactly what I'd like, just isn't doing...

Thanks!

Also thought I should add, I'm running 32 bit Vista

it my be due to lack of drivers been producted
http://newest-drivers.com/drivers/v_ati_ATI_Radeon.html?t202id=9208&t202kw=Ati%20radeon%20driver&gclid=CKiVqLfel5gCFdgvpAod5G90nA

however u can get round this via downloading a program called dh_mobilty you can find this program on driverheaven
http://www.driverheaven.net/modtool.php
then using this program u can install the most recent display drivers from ATI

I have already downloaded and installed the latest drivers and such from the site. All the dates/versions show that they are in use on my machine, so maybe that's not it.

I would prefer not to use clone mode, simply because I am often doing other things at the same time, and like to check on and work with things periodically, and it's nice to have them up. I guess I just want more than Vista is able to do at this point. It really stinks if it's the DRM thing. I can't imagine why I shouldn't be able to view content that is bought and paid for - for a 'media friendly' OS, it's really not.

Thanks so much for the help.... I'll leave this open a wee bit longer in the event there are any other workaround suggestions, otherwise I'll just assume it's an OS limitation that I just need to live with.

If I downgraded to XP, would that get rid of the problem? I guess if MS ever introduces a 'fix' or gets sued for jerkiness, I could always upgrade....

It has to be either the video card itself or this HDMI output or the settings you have chosen.
HDMI output poses so many new things and may not be fully supported with what you have chosen.
Using a HD TV as a secondary monitor may not work that way.
I dont have experience with this new HD TV but I imagine that you could not set up the dual mode correctly using this.
 A TV  and a HD TV has very different pixel scales to a monitor.
So if your card is intelligent it will use recomended video displays for the setup you have chosen monitor to monitor which does not require fullscreen on the secondary monitor since it's an extension of your desktop.
I would l look closely at the manual and in  the area of using the TV as a secondary screen
it should have a TV wizard so that you set this TV to PAL or some special res that's suitable then I bet the movies will play in full screen on the TV.
Look at the connection selection for TV, it may offer s-video out or composite or HD to TV etc.
Laptops offer a display showing a second monitor connected or not,  a TV connected or not  and the current what is connected.
Good Luck

The card I have allows me to have different resolutions and everything for the 2 screens (and identifies the TV as a Panasonic and sets it to HDTV settings), and it works perfectly as an extended desktop, just not as a theater mode.

I think DarkMeld is right, and it's just a Vista issue since it worked with my XP laptop. It's very, very frustrating that they would disable this feature, especially since it's content that is bought and paid for, due to DRM issues.  Oh well, downgrading the OS it is.

Thanks for all your help!

Also, I found this thread: http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?t=33881112

The last post said:

"Easy way to do it is download Media player classic homecinema (if you cant find it you can get it bundled with the cccp codec pack) do a search to find the executible file and right click property's then compatibility. tick the bottom two options (disable desktop composition & display scaling) and save. Afterwards set it as your default player and open a video file, windows will switch to vista basic and you will get perfect theater mode on your second monitor/tv."

I tried this solution as well, but with no success.

Finally got it worked out after reading countless threads.... if you set the player's output to directx, it works.

Phew, what a pain.

Thanks for everyone's help!

Thanks so much for your help in working this out...